Together, Karin and Romee are responsible for the styling of a wide range of Kabaz projects and for realising various metamorphosis projects. In their own studio in Laren, they like to show what they are capable of. Karin: ‘About twice a year, we transform this wonderful place in terms of style and atmosphere. Just when most of our colleagues and clients think it’s perfect, we look at each other and get the itch to renew.’ Romee: ‘The basis of a house in terms of routing and construction quality is incredibly important, but 80% of the fun is in the last 20% of the effort you put into the styling, even if the basis is already good and you don’t want to renovate. We so often see interiors where nothing is wrong, but where you can still add so much by using the right colours and materials, through upholstering and styling or by bringing in accents and surprises.’

‘The whole team collaborates closely, of course, but Romee and I can often be found together,’ says Karin. ‘Our job varies from brainstorming together for a conceptual design to the delivery, when we place the furniture and do the final styling up to and including the plants, the art and a wonderful smell in the house. The moment when we welcome our clients back into their home with a glass of champagne is always magical, and the reactions alone are often a huge inspiration to us.’ Romee: ‘And of course, we can’t wait to travel again, whether it’s for foreign projects or a visit to trade fairs in Paris or Milan.’

Several nice surprises await you in the newly renovated studio. The Kabaz designers consider customised furniture to be a connecting element between the architectural basis of a room and its interior. The gorgeous fireplace wall with open-book travertine, the coffee niche with its silk wallpaper-covered cabinet doors and a bronze-sprayed tap from which coffee and cappuccino flows are beautiful examples of this. ‘We work with stunning collections from international brands, but a cupboard like this, with one part set on the floor and another suspended from the ceiling, is something we really come up with ourselves and have custom-made in a special combination of coated metal and beautiful wood. A real eye-catcher, but only when this Flexform sofa is in front of the space and the right art is in it, is the space finished. In the end, everything interacts with each other: sight with light, proportions with colours and fabrics with styling and art. That’s how we make the difference between a nice house with nice things and a kind of total experience, where you feel that everything’s right the moment you enter.’ 

STEPPING INTO THE CONSIDERABLY RESTYLED STUDIO IN LAREN IS STEPPING INTO THE WORLD OF KABAZ. ARCHITECTURE, INTERIOR DESIGN, LIGHTING AND STYLING COME TOGETHER IN AN APPEALING AND STYLISH WAY IN THE LUXURIOUS, INSPIRATIONAL ROOM OF THE VERSATILE AND INTERNATIONALLY OPERATING DESIGN FIRM. EVERY ASPECT HAS BEEN THOUGHT THROUGH, AND ALL THE MATERIALS AND COLOURS ARE GEARED TO ONE ANOTHER SO THAT THE OVERALL PICTURE IS CORRECT, RIGHT DOWN TO THE SMALLEST DETAIL. IT INSPIRES AND DELIGHTS.

‘We are getting more and more requests to give existing interiors a new look without using major architectural interventions. A complete-concept, demolition-free restyling. And if you would like, we can take on everything at once. From painting to sanding and staining the wooden floor. From hanging the curtains and placing new furniture to covering the fireplace in natural stone. Everything is done under one roof and according to a strict schedule, including the candles, art and plaid on the sofa. Our atelier is a perfect example of how we do that,’ Karin explains.

Romee continues: ‘We always start by listening very carefully. We are especially curious about wishes; the solutions we will come up with. We share our vision for your living environment: suitable and surprising at the same time. During our presentation, the tables here are full of drawings and materials, and we take you with us into our experience. The design comes to life because you can see, feel and smell the materials.’