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Inside with: Bettina Neseker

A unique hob in a unique kitchen. Bettina Neseker added the final accent to her distinctive kitchen with MAKUS.

Can you briefly tell us something about yourself?
“My name is Bettina Neseker and I live in Amsterdam Oud West, with children and my husband. In 2013 I founded CITYMOM: the hotspot and lifestyle website for mothers. I also design unique rugs and mirrors through my brand STUDIO VACAY. In 2021 I completed an interior styling course. I think it’s great that I have been able to turn my hobby into my profession since then. Since this year I have also been working as an interior stylist.”

What aspects played a role in the design of your kitchen?
“Our biggest wish was a kitchen island. And a unique one. That means not white marble, for example. It had to be a real eye-catcher, the centre of the house.”

You have made bold choices, is that just for the kitchen or is that reflected in the entire interior?
“I love colour. You can see that in various places, such as in all the bedrooms and in the extension on our ground floor. And also in our 'Miami Vice' toilet, which has lilac tiles with pink walls and a pink toilet and sink.”

Did everything go smoothly or did you also encounter any problems?
“Not much went smoothly, but I would like to leave that behind me. Not think about it anymore . But renovate, preferably never again.”

And, are you happy with the result?
“Very happy. The kitchen is exactly what I imagined. The pink induction hob from MAKUS makes it complete!”

What role does the kitchen play in your family life?
“I wanted a kitchen island because I thought it would be nice if everyone would hang out at the bar while cooking. And actually, we now only sit at the kitchen island, and never at the table. Breakfast, lunch, drinks and dinner, everything is nicer at the kitchen island. I also like to work there. In short, we actually sit there all day! It connects our family. We have never spent so much time together in one place.”

What advice do you give to others when designing their kitchen?
“Act according to your own needs: what do you find important in a kitchen? I don't like a lot of items on the counter. That's why I chose a boiling water tap and an induction hob that blend in nicely. I'm not a kitchen princess and that's why I don't have a lot of cooking utensils, so I also have limited cupboard space. That creates a calm interior. In terms of design, I recommend thinking 'out of the box'. The kitchen is a place that you use several times a day, so make it a good one.”

Are you happy with your MAKUS Simply Pink?
“I think it’s fantastic. I was a bit wary of induction cooking, but I got used to it from day one. I wouldn’t want anything else now. I also think it’s very child-friendly, without flames. I also like the fact that it blends in with the kitchen itself, so it’s not such a black, conspicuous surface. The MAKUS looks calm and therefore fits perfectly with our interior. It’s really unique! Everyone who sees our kitchen starts talking about the pink induction hob!”

Do you recommend MAKUS to others?
“YEEES!!!!!”

De keukenrenovatie van de familie Egler: Het resultaat

The Egler family's kitchen renovation: The result

Joris and Sabine Egler live with their son Otis in Haarlem. Sabine works as a textile designer for Scotch & Soda. Joris is creative director at TBWA\NEBOKO. They live in a beautiful building that was built at the beginning of the last century. We spoke to them once before, at the time they were in the middle of the renovation, including the renovation of the kitchen. Every room was designed with the greatest care. We asked them about the choices they made, the process of how they arrived at those choices and what they found most exciting. The renovation is now finished and of course we are curious: did it turn out the way they had intended and hoped?

Are you happy with the result of the kitchen?
“Very much so. It really is a piece of furniture in our house. It makes the space and the room.” You found the choice of the red floor the most exciting, how did that turn out? “The red floor is really super beautiful. It makes the kitchen unique, not something you have seen before. The finishing is just quite sensitive. But after a while you get used to that too.” What surprised you the most? “It turned out pretty much as we had hoped. When you make the decision there is a lot of uncertainty, you trust your intuition but you never know for sure. When you see it finished, it is a kind of confirmation of yourself.”

How do you like cooking on induction?
“Well, apart from the fact that it looks great, you have a lot more possibilities in cooking speed. Cleaning is also a lot more practical. That is also handy because we often let something boil over.”

Have any new insights been gained after the renovation?
"That it's more expensive than you think. Everyone says it, but it's true. What no one tells you is that once you live there, you'll forget about it again."

Sabine, a year and a half ago you indicated that we would see more Memphis/80s in interiors. Do you see that now? Also in your own interior? “We bought a coffee table from the 80s and a lamp from studio Areti inspired by that period.”

Joris, what is your favorite recipe from Sabine?
“Indian cauliflower Korma.”

Sabine, what is your favorite recipe from Joris?
“Linguine with vongole.”

Tips from Sabine when renovating or purchasing a new kitchen:

1. “Look at the long term. The life cycle of a kitchen is longer than any trend.

2. Choose materials that will retain their beauty or improve with age.

3. Think carefully about how you want to use your kitchen. Think in different zones: where do you want to cook, wash up, chat, etc.

4. Dare to spend money on nice things and good materials. It hurts, but it is worth it in the end.”

Designers at MAKUS: Merel and Mirjam

Mirjam and Merel are the design duo of MAKUS. They know how to challenge, inspire and stimulate each other. This is how they come up with beautiful new MAKUS designs. Curious about this duo? Read more about M&M here.

How did you meet?
Merel: “We met each other thanks to a program for sustainable entrepreneurs at the Impact Hub in Amsterdam. The nice thing about that program was that there was a lot of interaction and exchange between all the different entrepreneurs.”

Mirjam: "Everyone helped each other with their knowledge. In this way it quickly became clear that with my design background (Design Academy Eindhoven), I could help Merel realize her ideas for MAKUS."

How do you come up with new designs?
Merel: “We are actually constantly busy with trends, in the field of colours and patterns but also social trends. Think of the meaning of a kitchen or the place of the kitchen in the house.”

Mirjam: "What is very important to us is that the designs are ultimately timeless. You buy an induction hob for a long time, you don't want to be tired of the design within a few years.

Once we have found a trend that fits MAKUS, we develop various options that we then have assessed by a group of consumers.”

What is the strength of your collaboration?
Mirjam: "Working with Merel doesn't feel like work. We share the same enthusiasm and that strengthens each other. Furthermore, we each have our own expertise in which we fully trust and complement the other. If Merel says something that I don't agree with, it is often because she approaches something from a completely different perspective than I do. The discussion that then arises ensures that we ultimately achieve the best result. That way we continue to learn from each other."

Merel: “Amen.”

What are you working on now?
Merel: “We would like to expand the range, with both designs and functionalities. For example, you see a lot of induction with integrated extraction in the market now. By also giving that option, we offer even more possibilities to arrange your kitchen to your own taste. We want to ensure that your induction hob also fits in with your kitchen, so that even more people can cook fossil-free!”

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