12 March 2014

Amsterdam: X-rated? No underrated


I’ve just had a quickie in Amsterdam to do with a new publishing project. This week I went over to research and photograph loft interiors for a chapter in my new book (getting very excited about that and will post more on it later). Anyway, Amsterdam is the pièce de résistance when it comes to converted warehouse living (okay there is NYC too, but they’re not 17th century!).

Gables galore
Many of the lofts, though now thoroughly modern inside, date back 400 years when the bustling city was home to the Dutch East India Company and was quite simply the financial centre of the world (it had the first stock exchange building). From these buildings, the fabulous wealthy trade in spices and most of what is now Indonesia was controlled. Something of that sense of power and control remains on the waterfronts of the city. When I’m there, walking along the canals, I can’t help thinking Amsterdam really is an extraordinary place – a very personal, small spaced, intimate city, with everyone on their bikes. All quite tight and regimented in some parts and very loose in others. What a city . . . very underrated and incredibly beautiful.

 

Where it all started
Of course, I’ve been to Amsterdam and Holland many, many times. I’ve been selling my paint, Chalk Paint®, there since the early 1990s. In fact, Holland is the country where I first got the inkling that I might really be able to turn my dream of developing my own paint into reality. 

Back in the 1980s, I travelled to Utrecht to do a couple of workshops on decoupage and other techniques (helped by a Dutch contact and Dutch shop who were keen on old paints). We were staying in the hotel across the road and bizarrely David Bowie was staying there too. (I say “bizarrely” because I had met him when I was in my band The Moodies in my rock-playing days. . .). But that’s another post!

One of the attendees on the course was from Belgium. He picked up on my comment that I would love to do my own paint and said he knew of a factory that could help me. So I went out to this factory in Belgium and the rest is paint history. . .

It’s amazing that Holland, which isn’t a big country, has such a fantastic art and painting heritage and, I’m delighted to say, over 30 Annie Sloan Stockists! Paulien at Heart and Home Interiors in Moordrecht does a fantastic job as my European distributor, and the Dutch publisher of The Annie Sloan Work Book. So to my stockists in the Netherlands: Dank u wel’!


Yours, Annie

13 comments:

  1. Oh I really wanted to see the interior of these buildings but I guess I will have to wait for your next book. :) exciting. To all the Stockists in the Netherlands, we thank you for getting us all started.

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  2. Hello Annie,
    Love hearing about the humble beginnings of Chalk Paint® and the beautiful Amsterdam!!

    Janet xox
    The Empty Nest

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  3. Looking forward to the new book!

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  4. Ditto to all of the above! Is this the same book as the swedish influenced one or another?

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  5. I am excited to hear there is another book in the making. Wonderful! I have never been to Amsterdam, but have always longed to go and see this very unique city. You have such wonderful stories!

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  6. Ok, did you all catch that... rock star too..Annie you are truly my hero!

    http://www.moredarkthanshark.org/eno_int_wire-mar10.html

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  7. Looking forward to your new book! I would love to tour Amsterdam with you someday and meet your stockists.

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  8. Looking forward to the grace and beauty you create.

    Loved the beginning history of your paints and your beautiful visit in Amsterdam.

    Will visit soon,

    Xx
    Bisous

    Doré

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  9. Hello Annie
    I love your paints so much and although they are not sold in Saskatchewan Canada (yet) which is our main residence I have had them shipped to me from neighbouring Provinces. Presently we are in Arizona USA and I have used Old White, Duck Egg and Emperors Silk in our Winter home.
    This summer we are headed to Holland for our first visit and I look forward to checking out all the shops that stock list the paints.
    Thank you for your great vision... I love AS Chalk Paint!!
    Wanda

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  10. Fijn dat u 'mijn land'. Zo fijn vind...ik heb sinds vandaag uw vérf ontdekt...en ben verslaafd :)
    Ja, in Nederland verven we wat af met zijn allen...

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  11. Isn't it strange that it was the first time I met you at this very moment you were given this workshops in Utrecht!
    I lost the book you signed,but you inspired me for the rest of my life!
    I placed a post about you on my own blog!
    Thanks for liking Holland and thanks for sharing your post!

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  12. Truly inspired by your products and books, you have changed my furniture painting world. I am now able to use each piece of furniture I find as a unique canvas and turn trash into treasure! Thank you so very much. www.portilla-design.com

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