THE NEIGHBOURS? NATURAL!
The Netherlands is often a special case in Europe.
There, a colour on top of wood is applauded, even welcomed. But in terms of wood and finish, both its nearest neighbours and those further away prefer to keep things natural. Nijwie is also a special case: a Dutch company that successfully exports to France. Nijwie is (inter)nationally known for ‘trade’. For Brussels, an extra route has been mapped out: cabinets in oak veneer, chiming with the seventies retro trend. Rovaniemi is a special case under the Dutch Industries flag.
Nijwie has clearly divided up the range into MySons (imported furniture from stock) and Dutch Industries (custom orders Made in Europe). Naturally, the dividing line between the two labels is marked by the price level: low/mid-low or mid/mid-high. The idea for the Rovaniemi cabinet arose from looking across the borders, stepping out of our comfort zone as a company.
Let’s rewind nine years back in time for a moment. Nijwie enjoyed considerable success with the Industrial Style in the Netherlands and in Brussels. A striking number of French consumers were charmed by the collections. In the meantime, barriers such as language and business culture have been bridged. ‘In France, business begins with pleasure: human contact. Once that is running smoothly, you are assured of success. You are more or less doing ‘old school’ business, in the best sense of the word. The retailer will sort out minor damage themselves — in exchange for a new touch-up pen with the next delivery, for example. Price negotiations need not drag out endlessly, nor should they be cause for a business rift. You build up lasting relationships, for the long term. It is a question of finding a compromise.’
The French experience became a wake-up call: abroad prefers natural wood. Belgium, France, Germany… Hmm, natural mango or acacia wood? Time for the very first furniture range in oak veneer, with a choice of natural, wenge brown and matt black finishes. Rovaniemi is quirky in a contemporary way: a melange of the organic trend and the vintage vibe. The combination of bookshelf and storage cabinet is so sixties. The wall cabinet as room divider is so mid-century. At the time, the idea was born of interior reality, and today this is again (or still) highly relevant. A handy solution for small right through to XXL living with their open-plan interior architecture.
The Rovaniemi cabinet is the first step in a new direction under the Dutch Industries flag. And in Brussels, you can discover all manner of new things at Nijwie, so …
