Designa Interieur & Architectuur BNA has been around for over thirty years. During that time, founder Bertram Terpstra completed around twelve hundred projects: “You come here to have one director who works entirely according to your taste profile. We believe that when you go through the front door, it should be your house and not ours.” MASTERS started the conversation.
Designa Interieur & Architectuur BNA has been around for over thirty years. During that time, founder Bertram Terpstra completed around twelve hundred projects: “You come here to have one director who works entirely according to your taste profile. We believe that when you go through the front door, it should be your house and not ours.” MASTERS started the conversation.
Diversification
“I started my own business when I was 23. I am now 74, so I have been on my way for a while. We recently took a significant new step: in October 2022 we moved to a 1.600 square meter building in Hoevelaken. It was a shell, we designed it completely according to our business operations. Before this we had four branches: three in Laren and one in Hilversum. We consciously chose to bring the showroom in Hilversum and the architectural firm from Laren under one roof. This way we can completely unburden our clientele. From the first line on paper to the flowers on the table, we can realize everything. This means that we make a design, submit the building application, select the contractor and subcontractors, supervise the construction... In the meantime, Pauline Jorritsma from the Designa Interieur department, who is also my wife, makes a proposal for colours, materials, furnishings and upholstery, so that everything is done as planned. each other is coordinated. You come here to have one director who works entirely according to your taste profile. We believe that when you go through the front door, it should be your house and not ours. You see enormous diversification in Designa's architecture. You can contact us for any type of home, whether it is modern or a notary home.”
Customer centricity
“We also offer an option for people who have a smaller budget. Because we think it is a wrong arrogance when people call and we have to say 'not with us'. They can go to our home inspiration center on the Nieuweweg in Laren, which is an extension of our television program From Residential Villa to Dream Villa at RTL 4, good for sixteen episodes per year. In it we show a renovation or the realization of a new-build home from the first stone to those flowers on the table. In the store, people who have registered through that program can show their drawings and plans and express their housing preferences. We help them, for example, by finding an architect within their budget, organizing a brainstorming session, making a lighting plan and/or making a color and materials proposal. Last year alone we conducted three hundred brainstorming sessions in our home inspiration center. And all those people leave super motivated. The USP of our company is that customer focus: tailor-made, according to the customer's wishes, without forgetting those who are not well off.”
Inside out
“I come from interior architecture. There is a huge difference between the architect and the interior designer. The architect becomes extremely excited about the outer shell. Spaces are then drawn in it. When it's done, the bedroom often turns out to be too small or you can't turn your butt in the kitchen. We work from the inside out. First we sit down with the customer and draw up an extensive program of requirements. For example, we want to know whether you are a cooking fanatic and if so what type of kitchen you want. Do you want a large kitchen island? How many people do you want to be able to take a seat with? What equipment do you need? We do the same with the walk-in closet, the television room... Do you want a utility room? An office at home? A sauna in the bathroom? Once we have inventoried all of this, we make a spot plan with the meters required. Our architect then draws an outer shell. Nowadays we also pay a lot of attention to the garden to connect indoors and outdoors. The outdoor kitchen is becoming increasingly important. And more and more people want a swimming pool, which of course requires a guesthouse.”
MASTERS MAGAZINE #54
Curious about the rest of this article? The summer edition is a fresh cocktail of entrepreneurship and sport. In this edition, several entrepreneurs from the Champions League of business are reviewed. Including Freddy Heineken and hospitality tycoon Richard Caring, whose expanding empire has been called the 'restaurant equivalent of LVMH'. Doing business is top sport, but top sport is also doing business. Take Formula 1: the sport is increasingly developing into an octopus with arms that touch all aspects of our society. Jaap de Groot investigated how millions are converted into billions. Also interviews with gymnast Sanne Wevers, two-star chef Guido Braeken, hotelier Robert-Jan Woltering, designer Maarten Baas and Rico, together with his Naomy. The 'King of Kickboxing' also turns out to be an octopus (with very strong arms): as an entrepreneur he is active in various industries. “When I look back later, I don't want to think 'I wish I had this or that'. I just want to, boom, accelerate, do fun things, enjoy.” Boom, the new MASTERS: enjoy!
