Taste
Patrick Russ Luxurious Design: "Every project is its own home"
Designer Patrick Russ spans the globe from his studio in Bloemendaal. He works on projects in cosmopolitan cities such as Monaco and Los Angeles. "I am there physically, I fully immerse myself in it, tailoring it down to the last detail."
Designer Patrick Russ covers the world from his studio in Bloemendaal. He personally manages projects in fashionable cities such as Monaco and Los Angeles. “I am there physically, I fully immerse myself in it, tailor it down to the last detail.”
Tekst: Bart-Jan Brouwer
You have an international name: what is your background?
“My grandparents and my parents grew up in the Jordaan, so as far as I know I am 100 percent Dutch. Although my appearance also has something Southern European. But it is my own name and I feel like an Amsterdammer.”
What did you dream of as a child?
“I dreamed about freedom. I didn't like the school's spatial limitations. I didn't like the whole education system, and I still don't like it today. When I see what my children have to learn at school... No one teaches them anything about mortgages or intuition. I grew up in Haarlem. Always played outside, was very sporty. I had a talent for football and played at HFC Haarlem. Unfortunately, that club no longer exists. I was also interested in clothing. In any case, I always wanted to be different, not to fit in anywhere. According to my mother, I said as a child that I wanted to be a millionaire. I never gave up on that dream: that's what I'm going to be. However, for me it is not so much about the coins, but mainly about the freedom that comes with wealth.”
How did you get into design?
“I had completed an MTS in Architecture and was able to start working at the interior construction company Spanjaart in Beverwijk. A great company, which unfortunately no longer exists. When I worked there, we mainly renovated five-star hotels in Amsterdam. It was a tough job, but I don't mind that. I had a good time there and yet I wondered: is there no more? Then I started working in a clothing store in Haarlem for a while…”
Probably no longer exists?
“No, hahaha! It was an Armani store opposite the C&A. I was going to run that. Very nice, but no dog came during the day. High segment, at most at half past five someone came to try something on. I was quite bored there. So it wasn't. During that period, a former classmate from the MTS called me: he said he was organizing a reunion and asked if I wanted to come too. And whether I liked my work. Turns out he was a seconder. There never was a reunion at all. But he called at a good time. Through him I ended up at Cees Dam's architectural firm. Although I didn't like the school system, I did enjoy learning. And with Cees I was able to do that – in addition to being an architect, he was also a professor of Architecture at TU Delft. He and his son Diederik motivated me so much that I resolved to do this independently one day. I hung on their every word. Cees was very dreamy and super creative, Diederik was more businesslike but a great storyteller. I absorbed everything like a sponge and in the meantime I had to work long days. We did everything from the architecture of large buildings to the design of fabrics. Looking back on it now, it was a really fun time. We also worked at Easter, Christmas and at night: we would dance on the tables with vodka and cigars. It was a really cool time. Hard work, but we also made something of it. I soon moved towards villas and interiors. It felt like I had my own private limited company within that company. I did beautiful residential houses, worked on the Maastoren in Rotterdam, all kinds of things. A fantastic office where I could develop as an architect. I stayed there for thirteen years.”
Why did you leave there if you were having such a good time?
“I was working on a villa in Rotterdam, for which Eric Kuster did the styling. What he did appealed to me. I realized that I could do anything: build a building à la Cees Dam and, with my fashion background, do the styling like Eric Kuster. If I combine both, I can realize complete villas. It started with drawing a dormer window or extension for people I knew and it continued to grow. I did that in addition to my work for Cees. Until I got a job in 2011 from an Indian living in Dubai to build a large villa with a Western interior in Kerala, India. That was my chance! And if it doesn't work out, I can always make fries. That's how I was in it. So I resigned and went to India.”
How was it there?
“Insane, in every way! And also a major challenge in terms of communication and organization. Everything is different there. If you can do it in India, you can do it anywhere. I worked on that project for a total of two years. The people I made that villa for were Muslim. This also required the necessary design adjustments. For example, I had placed the toilet bowl incorrectly: towards the East. Nice learning moments. I was not allowed to look at the lady of the house or shake her hand. Yet over time we managed to mix both cultures. For example, at Christmas I brought her a present. "I know it's not allowed," I said, "but in our culture it's tradition." I built up a bond with her more and more and at a certain point the two of us were able to go through the fabrics and colors together. I thought that was perhaps the most valuable thing about that project. I enjoyed the job so much that I wanted to do this in more places around the world. And in the Netherlands I immediately put myself on the map through this project.”
How have you developed as a designer, what is your signature?
“My signature is a mix between modern and classic with an emphasis on warmth and textural differences, and what we do is – although many colleagues will say the same – truly tailor-made. I am personally involved in every project, go everywhere, know everything about everything. We are now working in the south of France and at the same time also in Curaçao. These cannot be the same because you are dealing with a different environment and different light. The house in the south of France requires the allure of the Côte d'Azur, which means a different use of color and other materials. I think that's what sets me apart: I'm physically there, I fully empathize with it, and I tailor it down to the last detail. Every project is its own home.”
How have you built up your clientele?
“Mainly through word of mouth. That went very smoothly. I have jobs internationally and also in the Netherlands. For example, we are currently working in De Zalmhaven in Rotterdam, with a house in Groningen, in Wormer…”
You have also left your footprint in Cromvoirt.
“Yes, the club building of the Bernardus golf club. I did this together with Pieter Laureys, where I mainly focused on the exterior. Client Robert van der Wallen gave us free rein to create the most beautiful clubhouse in the Netherlands. However, he really wanted two layers. We were stuck with the rules regarding ridge and gutter height. By creating a wavy roof, like leaves on a tree, we were able to play with margins a bit and thus create that second layer.”
What project would you like to do again someday?
“A yacht seems like an interesting challenge to me. And the villa we are now doing in the south of France is a dream project, because it has no less than eighteen hundred square meters of living space. To work on that scale is really, really cool. Everything is included: wellness, bar, private cinema... You name it. I can go all out. And they are the sweetest people you can imagine. The connection you make with your clients is also valuable to me.”
What trends do you observe in design, what do customers ask for?
“A trend you see is that everything is plastered in one color. It looks really nice in photos, very peaceful. Only I think this makes the house a kind of cave. I think if you live there for three days you'll be done with it. Because it's very boring. I take small picks from the trends I see around me: not plastering the entire house, but subtly combining them with natural stone, for example. But whatever the trends, the entire routing in a house must initially be logical and clear. This determines whether you have a good feeling about a home. Fashion trends are only the final step in realizing a house. Fashion is temporary, I make something that will last for years.”
MASTERS MAGAZINE #55
Want to read the rest of the interview? The magical autumn edition of MASTERS Magazine is now available. Artificial intelligence has now become an indispensable part of our lives. But, is this development something to celebrate or fear? Will Terminators take over or will friendly robots make our earthly existence even more comfortable? In this edition, AI is examined. According to philosopher Rowan Williams, it is important to remember that whatever AI does, it always imitates. And that we as humans distinguish ourselves through ingenuity. A good example is real estate entrepreneur André Snippe, who is developing an ultra-modern city district in Hoofddorp. Or nautical designer Jurjen Eerkens, who has developed a groundbreaking boat with his Hytender that is leading the way in making the yacht industry more sustainable. These and more resourceful entrepreneurs grace the pages of this edition. Which also looks ahead to MASTERS EXPO | The MAGICAL Edition, our exclusive business fair also born from ingenuity.
