- Interior
For Anne Claus, her interior design story begins in childhood, with her stylish, creative mother transmitting her eye for aesthetics to her daughter. Today, the interior designer realises projects that stand out for their simplicity and serenity. In this home in Amsterdam, the individuality she strives for every time comes out perfectly. A light base complemented by wood and textures make this home an absolute dream spot.
Like many of her colleagues, the designer finds it hard to describe a common thread in her work, although she often hears from others that she has a rather characteristic style. Quite neutral, with few harsh colours, a beautifully finished base, and much care for customisation and materials probably form the key words. ‘I really love it when a home is connected through materialisation,’ she tells us. ‘However, the variety in projects is fun as well. For me, it can never be the same as the previous interior. Each project must have its own singularity.’
What values can we find in your work?
"So many interiors are similar, and that's fine. I have given up trying to create the most unique, creative and unusual interiors. There are certainly interior designers who are better at it too. The highest achievable finish and customisation with refined and technically stunning detailing is what I place enormous value on in my work these days. I always keep looking for the most beautiful materialisation in stone and wood, but also for newer materials. Mixing materials, contacting suppliers and discovering new finds are great fun." 
What are your expectations of yourself as an interior architect?
"My expectations are of a smaller scale. I want to gather the best people around me, so we can run many comprehensive projects and the challenges are not too big or stressful. I want to remain a good boss and not be stressed. We all still get swallowed up in the office sometimes by all the production, logistical and pragmatic sides of a project. I have to make sure my team stays creative enough, because that is what we are.’
‘I want to remain a good boss and not be stressed.’
What is the biggest challenge for you?
‘My team and I often do not have enough hours in a day. Designing an interior and the creative process that precedes it, take time. There is not always enough of that, and then you quickly revert to previously made designs, which does not always feel right. That is a daily challenge.’ 
What do you like the most about your job?
‘Collaborating with my team, I think. I really love that and think sociability is very important. At the start, you are on your own with your own company, which is not always fun. The stress and trying to manage everything can be hard at times, but I cannot think of a more beautiful job than mine. It is so diverse and always keeps renewing and developing itself.’ 
Residential Amsterdam
For a young couple, Claus renovated this home on the outskirts of Amsterdam. The house was in a poor condition and quite outdated, but thanks to the interior architect’s strong design vision, liveliness and a contemporary style were brought inside again. The owners themselves wanted much space, light, a large living kitchen and a long dining table for friends. Together with her team, she did a lot of work to modernise the residence. This included a 20-square-metre extension, installing new walls everywhere, replacing the doors with glass ones, painting all exterior windows, and caulking the entire façade. As in her previous work, the result contains a lot of neutral shades and natural materials such as wood. As the ceiling in this home was not very high, she chose a light-coloured cement in the same shade for the floor, walls, and ceilings, creating the impression of a large light box. This had to be complemented with some warmth, for which walnut turned out be very appropriate. The same warmth recurs in the seating area thanks to the large jute rug. The headboard in the bedroom is made from the same wood as the kitchen, and the wardrobes were covered with textiles. Claus searched for an interesting contrast between a clean design and a warm feel and found it by using many textures, layers, and a well-thought-out styling. Curious for more? Read the full story in Imagicasa Summer 2023!
Photography by Cafeine