The new showroom on Javastraat is the epicentre of Frederik Premier. It is where Ronald Nijssen and Charlotte Nijssen-Weeink oversee projects ranging from interior advice, customisation to complete renovations. "That's actually because we've always said 'yes' to everything," Ronald laughs – tall as a tree, deep voice, full beard.

"My mother started the business on Frederikstraat. I joined in 2008, and since then we’ve increasingly focused on colour consultancy and upholstery to set ourselves apart. But then you arrive at someone's house to hang curtains, and they ask if you can also move a power socket or build a fitted wardrobe. We even ended up designing and constructing a wine cellar. And now we’re in the process of rebuilding an entire annex in Duinoord."

Ronald Nijssen and Charlotte Nijssen-Weeink supervise projects in the areas of interior advice, customisation and complete renovations.

Signature

From Scandinavian sleek to sultry boudoir: the couple has mastered it all. "The styles may vary widely, but we do have our own distinct signature," explains the elegant Charlotte, who joined the adventure in 2012 and focuses primarily on client reception, visualisations and everything behind the scenes. "It's all about the use of textures, structures, layers and colours. These are the ingredients we use in every interior. And we always consider the context. We observe closely, listen to wishes and never copy-paste." Their designs also reflect a love of the Spanish-speaking world, which stems from Ronald having grown up in Mexico and Argentina. "It’s often a matter of colours and details, but many of our suppliers are also Spanish due to the quality of their products."

Although everyone is welcome to visit the showroom for inspiration, the designers more often go to clients’ homes to assess the situation and offer tailored advice. "Working with the spaces people live in is an intimate process," says Ronald. "As a client, you give up a degree of control early on. That takes trust." To gain and maintain that trust, Frederik Premier places a strong emphasis on professionalism. Charlotte explains: "Because we work with a permanent team of professionals who are employed by us, we can deliver turn-key solutions. On top of that, there’s a kind of family feeling among us, and that makes everyone go the extra mile. Since 2023, we’ve had a professional carpenter in our team. He brings extensive experience in restoration and an understanding of other materials, such as lead, zinc and masonry."

Friendships

When there’s a click with a client, it often leads to a long-term relationship. "We see people return when they want something new or are moving house. They also recommend us to others. Word of mouth is very important to us," says Charlotte. "Many of our clients are expats living here in the Archipel neighbourhood, and our children attend the International School. So, we often meet on the school playground. I can say that real friendships have grown out of our work."

Scrolling through his phone, Ronald comes across a few memorable projects. "Look, we recently renovated an entire bay window on the Valkenboskade with a hardwood construction. We arranged everything from historical research and the architect to the permit process and the structural engineer." At the other end of the spectrum, some clients come to Frederik Premier just for upholstery. "That can be something standard, but of course we love to create something unique," Ronald beams. "You can create amazing patterns with these woven fabrics from Turkey. And this one? That was a commission to create decorative mouldings. Completely crazy and over the top, a bit Liberace-like."

Period-style rooms

After all these years of design and realisation, there is one assignment that particularly stands out for Ronald and Charlotte. "That was a 300-square-metre house in the Archipel neighbourhood for a couple from London. We designed the entire interior and carried out some minor renovations," Charlotte recalls. "Yes, that’s a perfect example of how we work," Ronald adds. "Downstairs, the house had to feel stately due to its representative function, while the spaces became more informal as you moved upstairs.

We based the concept on the neighbourhood’s history, which was originally built for former colonial expats – it’s no coincidence that many of the houses feature oriental details. We wanted to bring together the rational, colonial world with the colourful, sweet and spicy indigenous world. The result was period-style rooms across all four floors, culminating in a 1.4-metre-diameter Venetian lamp in silk and gold leaf suspended above the dining table."

That the result honours both the place and the people who live there is clear from the fact that the couple decided not to return to England. "They had grown fond of the house!" says Ronald. "We can’t take all the credit, of course, but our work was certainly a contributing factor."

www.frederikpremier.com