Posts filed under 'Toys/Games'
HEMA is one of those shops (or concepts really), that is almost impossible to describe. If you’ve ever set foot in a HEMA, you understand. In fact, you get the concept immediately, and you’re a fan instantly – no denial possible! And you just understand why we, Dutchmen, are all raving about it, and why this chain of shops is what we miss most when we move abroad…
So, what is HEMA?
HEMA is a Dutch chain of shops that only sells HEMA-brand products. No luxury products, but products that are meant for daily use and that are functional yet fun. The assortment is wide and prices are low (we like that in the Netherlands), designs are trendy and fresh, simple and colourful. The quality is good, and overall the products are seriously so much fun that you can’t help bringing home yet another cool tea-towel, notebook or cute cookie-cutter set for the kids!
The baby and kid’s products of HEMA are seriously adorable. Great onesies, lovely toys, fun towels, wonderful sheets and pajamas (with matching pajama for the doll), perfect party products (from garlands to cakes), great craft projects… I can go on and on, and I didn’t even start about the Jip and Janneke range yet!
If you happen to travel to the Netherlands, MAKE SURE to step into a HEMA. You will like it, I am sure! Just ask a random person on the streets for the nearest HEMA and he/she will direct you…
If you’re in Belgium, Luxembourg or Germany you probably already know what I’m talking about, and when you’re in Paris, you’ll be able to find out soon, because HEMA will open it’s first shop in the shopping mall of Créteil-Soleil in mid January!
xxx Esther
P.S. The real online HEMA shop unfortunately only ships within the Netherlands…
P.P.S. This un-official online HEMA shop is as cool as everything else HEMA!
Esther in Amsterdam
January 21st, 2009
KNSM island used to be quite a rough and industrial part of the Amsterdam harbor before it was transformed into a very cool residential island, and nowadays, this is where you can find one of the finest kid’s lifestyle shops of Amsterdam: Keet in Huis.
Keet in Huis (’Mess in the House’), sells everything from furniture, bed linen, interior accessories, baby buggies, toys and books, which, you might think, by itself is not so extra-ordinary at all, but if you consider the amazing taste levels of the owners, you would be sold like every other mother who has ever set foot in this shop. Wonderful!
I can spend hours in ‘Keet in Huis’, and have an especially hard time staying away of the downstairs bedding area. My kids don’t mind, because there is a lovely little play area where they can meet little friends whose mums are in a similar situation (stuck with the choice: which duvet cover to pick?).
Courtney, who has been a few times (it’s always on her list of things to do in Amsterdam), finds the bedding to be extremely Dutch. This means, according to her, that there are loads of very bright colours, and tons of gingham. This is probably true, as there are loads of bright colours in our kids’ bedroom – and loads of gingham!
Making your way to KNSM island (not that far from Amsterdam Central Station) is certainly worth it, not only for a visit to ‘Keet in Huis’, but also to find some other fantastic design shops in the area (and a little playground at the other site of the street). Make sure to check Sissy Boy Homeland out too – they have great houseware, and a cute little café!
xxx Esther
Keet in Huis
Knsmlaan 297
1019 LE Amsterdam
Telephone 020-419 59 58
*Map*
Open:
Tue – Fir 10.00 – 18.00
Sat 10.00 – 18.00
Sun 12.00 – 17.00
Closed on Mondays
Esther in Amsterdam
October 15th, 2008
We got this wooden toy warehouse for my son’s first birthday and it’s a huge hit! When he was little he loved opening and closing the doors and peeping through the windows, and his his big sister liked climbing into it very much (we went for the more expensive sturdy version with a bottom plate for this reason!). And it’s still being played with on a daily basis, as a doll’s house, a shelter for the Schleich animals, or as part of a city. And my husband and I like the fact that it looks really cool in our living room. Very Amsterdam!
We got our warehouse at Sherwood on the Elandsgracht, but online it is sold at Spelmaterialen.nl. Unfortunately they only ship to the NL, Belgium and Germany, but I also found a similar (and cheaper) warehouse at Toypost in the UK, and they will ship internationally. Because I don’t think it will fit in your suitcase easily!
xxx Esther
Esther in Amsterdam
February 28th, 2008
