Esther van de Paal is a registered architect and interior designer based in Amsterdam. She is also a content & concept creator and entrepreneur.
HELLO!
I’m an architect, interior designer and concept developer based in Amsterdam. I’m also a mother of 5.
My passion has always been the home. For over 25 years I have studied and researched the way people live and how houses function, their details are designed and interiors are organised. The history and design of houses endlessly fascinates me! Whenever a house tour is being offered, regardless of the size or shape of the property, I always jump on the opportunity (and consequently will peek in every corner and kitchen cabinet if given the chance). I actually still remember the exact lay-out of all of the houses I have ever visited!
I love to cook for my family and friends, am interested in all sorts of crafts, enjoy walking the dog and doing yoga and pilatus. I am also a very curious traveler. All these things inspire me in my creativity and diligence to design homes full of character and personality, write blogs and occasional books, and work on fun collabs with inspiring and talented friends.
Here’s a little background information, if you’d like to read more. In any case, thank you for stepping by!
xxx Esther
After graduating my master’s degree in architecture from Delft University of Technology with honours in 2000, I successfully persuaded my brand-new boyfriend to move to New York City with me. There, I joined the high-end residential firm Cicognani Kalla Architects and a few exciting years followed. I worked on upper-East side townhouse renovations with the likes of Jacques Grange and Alberto Pinto, upscale skyscraper development with the Vornado and Sunshine groups and new-to-build mansions in upstate NY and the Hamptons. I also got engaged to my before mentioned boyfriend!
In 2004 we moved to Brussels where I became one of the lead design architects at the renowned architectural firm Atelier d’Art Urbain. I developed concepts and layouts of large residential complexes as well as landmark buildings such as the Casino of Brussels. We got married in Antwerp.
London was our next whereabout. Here, we had our first two children! I started blogging in 2006 and co-founded the internationally acclaimed family lifestyle hub and community Babyccino in 2007. Babyccino grew out to be Europe’s first and biggest parenting blog and shopping platform. We organised The ShopUp consumer shopping events in London, Paris, NY and LA. Babyccino inspired millions of modern parents while at the same time it offered a platform for the world’s best small, independent family lifestyle boutiques.
In 2008, now based in Amsterdam, I co-founded Plantinga Martijn Architecture and Interiors (2008 - 2012), focussing on high-end residential turn-key projects. In the following years, while running Babyccino, I delivered my architecture and design services under my own label Studio Plan (2012 - 2022) and we had three more children.
End of 2019 I left Babyccino and in 2023 I launched my company Studio of Ideas, a creative platform combining my experience and interests and providing services in the fields of architecture & interior design and concept & content development, exploring the crossroads of the home, family, travel and food.
I am the author of the best-selling Vriendenboek (2013) and the new Schooljarenboek (2021), two titles published in Dutch by Snor Publishers, as well as the co-author of ‘9 months’ (Francis Lincoln 2015), which was published in 7 languages.
The seven of us still live in Amsterdam (together with our dog and three cats), but often you will find us on the road — all squeezed together in our campervan, enjoying the outdoors in our country house in France or exploring other exciting corners of our earth.
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