TRIED & TESTED
Former fire department
19 November 2019
When you think of Limburg you think of Maastricht, but there’s more to discover in this part of The Netherlands. Let’s explore!
Limburg is a province in the Southeast of The Netherlands surrounded by Germany and Belgium. Known for their Limburgse Vlaai, Carnaval, Andre Rieu concerts and the liberation of Holland by the American soldiers during WW2. As my focus is always on the best design addresses, I like to take you with me and see what Limburg has to offer in terms of restaurants, hotels, shops and museums.
On Wednesday I went to the Cube Design Museum in Kerkrade, the first museum completely dedicated to design in The Netherlands. The striking building has a strong focus on design. On the top floor they let you think about the question ‘what is design?’ by showing well-known inventions such as the first iPhone or a letterbox. They also take their visitors with them through the history of Dutch design. From the Zig Zag Chair by Gerrit Rietveld to Nijntje by Dick Bruna and our former banknotes. Together with Cooper Hewitt they’ve curated a temporary exhibition on design and the influence it has on nature. You’ll see sneakers made by the recycled plastic from the ocean, but you also get to think about the death, the life of animals who are about to become extinct and how greenery can turn a University into a place you would love to study.
The nature of Zuid-Limburg is really impressive with lots of hills, here and there a church on top of them and lots of autumn colored trees. On a 20-minute drive from Maastricht you’ll find Hei15, a bed and breakfast by a farmer and his wife who turned a part of their farm into a modern getaway. The view is amazing and when the night falls lots of stars turn up on the sky.
On Thursday I went to Maastricht, a picturesque village-like city with the best book store in the world (Dominicanen Boekhandel) in a former church. The city has an interesting design background as both Mosa. (known for their tiles) and Sphinx (known for the toilets and sinks) have their roots there. The old Sphinx factories and warehouses have been transformed into the hottest places in town. They now named it the Sphinx Quarter and you’ll have to add Lumiere (restaurant and independent movie theatre), The Student Hotel and The Commons and BOLD (a rooftop bistro and terrace on top of The Student Hotel) to your list. You can also find Hotel Monastere here, just like plant shop Wonderwoud.
I’ve spend the night at Maison Haas Hustinx op ‘t Vrijthof. A better location isn’t possible as the room faces the famous square in Maastricht. The room has lots of authentic details like a bay window, ornaments and a mantelpiece. In January they will extend the property with extra rooms, a new check-in desk and a bar.
On Friday I went hunting for vintage design at Best Wel Hip in Geleen. Owner Sil worked as a merchandiser and textile buyer before starting on her collection of high-level vintage finds. And now she has a warehouse of 1000m2 with Hans Wegner, Togo by Ligne Roset and a Kermit green Ekstrem chair. She travels through Europe to find it all and if you don’t live in Geleen she loves to deliver a table/sofa to your home. Comes in handy if you spot something really nice and you have a small car. You can look at her website, but as you can see she can’t photograph everything, so pay them a visit. It’s only 20-minutes from Maastricht.
On my way home I had my last stop at Mr Sammi in Roermond, a bistro-style restaurant in a former electricity factory called ECI. Expect an industrial atmosphere, with lots of greenery in plants and as a color on the wall. Order the brie sandwich – you won’t regret it.
Check out: www.inlimburg.com
Maison Haas Hustinx, Vrijthof, Maastricht, Netherlands
