About us
Because it was obviously once a church, people often come into our art and interior design store with the assumption that it was once a monastery. However, the name 'Klooster' (means ‘monastery’ in English) is our surname, i.e. of founders Miran and (yours truly) Onno van 't Klooster. An understandable mistake therefore. But because it’s not the only ambiguity about our business, here are some more facts about our background.
Interior, art and events
'Klooster | events, art & design' officially came into being in 2005 as 'Van 't Klooster Interieurobjecten'. After working in fashion for over 20 years, Miran wanted to do 'something' in interior design. The first year and a half to two years we showed our own interior designs and collected art via a website and 'live' at various fairs.
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Until we were allowed to rent a small church a stone's throw from our home in Noordwijk-Binnen. Because both the low name recognition and the unfavorable location demanded it, we decided to organize cultural events regularly: concerts, lectures, presentations, performances, etc. That turned out to work. We soon decided to organize more business events and also to start a more commercial collection in the field of interior design.
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Because the landlord of the church needed the space again after only one year, we moved to a larger church in 2008 (rented by the same church: the Protestant Church) in the (shopping) Hoofdstraat of Noordwijk aan Zee. That building has two spaces: the fishermen's chapel on the street side (Chapel aan Zee) and behind that the so-called 'Church aan Zee'. From 2008 to 2013 we only rented the church space behind it. With the addition of the old fishermen's chapel as an entrance directly on the Hoofdstraat, the number of visitors immediately increased considerably. The business has been attracting a few thousand visitors every week for years now.
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In terms of collection, we have grown since the beginning in 2005 from mainly our own designs and some purchased unique items, to a qualitatively mature and contemporary collection of art, furniture and home accessories, with some of our own work here and there completing the collection. In terms of style, we have been inspired from the beginning by interior designers such as Piet Boon and Axel Vervoordt. Our preferred styles now have names such as wabi sabi or Japandi. Terms that do not cover the entire load, but do give an impression of our basic principles and preferences.
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For those who understand, one and the other can be seen in our showroom - the former Chapel and Church by the Sea - which we have also acquired as our own property since 2019. We work in a small, close-knit team where, in addition to selling furniture, home accessories and art, we are also very busy with project furnishing: furnishing entire houses and companies at home and abroad. So from mood boards, color advice and lighting plans and any custom furniture to the final styling.
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In addition, we are still an event location for larger events. Curious? Feel free to come by or make an appointment.
Our location
Before we renamed our establishment to 'Klooster | events, art & design', the building was called 'de Kapel en Kerk aan Zee'. The owner was the local branch of the Protestant Church of the Netherlands. Many people who grew up in Noordwijk know the building as either a church or as a place where schools were allowed to give a performance every now and then.
The Chapel by the Sea was built in 1647 (as a Fishermen's Chapel) and has been a so-called National Monument for decades. The attached 'Church by the Sea' was opened in 1928. Initially, the wall separating the two spaces was removed and it was one large church hall. In the sixties of the last century, the wall (the original rear outer wall) was put back in between because church attendance was already declining and it was useful to have a small and large space separately.
Organs
Behind the curtains in the Kerk aan Zee, the front of an organ from the early 20th century can still be seen. Sound boxes, organ pipes, etc. on the inside have been removed. It was once built as a mechanical organ, but was soon after temporarily converted into an electronic organ.