I now know one Dutch word, woonwinkel

Jan 10, 2012


Woonwinkel (say that fast three times) means home shop in Dutch, and it's also the name of a local home store in downtown Portland.  Opening just eight months ago, Woonwinkel has joined the ranks of hip businesses (Ace Hotel, Frances May, and Canoe) in the West End neighborhood. Not to mention that it's across the street from the food carts!  Bubble tea and modern, minimal home design? Sounds like heaven to me. 


One of the first things I noticed in the bright and spacious shop was this tile mosaic of an owl on the floor.  It was discovered after the flooring was pulled up during the renovation.  An Owl Pharmacy had once occupied the space in the historic Pittock Building, which explains the symbols on the mortar bowl.  What a find!


The most fascinating piece in the shop was this collaborative work between Brooklyn designers Chen Chen and Kai Tsien Williams.  In the left photo, you can see what looks like a hodgepodge of everyday objects wrapped in a giant piece of pink taffy.  The found objects are actually bound in a mixture of epoxy, resin, and wax.  And then cross sections are cut to create these unique and stunning coasters.  Whoa.


Woonwinkel is a well-curated shop showcasing beautiful and clever designs by independent designers from Europe and the local region.  Lucky for all you who live outside of Portland, an online shop is in the works.  Now how do you say I want it all in Dutch?

8 comments:

mardijane said...

oh my dearest goodness, i want to go there right now! those coasters are such a fantastic idea! and the mosaic on the floor is incredible, what luck!

Charissa - The Gifted Blog said...

Whoa! Craaaazy coasters.

Berit said...

Ik wil het allemaal! (in Dutch...) Funny a 'woonwinkel' in Portland. Are the owners Dutch?

Cathy said...

Berit, I was hoping someone would teach me more Dutch : ) One of the owners of Woonwinkel lived in The Netherlands for awhile... a place I would love to go to one day.

Susan said...

Hi there,
Well some very good comment for when your in the woonwinkel:
Oh die is mooi (oh that one is beautifull)
Kijk nou wat een mooi patroon (Look thats a cool/beautifull patern)Or I find that a cool patern: Ik vind dit een leuk patroon.
Dat is gaaf (that's cool)
Dat is ook een leuk dingetje (That is a cool/nice/fun widget too)
Good luck next time!

Doei: Bye
Doeg: So long
Houdou: means bye but it's what some say in Noord-Brabant (a province in the south of the netherlands),
Hoihe: same as above but from the north
Tot ziens: Goodbye
Tot de volgende keer: Till next time or se you next time

Cathy said...

Susan,

Dat is gaaf! Dank je wel!

HomeCollection. said...

wow it makes me want to go back to portland !
sounds beau-ti-ful !
having a crush on the big doilies on the wall !

Susan said...

Your welcome! (geen dank)

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