Interior Decorator & Stylist Pia Jane Bijkerk

December 2008: Growing up on the north beaches of Sydney, Pia Bijkerk now divides her time between Amsterdam, Sydney and Paris. Working as an interior decorator, stylist and photographer, she has worked for various magazines and publishers around the world.

Hi Pia. What have you been up to lately?
I just styled a Christmas dinner story at Dutch actor/celebrity Roeland Fernhout’s gorgeous penthouse apartment in Amsterdam, for Dutch magazine Maria. It was heaps of fun. I am also finishing up on the last text edits of my Paris book with my editor. And yesterday I had the pleasure of photographing a Dutch canal house for editorial submission. Today I plan to do some yoga.

You are an interior designer/stylist and photographer. are you both things equal or would you say you are more a stylist?
Good question! I’m not sure I know the answer myself: I have a Fine Arts degree majoring in photography and film, so by education I’m a photographer. But then I opened a homeware store and a cafe,  becoming an interior decorator + stylist by experience. After four years of the stores I sold up shops and then became a freelance interior and food stylist, working in the advertising and magazine industry. I began dabbling back in photography with the onset of digital, which is ironic because I am a film photography enthusiast. I shot my first interior job in Paris for Australian Home Beautiful magazine last year, and since then I have been getting more and more work as a photographer. This year I was asked to write and photograph a book about my favourite boutiques and craftspeople in Paris for American publisher The Little Bookroom. The book will be released worldwide in March 2009.

You currently divide your time between Paris, Amsterdam and Sydney. How has this come about?
I moved to Paris in March of 2007 although I didn’t realise I was moving at the time – I bought a return ticket valid for 3 months just thinking I would be working on a couple of little assignments. I took a punt really, as I had plenty of work in Sydney at the time, and great clients. I just felt compelled to go. It was a gut instinct thing. So off I went, with whatever I could fit in one measly suitcase. My 3 months in Paris went very quickly although living in Paris was tough as work was difficult to find. But in that time I had met a charming and geeky pony-tailed Frenchman who’s line to get me to stay in the country was “would you decorate my apartment?” I took one look at his guitar-filled abode and his pony tail and said “if you get a haircut”. (before and after pics of the apartment are here).

While decorating his apartment I was offered work back in Sydney for the pilot issue of a new magazine so I went back for that. Then upon returning to Paris and finishing the apartment I was offered representation by a well-regarded agency in Amsterdam called the House of Orange. They said, “we would like to represent you if you move to Amsterdam”.  So French Boy and I said goodbye to the Paris apartment (after all that hard work! It was a bittersweet moment) and moved to Amsterdam together.  We were super lucky to have found a houseboat for rent and have been living here ever since. But as life would have it, the moment I moved to Amsterdam I was offered more work in Paris. So I go back and forth to Paris when necessary and then I go to Sydney a couple of times a year.

Maria Magazine

Maria Magazine

Pia's boat

What are the advantages of working in these 3 cities?
They are each so different and I find them all so inspiring. It helps my creativity tremendously. The scenery, the cultures, the people – everything about each city speaks to me.

What sort of work do you get involved in through ‘house of orange’?
The House of Orange look after my interior + food styling work here in Europe so I get a great mix of jobs through them – mostly advertising work (recent clients include Tommy Hilfiger & Philips), and editorial work (i.e Maria magazine). My work with them ranges from designing interior sets to cooking and styling magazine food spreads.

Vogue Magazine

Dream client/brief/job?
My dream job would be writing and producing a series of home interiors books.

What can we expect to see from you in the future?
My first home interiors book.

Do you have a favourite artist, or artists?
I adore the work of Australian artist Greg Hyde. I also love the work of Australian artist Simon Porm. And I have just discovered a Dutch artist here whose work I am falling in love with, her name is Julie Arphi.

Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration everywhere. But beside the above mentioned artists, I would say I find alot of inspiration in nature. A walk in nature is enough to replenish me and give me a basket load of fresh ideas. I also find inspiration in my own home which I treat like a personal playground (I imagine a day when my home IS in nature). And ever since I discovered the (web)land of blogs, I find daily inspiration amongst my fellow bloggers and my blog readers – they are so creative and imaginative.

What advice would you have to younger designers entering the industry?
Networking is imperative – that means following up on first meetings or go-sees, calling that person that a friend suggested. I often have people ask me how they can get into the industry and I give them as much advice I can including contacts, but they do not follow through. It is not enough in this industry that your work is great (or you think your work is great) – it’s about who you know, or who knows you. Make friends. Go to gallery openings. Take your business card (if you don’t have one, get some made) and even if you are shy (like me) have the goal to give your card out to at least 2 people at the gathering. Also be sure to get their details so you can follow up with an email to say “it was lovely meeting you”. As a freelancer, this is something that needs to be maintained throughout your whole career. Even when I moved to Paris and then Amsterdam, I had to ’start again’ and go through all of the above. Its hard when you don’t know anyone and you think there is no way you will. But you will. And you must.

Links:
www.piajanebijkerk.com
www.houseoforange.nl
blog.piajanebijkerk.com