Meet Michiel
How old are you?
I’m 36 years old.
Where do you live, and with whom?
Together with my fiancé Tomas, I live in a small village called Bodegraven, near Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
Instagram profile:
What do you do for a living?
I’m an interior and product photographer. My journey began on Instagram when I started photographing my own home. Nowadays, I spend my time shooting homes for magazines, campaigns and product shoots for interior brands.
Next to this, I also started a jewelry brand last year called aēr. It’s a very personal, creative journey that merges artistic intuition with a lifelong fascination for jewelry and craftsmanship.
What does interior design mean to you?
Interior design means creating a world that reflects your personal preferences, style, and needs.
One that brings a sense of comfort and ease. For me, it’s about thoughtfully selecting furniture and objects that not only serve a function but also make you feel safe, grounded, and truly at home.
How would you describe your interior design style?
My interior design style is a mix of design classics and thoughtfully chosen thrifted treasures. I love combining different types of wood with materials like glass and metal, creating spaces that feel layered, lived-in, and timeless.
Lately, I’ve been experimenting with color to complement this aesthetic, challenging myself to move beyond my usual reliance on trusted neutral shades.
Which item in your home do you cherish the most?
I guess that would be a few furniture pieces I have that belonged to my grandparents. My grandparents also had a great love for design and beautiful items overall, and I’m lucky enough to own a few of those pieces, like vintage Fredericia J39 chairs, some Dutch design classics from Pastoe and antique cabinets.
A glimpse into Michiel’s living room, where the interior plays with contrasts between light elements and the dark shelving unit.
A beautiful antique mirror on the wall in the hallway.
Michiel’s SÆTTER 5 in oak hangs in the coffee corner of the kitchen alongside the Hanging Lamp n°5 in ivory by Muller Van Severen.
Soft tones in the bedroom. The AJ wall lamp by Louis Poulsen is mounted on the wall, and the bedside table features one of Helle Mardahl’s glass sculptures, Bon Bon.
The dark lid on the glass jar adds a subtle contrast to the room, a detail that echoes throughout the rest of Michiel’s home.
An olive-green Carimate chair, designed in 1959 by Vico Magistretti and now produced by Fritz Hansen. In the background, the Parentesi lamp by Flos can be seen, along with a still life on the shelving that brings together new books and time-worn objects.
What have you recently bought for your home?
Mostly vintage, thrifted decor pieces. It’s the best way to make your home feel personal and unique.
I’ve been very selective the past few years in purchasing pricier items, but my most recent splurge is the Tulipe candle holder, designed in 1952 by Jean Roger and reissued in 2018. This was on my wishlist for quite some years.
What is good craftsmanship to you?
Good craftsmanship is the result of care, intention, and respect for materials. It shows in the details how something is made to last, to age beautifully, and to feel considered rather than rushed.
How do you use your SÆTTER?
I’ve been using our SÆTTER in the kitchen to display our favourite mugs. But I have recently been thinking about using it for perfume bottles, or as a beautiful way to display the jewelry pieces I have been working on in my atelier.
Follow Michiel on @michieljbosman and @aer__official.
