Het verhaal van de maker

I am Mara Strabbing, founder of BOLD&Soft. As a child, I always wanted to repaint my bedroom and would rearrange my bed and furniture. I thought it was amazing to see how much a different color or layout could do to a room. That love for interior design has always remained. This summer, I turned it into my profession.

Before that, I worked in recruitment for over ten years. There, I learned to listen, ask probing questions, and discover what someone needs to feel at home. I bring that experience to my interior design advice. In that regard, a job and a home have a lot in common: you spend a large part of your life there, so it has to suit you.

With BOLD&Soft, I help people translate their living wishes into a personal interior. A place where you can relax, recognize yourself, and come home with pleasure.

Een staand portret van Mara Strabbing van Bold and Soft terwijl ze zit op een trap.

A house gains character from what you choose, and meaning from who lives there.

Het proces

I start with an introduction and intake at people's homes. There, I see the space, the light, and the furniture, but above all, I get to know the residents. What does a typical weekday look like? Where do you like to drink coffee, where do you eat, and where do you unwind in the evening? What works well in the home, and what do you constantly struggle with?

I also ask clients to create a mood board themselves. This provides starting points for further discussion about their taste and the atmosphere they are looking for.
Next, I translate all that information into an interior design plan including colors, furniture, atmosphere, and layout. In doing so, I also look at what is already there. Sometimes, a familiar piece of furniture suddenly takes on a whole new meaning in a different spot. During the presentation, I show how the choices come together and fit in with the residents' daily lives.
Bold and Soft Interieurdesign waar Mara Strabbing een kleurenwaaier vasthoudt.

Ask Bold & Soft for help

Do you have plenty of interior design ideas, but find it difficult to bring them together into a cohesive whole? Or are you looking for a fresh perspective on your interior, with a focus on the furniture you cherish? I would be happy to brainstorm with you. Based in Utrecht, I primarily work in Utrecht and North Holland. For a suitable assignment, I am happy to travel further.

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Vraag en antwoord

Wat motiveert jou om te maken?

I want people to feel comfortable in their own homes. I want them to walk in and think: yes, this suits me. An interior can mean so much for how you relax, spend time together, and experience your day.
In addition, I find it valuable to look at what you can keep. A sofa that fits perfectly in terms of size can be fully aligned with your wishes again with new fabric and possibly new filling. Grandma's cabinet can become an awesome TV cabinet. And a lamp from the bedroom might look much better above the dining table.
It is precisely furniture with a story that gives a house personality. I enjoy helping people rediscover that value and consciously choose what they want to add to it.

Door wat en/of wie ben je het meest geïnspireerd of beïnvloed?

My main source of inspiration is the people I design for. Their stories, daily habits, and the items they are attached to guide an interior. Their mood board is also a great starting point: what appeals to them and why?

Personally, I get excited by grand gestures and unique items. A generous candlestick, a robust rug, or a piece of furniture that adds character to the space. That is where the ‘Bold’ in BOLD&Soft comes from. ‘Soft’ stands for warmth, softness, and the personal feeling of home.
I find that balance interesting: something that catches the eye, surrounded by the peace and warmth to live comfortably. What that looks like varies from resident to resident.

Wat is uw unieke benadering van uw vak en hoe heeft u uw vaardigheden aangescherpt?

My strength lies in listening and translating what people say into concrete choices. Through my work in recruitment, I am used to interacting with a wide variety of people. I have learned to ask probing questions, even when someone cannot yet pinpoint exactly what they are looking for.
This helps, for example, when residents have different tastes or gather many ideas but do not see any coherence. I explore what is important to each individual and how we can give that a place together.

In addition, I am currently studying Interior Architecture at the LOI. I continue to build my professional knowledge and bring new insights into my work. This combination of people skills, creativity, and a thirst for knowledge forms the foundation of BOLD&Soft. My goal is for clients to feel heard and to understand why a proposal suits them.

Wat is tot nu toe jouw bepalende of meest trotse moment als maker?

My proudest moments are often captured in a text message afterwards. Someone sending a photo and saying: “I would never have combined those colors myself, but now I see how well it works.”

That is the moment when an idea from my head comes to life for the residents as well. They see the cohesion, dare to make a choice, and are happy with the result.
As a budding entrepreneur, those reactions mean a lot to me. It gives me satisfaction when my advice helps people make changes with confidence and look at their own homes with a fresh perspective.

Wat is jouw droomproject?

I find designing a personal home special, because it brings you so close to people's lives. At the same time, it seems wonderful to me to translate that attention to atmosphere and comfort into a small-scale hotel or hospitality establishment.

A place where people enter and immediately feel at ease. Where characterful furniture, materials, and colors combine to create warmth, with a touch of luxury. An environment that stays with you and where you enjoy returning.
An office also seems interesting to me. From my previous work, I know how much a pleasant work environment can mean. I would like to explore how you can bring that familiar, comfortable feeling of home back into the workplace.

Eerdere projecten

Een afbeelding van een tafeltje gestyled met enkele kussens in een warme kamer. De situatie is gestyled door Bold and Soft van Mara Strabbing
Een gestylde eetkamer met een grote ovale tafel en acht stoelen daarom. De eetkamer is gestyled door Bold and Soft van Mara Strabbing
Een afbeelding van een gestylde poef in een lichte ruimte. De Roze poef is door Bold and Soft gestyled