Rijksmuseum: Rijksstudio M2 by Studio Droog
dressed with fantasy, a new environment for minimalism
Rijksmuseum: Rijksstudio M2
Inspired by the rich collections of the Rijksmuseum, Droog presented in 2014 at the Salone del Mobile Milan a setting for a studio – entrance, bedroom, kitchen, living and dining. Rijksstudio m2 is a setting for a studio in which the richness of the Rijksmuseum collection resonates in walls and ceilings. 18th-century tapestry is transformed into wallpaper, a painting with birds and clouds is part of a reflective gradient wall in the bedroom and 17th-century landscape paintings are animated. The sober furniture in the space forms a sharp contrast with this elaborate treatment, but is just as much inspired by the Rijksmuseum collection. The pieces reflect the furniture as depicted in homely settings in famous paintings. A bathtub, a daybed, a writing desk, a mirror, a night stand, and a candle holder are all carefully executed in wood and leather in a new appearance. Minimalism in a new environment dressed with fantasy!
Wallpaper by Rijksmuseum Classics
Droog has launched a wallpaper collection in fall 2014 that was inspired by classic works of art from Rijksmuseum and Dutch church buildings. Working with designs from graphic designers Irma Boom and Mieke Gerritzen, together with Studio Droog, the bold collection brings a bit of Dutch history to life on your walls.
Alongside the spatial installation, a series of products was specifically designed for the project. These include Layer Plates, a set of four glass plates that fragment and reassemble a historical decorative motif through stacking; furniture pieces such as a daybed, writing desk, nightstands, mirrors, and candleholders crafted in wood and leather; and domestic elements, including a bathtub and other functional objects. Each product draws its form, proportion, or ornamentation from artworks within the Rijksmuseum collection, translating visual heritage into contemporary material language.
Minimal, almost archetypal furniture forms are deliberately contrasted with the exuberant surfaces, yet remain deeply connected to historical references often echoing furniture depicted in old master paintings. Through this dialogue, Rijksstudio M2 presents heritage not as something fixed or untouchable, but as a living source of inspiration.
With Rijksmuseum: Rijksstudio M2, Droog proposes a new way of engaging with history: not by observing it at a distance, but by inhabiting it. The project demonstrates how art from the past can be reactivated through design, becoming part of everyday life while retaining its narrative richness and emotional power.
