Renfro Europe – A playful interior that still feels professional
Femke van der Lippe and Paul Bos (general manager) wanted to design their new office themselves, but they simply didn’t have the time. Once they connected with IKEA for Business, they were happy to hand over the styling. Read the interview with Femke and Paul.
Renfro Europe, Schiphol-Rijk
The assignment: Transforming an office and showroom into a functional and surprising interior, making use of the desks already purchased. There needed to be sufficient storage space for sock samples and all administrative materials. In the showroom, a space for meetings, a small lounge area, and strong product presentation options were required.
Client: Renfro Europe
What they do: Renfro Brands is an American sock company with a history of more than 100 years. Worldwide, they design, produce, and deliver around 600 million pairs of socks each year to various retailers and for multiple brands. From Amsterdam, a team of four colleagues serves the European market.
Location: Schiphol-Rijk
“IKEA came up with incredibly fun solutions we never would have thought of ourselves”
Why was it time for a new interior design?
“Last summer we moved. In a multi‑tenant building at Schiphol‑Rijk, we rent two spacious, bright units. We were the first tenants on that floor, which meant we could divide and furnish the spaces entirely ourselves.”
“We were thinking of a vintage look, with great finds from thrift stores. But who has time for that? Meanwhile, we had already been working there for two months. You know something needs to be done, but where and how do you start? Since we already had two KALLAX units — perfect for storing socks — we decided to take a look at IKEA.”
How did you end up connecting with IKEA for Business?
“It was more or less by chance! We were walking through the store, feeling a bit lost. Coincidentally, some people from IKEA for Business were there. They approached us and immediately had time to help. Afterwards, they invited us to a breakfast through the IKEA for Business Network loyalty program. That morning, we were guided through the store in small groups. So much inspiration! And that’s when we learned we could also get styling advice. For us, that was the confirmation we needed to hand over the interior design to IKEA for Business.”
How did you proceed from there?
“The great thing about styling advice is that IKEA actually comes to you: someone from styling and someone from sales. They went through everything with us — our wishes, what suits the space, whether we’re allowed to drill into the walls, which furniture we already have, the budget. They also measured everything and took photos. Within three weeks, they had a proposal ready. They presented it in the Amsterdam store, which was very convenient because we could look at all the furniture and items right away. We ended up adopting almost the entire styling plan.”
And then loading everything and assembling it yourselves?
“No, definitely not! IKEA pointed us to the assembly service, and we made use of that too. In just one morning, all the large pieces of furniture were assembled and the office was set up. Later on, the final finishing touches were done. Someone from after‑sales even came by to check whether everything had gone well and whether any items still needed to be delivered. Everything went smoothly and took away a lot of stress.”
“We adopted almost all of the styling advice. ”
Do you get any reactions to the interior?
“We’re at the end of the hallway, so there isn’t much spontaneous foot traffic. But when the neighbors drop by, they’re always surprised. Our office clearly stands out. It has both functional and atmospheric lighting, two cozy seating areas, plants, beautiful rugs, lots of color. It is an office, but at the same time it’s more than that. It’s simply a pleasant space to be in.”
What do you think of your interior now?
“IKEA came up with some really fun solutions we would never have thought of ourselves. For example, the room where our desks are also holds a lot of stock. Pretty messy. The stylist suggested hanging a curtain in front of it. Simple, but brilliant. It creates a tidy, calm feeling.
In our presentation room — a combination of meeting space and showroom — we have several SKÅDIS pegboards. The hooks you can attach to them are perfect for hanging socks. When customers visit, we can show exactly the collection that fits that specific client. The overall look is both professional and playful, yet it also radiates calm and unity.”
What is the biggest advantage of your new office?
“Most of the time we meet customers either online or we travel to them. Online is efficient, but customers can’t feel the materials. And when we visit customers, we bring a suitcase full of socks, which means making choices: this one yes, that one no.”
“Now that we’re located next to Schiphol and have a beautifully designed showroom, we can also invite customers to visit us. We then have all the time we need to go through samples, present exactly what they came for, and even show other brands if relevant. The professional and atmospheric interior gives us confidence — it’s one less thing to worry about. It allows our products to do the talking, and that’s what it’s all about in the end.”
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