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Pimping your Dutch apartment: creating a gallery wall

Welcome to autumn 2020! It doesn’t feel too welcoming though — it’s cold, dark, wet and you’re sitting at home once again because of a pandemic. Looking at these same four walls and getting tired of them? So was I! And since neither I nor the walls were going anywhere I decided to pimp our prominent wall in the living room with a gorgeous gallery display.

I mean, why not make your house pretty? Winter is always an indoorsy situation in the Netherlands and now more than ever it’s important to feel at home in…well, your home. A gallery wall and more art in general in my home were on the top of my list. After many hours of surfing online I discovered Desenio.

Desenio was so friendly to team up with us and bring you this post. That’s great for you, because there’s a nice discount code for DutchReview readers at the end of this article!

They have a gazillion choices of posters which were great to browse through, the option to have them delivered to your house — framed and all — was also handy. But the real game-changer was their option to fiddle around with potential gallery wall setups. Desenio has both ready-made walls if you want to keep the whole project in a certain theme or a wizard which allows you to see how your eye candy of choice plays out with various sizes and setups and see if your weird fantasy actually could turn into something pretty.

Selecting the prints

We couldn’t decide on one theme. I like palm trees, my better half likes forests, and we wanted some abstract art in there and some accents of orange, gold and pink. We wanted a shade of green on that wall and so it had to match with this. We also opted for a mixture of gold and black frames to see if we can get a bit of a luxurious feeling going.

If you want to keep the Dutch touch then they have some options for that as well. Beautiful images of Amsterdam are available, but I’m a Rotterdam boy so I got myself a cartographic image of my hometown. If you’re after a particular print you’re seeing in this article, then scroll down to the bottom to find a nice little list there.

The bottom one behind the indoor palm tree (disclaimer: that closet has never been as clean as it is now)
Image: DutchReview

Setting up a gallery wall

If you search for how to set up a gallery wall then you’ll find more tips than there are bicycles in Amsterdam, so sure, if you have a better plan then go for it. Here’s how we did it. First of all, we matched all the frames with prints, a matter of personal taste — and we might switch some up later.

The second step was grouping them all on the floor to see if they match and how they look together. We ended up with a more foresty/gold vibe on the left and some palm trees and bright graphic prints on the right.

Organising the pictures on our floor. Image: DutchReview/Supplied

Next up, actually hanging them on the wall! We got out the good old hammer and nails for this step. I heard good stories about ‘reusable sticky nails’ and ‘magic tape’, but also had some crappy experiences with some of that magic tape (the experience being: it’s not working and the whole thing comes down).

The end result

You’ve read enough words now, time for some pretty pictures! And because 2020 can always use more cuteness I made sure that Ollie the cat is in a few of them (disclaimer: she was bribed with cat cookies for this one).

Final result. Image: DutchReview/Supplied
Ollie the cat sitting on the couch in front of the framed pictures.
Ollie the cat posing like a pro. Image: DutchReview/Supplied
pot plant and picture frames
Loving the vibes in this corner. Image: DutchReview/Supplied
Want to get one up yourself? If you found a few prints you like on DESENIO they currently have 30% off — AND you can get a further discount of 10% if you use the code DUTCHREVIEW!
But heads up, this code is only valid from now till Monday the 12th of October and doesn’t work for frames ‘handpicked’ and personalised prints.

 

What are your indoor redecorating plans for this winter? Let us know in the comments!

Print list:

Breakfast at Tiffany’s (21×30)
Art.nr.: 11973-4
Elegant Flight (30×40)
Art.nr.: 14196-5
Abstract Terracotta (21×30)
Art.nr.: 14327-4
Palm Tree Sunrise (30×40)
Art.nr.: 10934-5
Jazzy Days No2 (30×40)
Art.nr.: 14490-5
Whale in Forest (30×40)
Art.nr.: 10801-5
Woman by Manhattan Bridge (40×50)
Art.nr.: 12030-6
Aperol Spritz Recipe (21×30)
Art.nr.: 2980-4
Rotterdam (30x40cm)
Art.nr.: 8279-5
Lion (30×40)
Art.nr.: 7949-5
Forest Mountain (50×70)
Art.nr.: 8535-8
Green & Gold No2 (21×30)
Art.nr.: 14954-4
Secret Garden (30×40)
Art.nr.: 14222-5
Street of Palm Springs (50×70)
Art.nr.: 10790-8
La Madame Noir (30×40)
Art.nr.: 14186-5
Saturn Space (21×30)
Art.nr.: 14085-4
Peaceful Moments (30×40)
Art.nr.: 14241-5
Vintage Pink Toucans (30×40)
Art.nr.: 14020-5

Nine days into the new coronavirus measures and infections are skyrocketing towards 6,000 a day

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A daily count of 5,831 new coronavirus cases were reported to the RIVM this morning. This is 800 more than the previous day’s figures. The past week has seen an average daily count of 4,535 — significantly higher than the previous week’s 2,995.

The situation is getting very serious very fast. Hospitalized corona patients are now at 1070, with 228 of these in ICU, according to National Coordination Center for Patient Distribution (LCPS). This is up by 49 patients compared to yesterday’s 1021.

Deaths

Today, the RIVM recorded 13 people who passed away from corona. Yesterday an alarming 36 were reported. The RIVM now reports an average of 16 deaths per day, up from the previous week’s average of 15 per day.

However, as we’ve come to expect now, these figures are lagging behind real-time as the GGDs continue to be overwhelmed with the demand for testing. Some deaths that took place last week were therefore only officially recorded this week.

Amsterdam hot-zone

The nation’s capitol continues to harbour the highest levels of infection rates, with 440 cases being reported in the last day. Following closely behind are Rotterdam (422) and The Hague (316).

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Feature Image: ©JazzIRT/Canva.com

Can you spot Mars?: the planet will be visible from the Netherlands this month

Instead of looking up at the sky every time the latest piece of bad news rolls in this month, let’s spend this time looking out for Mars. The planet will be visible from Dutch soil for the month of October.

Even if you aren’t rolling your eyes towards heaven these past few days, do make sure to take a moment to look upwards, it will be another 15 years before the planet is so close to Earth again.

By close, we mean roughly 62,000,000km away, but it’s still a big deal. The planet will be at its most visible around midnight — perfectly spooky for this time of year.

A star-spangled time of year

Speaking of this time of year, Mars isn’t the only reason to be marvelling at the stars. This month will also see not one, but two full moons — the first having occurred on October 1 and the second expected on October 31. The stars are quite literally aligning for a fantastically spooky halloween this year.

Mars is a welcome addition to the night sky this year with Saturn and Jupiter also being visible for most of 2020.

To get the most out of your stargazing, head to an area of land with the least amount of light pollution possible (if you dare to venture into a field at midnight in October.) And take a moment to remember that in spite of the absolute flaming turd this year has been, you’re just a speck of dust on an insignificant rock.

Will you be heading out to stargaze this October? Let us know in the comments below! 

Feature Image: Sebastian Scheuer/Unsplash

There are more Dutch CEOs called “Peter” than female CEOs, survey finds

It seems that the Netherlands suffers from either an abundance of Peters, or an abundance of glass ceilings. Do you know more “Peters” than females? No? That’s strange. 

The Netherlands has performed rather poorly in terms of gender equality in the workplace according to a study performed by Equileap. In a survey of the Netherlands top 100 companies It was found that there were more CEOs named Peter (5) than there were female CEOs (4).

Equileap is an international research agency that is dedicated to gender equality in the business world. In their survey, they scored different countries using 19 different criteria.

These criteria include an examination of how allegations of sexual harassment are handled, how many female managers and employees a company has, the pay gap and how parental leave works.

Poor performance from the Netherlands

They survey found that the Dutch performed quite poorly in terms of gender equality, scoring the Dutch companies with an average of 37%.

Some of the reasons given for this score include the following:

  • None of the companies that Equileap surveyed had as many female workers as male workers on each level.
  • Gender balance was found to be particularly low at executive levels with an the average executive team consisting of only 14% women.
  • Most companies (88%) do not release information regarding the difference in salaries between male and female employees.

Yikes, looks like the Netherlands has some work to do. Is this something you have noticed before? Let us know in the comments below! 

Feature Image: Romain V/Unsplash 

Debt-ridden HEMA will be sold this month, or not at all

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This month, the beloved department chain HEMA may be sold to one of two potential buyers. But if an agreement has not been made by the end of the month, HEMA may not be sold at all.

After facing bankruptcy in June, HEMA was saved by a group of creditors who payed off €450 million of the store’s debts and now own the chain brand, reports NU.nl. However, HEMA is still €300 million in the red, and the creditors hope to sell the company on to one of two investment companies: Parcom or Alteri.

But this may be tricky, considering the current economic circumstances of the Netherlands. The shareholders want to earn some money when HEMA is sold, but this is not a good time to sell.

In the event of no sale

If the chain store has not been sold by the end of the month the owners of HEMA will retain their ownership and will not be putting the store up on the market for at least another year. “In the next twelve months there will be no further search for a buyer, but the focus will be on business operations,” a spokesperson said.

Attention would then shift to making the business more profitable. So we may see some changes in the anything-you-could-ever-need store chain, but at least we can happily go on eating their scrumptious breakfasts and filling up our bags with their books and stationary.

What do you think of HEMA’s financial situation? Let us know in the comments below.

Feature Image: Jordy Schaap/Wikimedia Commons/CC4.0

Meet Luca: a car made almost entirely out of waste material

Today, students from TU Eindhoven will present a car made almost entirely out of waste. The materials used to create the car include household waste, used PET bottles and even plastic from the ocean. 

The group of 22 students constructed new materials for the car by combining the waste with flax, horse hair and coconut fibers. They have called the car De Luca.

At the moment, new plastics are used in the creation of cars. By creating De Luca, the students wanted to prove to the auto-industry that waste can be used as a raw material.

The European car industry alone is responsible for the production of nearly one million tons of plastic per year.

How much is recycled?

The car is almost entirely made out of recycled waste, however the students did have to make use of some new materials. The steering wheel, pedals, electronics and windscreen are all new so as to meet safety regulations.

The rest of the car is made from recycled waste. For example, the car’s exterior is made up of flax fiber and recycled ocean plastic. The chairs are made from PET bottles and the side windows are made from recycled glass.

The students explained to the NOS that because the plastic was older than new materials, slightly more of it had to be used to achieve the required result.

The car is also electric with motors attached to the back wheels and weighs half of what the average electric car would weigh.

An exciting development for the car industry.

Auto Recycling Nederland (ARN) finds the student’s creation to be an exciting development. “A waste car like this will not be in the showroom immediately tomorrow,” says ARN employees Martijn Boelhouwer, “but I think this can be very inspiring for the industry.”

Whilst De Luca is not yet approved to drive on public roads, the students and the ARN see the prototype as a promising first step towards a more sustainable future for the auto-industry.

Are you excited for this new development in the auto-industry? Let us know in the comments below!

Feature Image: TU Ecomotive/Supplied

€10,000 for every 18-year-old: that’s what this Dutch party wants

Dutch political party Groenlinks wants every person who turns 18 to receive “starting capital” from the government. An appropriate amount, thought Groenlinks, would be a casual €10,000. 

The newly-pronounced adult can then use the fat stack of cash for their own development, reports NOS. Think: paying tuition fees, retraining (the government knows they’re only 18, right?), starting their own business, or going to Ibiza for a weekend with the lads (okay, I may have added that last one).

Groenlinks has presented the plan for next year’s parliamentary elections. Of course, you may question who is footing the yearly €2.2 billion bill of the program. According to the party, Dutch millionaires will pay a ‘solidarity contribution.’

Here’s how that would work: people with assets over a million euros must gift 1% of their assets above one million to the government each year. Owners of more than two million euros will pay 2% on assets over two million. The value of homes in the first millions doesn’t count.

Why give youth money?

Groenlinks is concerned that people don’t have equal opportunities in the Netherlands. Free money is their attempt to rectify that.

“Where you were born determines the opportunities in your life and poverty is passed on from generation to generation,” said the party.

Groenlinks leader, Jesse Klaver, is a big fan of French economist Thomas Piketty, who inspired the idea.

Now, excuse me while I dash away and try to convince the gemeente that I’m actually a teenager.

What do you think of giving 18-year-olds this much cash? Tell us in the comments below!

Feature Image: Capri23auto/Pixabay

Asbestos discovered in Hema and Douglas makeup

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Asbestos has been found in makeup products sold at retail chains Hema and Douglas. Traces of the substance were found in the products BAE loose powder foundation 2nd skin and My Cheek Palette Blush.

The news outlet EenVandaag worked with the Expertise Center Asbestos and Fibres (EVAC) to have the makeup tested for the presence of asbestos at three laboratories — all three confirmed its presence.

Both retail chains initially withdrew the products when confronted by EenVandaag, but they have since landed back on the shelves, reports the news source. The companies claim that they have had their products tested and they are free from the harmful substance.

Why the discrepancy?

It is unclear why the products EenVandaag had tested in their cooperating labs had different results than the labs used by the retail chains. However, experts give two possibilities: different research methods were used among the labs; and asbestos can distribute unevenly throughout the products, leaving some samples with the substance and others without.

Why is asbestos harmful?

Asbestos is dangerous for its very small fibres, invisible to the naked eye. Breathing it in can cause a range of long-term health problems, including lung cancer. It’s been prohibited for use since in products since 1993.

Have you used these makeup products? Let us know your thoughts on this bizarre discovery in the comments below.

Feature Image: freestocks.org/Pexels

Amsterdam bus driver concussed, missing teeth, after asking passenger to wear a mask

An Amsterdam bus driver was bitten, kicked, and beaten yesterday after telling a passenger to wear a face mask. 

The attack occurred as the passenger attempted to board the bus on line 21, at the Ruys de Beerenbrouckstraat in the Geuzenveld district. When the bus driver advised that the passenger must wear a mask on public transport, the passenger flipped out.

The 67-year-old driver lost four teeth, has a concussion, bruised ribs, and a battered face. The attack left the driver hospitalised.

Captured on video

A video of the disturbing incident later circulated on Snapchat and Dutch website GeenStijl. The attacker is seen standing on the bus driver’s neck in the footage.

After the attack, the perpetrator fled, his attempt to take the bus foiled by his own attack on the driver. Police are now on the hunt for the attacker.

“We have even clearer images from the bus, which clearly shows the suspect,” said a police spokesman. “The images have been shared internally so that all police colleagues in Amsterdam can see them. Hopefully, this will lead to recognition, otherwise, we will consider publishing the images in consultation with the Public Prosecution Service.

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Feature Image: Maurits90/Wikimedia Commons/CC1.0

Dutch test labs dramatically improve testing capacity — but GGDs not ready

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The capacity in Dutch test laboratories has greatly improved with the ability to now perform over 51,000 tests per day. However, the GGDs are not yet prepared to scale up alongside the testing labs.

According to the National Coordination Structure Testing Capacity (LCDK), Dutch labs now have the potential to perform 20,000 more tests per day compared to last week, reports NOS. But the GGDs need more time to be able to increase their own capacities in the test lines. 

A spokesperson for one GGD says it’s a major operation and they are scaling up as quickly as possible. They expect to become sufficiently prepared over the course of next week.

Although, the RIVM anticipates the demand for corona tests will likely continue to increase over the coming months with the onset of the cold season. Thus, the capacity for performing 51,000 tests per day will probably not be sufficient for long.  

Options for scaling up

Scaling up involves three options, which each require additional staff and logistics: 

  • Extending opening hours at test locations,
  • Carrying out more simultaneous testing in certain test lanes,
  • Opening new test streets.

Important to note is that the GGDs stopped scaling up on August 24, by order of the Ministry of Health. This was because, at the time, the labs did not have sufficient testing materials. “If we had known this before, we would have been ready by now,” says a spokesperson for the GGDs.

Do you think testing capacity in the Netherlands is sufficient? Let us know in the comments below.

Feature Image: Governor Tom Wolf/Flickr/CC2.0