Polspotten, a flower(power)pot story
Published on 2 June 2023
Unmissable at the entrance of “Maison&Objet”, Polspotten’s stand is cheerful, colourful and very busy, the spitting image of the brand's audacious identity. Hitting the jackpot with its flowerpots, the publisher carries along, with his undisputable reputation, the true spirit of Dutch design.
“Devil’s in detail”, they say. Recently the Polspotten logo changed. A minor edit for the bare eye, a big step for a brand initially spelled “Pol's Potten” (Dutch for “Pol's pots”). The Dutch furniture and accessories publisher has now embraced the acronym “POLSPOTTEN”. This generic and iconic name works autonomously, like “Coca-Cola” (Coca leaf and Kola nut) or “Muuto” (new perspective in Finnish). The original common denomination has become a proper name, a global brand, a whole universe.
Founded in 1986, the company was born in Amsterdam from Erik Pol's idea of importing terra cotta garden pots , which he picked up in Spain with his car. His finds turn out to be as relevant as original. It overturns the classic codes of the genre and immediately seduces some top-of-the-range florists and a young clientele. The business takes off quickly. “Born in the 80s out of frustration with mundane designs, POLSPOTTEN struck a chord with those seeking a different direction right down to the gay, punk, and other subcultures.” explains brand director Inge Schmitt. The rebellious spirit of the beginnings still endures, but the Polspotten collections now cover the entire house universe, from seating to lighting, tableware to bookcases. A recurring pattern: ceramics. The material can be found in many products, vases and pots, but also delightful piggy banks in the shape of animal heads, cows, sheep or pigs, covered with a golden glaze. This was the brand's first line of development. Erik Pol's genius idea was to enamel his pots with original gold, silver, and even metallic shades in “pop” colours, unheard of in gardening.
The new wave of Dutch design signs the collections.
Polspotten asserts its love of craftsmanship and local manufacture in the Netherlands and calls on its country's A-list of designers. The new wave of Dutch design thus signs Polspotten’s collections: Norman Trapman and Hans van Bentrum, or design studios like Kranen/Gille, Paul & Albert, Jan Dijkstra, Diederik Schneemann and Roderick Vos. Everyone handles in their way this mixture of humour and irreverence, tradition and futurism, specific to the Dutch touch.
Playful and unconventional, the Polspotten style invites you to experience and express your creativity. Such a motto has never been so suitable, as evidenced by the theme of the year chosen by Maison&Objet this season: “Enjoy!”. Extravagance, audacity, and humour are the responses to adopt in the face of a world in crisis. Faithful to the show since its inception, Polspotten displays ever more joyful and colourful stage designs each season on its remarkable and always on-point stands. “Maison & Objet serves as a unique platform for both sales and brand awareness.” Concludes Inge Schmitt. “The fair allows POLSPOTTEN to unveil our latest and most outstanding products to the industry’s decision-makers, spreading playfulness to spaces worldwide.”