bedMATE of the month #23: Sander Plug

Every month we visit a creative and inspiring person. She or he is the 'bedMATE of the month'.

The bedMATE is the most iconic item in our collection. The extra long cushion serves as a headboard, but also as a cuddle buddy, a friend who provides support.

We crawl into bed with the 'bedMATE of the month'. We take a look at their home and their colorful (bed)rooms. In conversation we discover how they experience the SUITE life. What's going on in their heads? Where do they get their inspiration from? And what color do they dream in?

This month, all-round creative Nicole Huisman visited the colorful universe of Sander Plug; director, photographer, visual artist
and designer. 'I think I've always had the need to express an idea with as little noise as possible.'

Sander has lived in Conradstraat for 17 years. When you enter his home, you feel that you are dealing with someone who loves design, but also that you are in someone's home. 'When I bought this studio home, it was two linked concrete blocks. At the time I asked Studio Paulien Beerder to make a design, but I did not have enough money to renovate the entire house. So we first did half and last year Paulien took care of the other half. And now it's finished.'

The result is a playful house with different living levels, where you look from the kitchen to the front door, but also into the living room - which is in turn connected to the bedroom. The bathroom is hidden behind an ingenious built-in cupboard that can rotate. His favorite place? 'Paulien has designed an extendable table in the kitchen where my friend and I sit for breakfast every morning, and it also works well for dinners with four people. Very cozy and cozy. And of course the bathroom, which was completely renovated during the last renovation. Every morning in the shower I think 'what a wonderful thing'.

Sander worked for brands and people such as Longchamp, Hermès, De Jeugd van Nooit (video clip 'Manon'), Fantastic Man, Volkskrant and Ace & Tate - to name just a few. What exactly does he do? 'I think I am mainly a conceptual maker. If the result is a film, then I am a director, if the medium is photography I am a photographer, if it concerns an installation I am an artist and if it concerns a product I am a designer. So nice and wide.'

'I think I've always had the need to tell an idea with as little noise as possible. So first isolate the idea and then visualize it very clearly. This way you can quickly erase everything that is unnecessary. Always first ask why you are doing something, then a very clean, clear picture will automatically emerge.'

With so many awesome campaigns and projects, it's difficult to choose a favorite. 'I am still very happy with the posters I designed for the Pink Film Days. A concept where photography, tangible work and reuse come together. Old movie posters with classic heterosexual couples are transformed into new queer couples with a simple fold. Furthermore, of course, much of the work I created during the twelve years of collaboration with Lernert.'

What is Sander doing now? 'I am now focusing more on design again. If you mainly do film and photography for years, the representation is ultimately always a digital pixel. Very nice on your website and social media, but I also feel the need to return to what I was trained for: industrial design. Create objects that you can hold and walk around. And currently that is thinking about a concept for a candle stand. A problem-solving concept, of course ;)'

Back home, where Sander lives with his friend Peter. 'The cupboard by the Danish designer Poul Cadovius is a favourite. It has been everywhere in the house. We moved in together in 2022 and then we renovated the entire house. Now the closet is one
dividing wall between our bed and the living room, that's where it looks best.'

Weekend rituals? 'To get up early! We're not really late risers. Making coffee, reading the newspaper and having breakfast, that's about it. We prefer the rituals during the week, so we don't have to do them at the weekend. Like morning yoga. Very tasty, but not on the weekend. Oh yeah, we always watch RuPaul's Drag Race.'

'The best thing is a freshly made bed, showering and then sleeping. Nothing can beat that feeling. And furthermore, a tidy but warm house. I like a house with personal items. With enough light, plants and things to look at.'

We see a lot of color both in his work and at home (that Rietveld chair!) 'In my earlier work I played a lot with color as a monochrome background. But over the years that has transformed into shades of gray. Gray as a background for color. That still works very well. In terms of clothing, dark blue works wonders for my mainly white, freckled skin. And in the house: soft, fresh colours. I'm not into dark, heavy colors, although everything in the bathroom is burgundy red, but that's really nice there.

And his golden tip for more color in your home? 'The nice thing about color in your house is that a wall can be painted over again in no time. Don't hesitate for too long. Doing! And if you don't like it, just do it again.'