DESIGN TALK: WIJNPAAL

Design Talk means it’s time to meet the faces behind a brand. Today, we’re going to introduce you to Ruby Oudejans and Mike Plevier, the founders of Wijnpaal. Their Amsterdam-based label is all about wine — the word ‘wijnpaal” means wine pole in Dutch — and makes display racks for all kinds of wine, from red to sparkling. Their objects emphasize the beauty of bottles by setting them into the foreground.

“We think a good bottle of wine should be seen.” they say, and this is why they’ve chosen to combine their passion for wine and love of design to result in a range of wine furniture that’s unique, sustainable and of high quality.

The pair always has a few nice bottles in stock, for dinners with friends and family or impromptu evenings of conversation over a glass or two. But when their search of a perfect wine rack came up empty, they knew there was only one thing they could do: make their own.

Today, Ruby is responsible for the brand’s photography and graphic design, while Mike handles the business aspects. His passion for their brand comes from his love of wine and good company: ‘I am a social animal,’ he says, ‘I like nothing more than socializing with my friends and preferably with a good bottle of wine open.’ His favorite kind of wine to stock on his own Wijnpaal is Barolo — but you can display any bottle of your choosing on yours, whether red, white, or bubbly.

Wijnpaal currently produces three distinct series of wine racks, all made in the Netherlands: the Custom, the Industrial, and the Compact Six. The racks can fit up to 20 bottles of any type of bottle. The Custom is a large, made-to-order wine pole, the Industrial an affordable, high-quality oak rack, and the Compact six is of a smaller size that fits, as the name suggests, up to six bottles, in three rows of two side-by-side inserts. Available in high gloss, satin or matte, the racks can be customized to fit champagne bottles, with wider inserts to accommodate them.

You can find examples of all of their racks on DECOVRY, where we carry them in classic black or wood, along with some poppy colours and pastels for added flair.