Hello decor8 readers! This is Danielle from The Style Files visiting you today while Holly is away. First of all I'd like to wish Holly good luck and lots of fun with her move to Germany. Moving to a different country, especially if it is to a different continent, is very exciting! Of course Holly will still be based in the U.S. but having a part-time vacation home in Europe will be very nice for her I think. For those who do not know me a short introduction: on my blog The Style Files I 'talk' about about design and (life) style. As I live in The Netherlands, I focus on Dutch and European design. Today I'd like to take the opportunity to share with you some of my favorite Dutch shops and design labels.

The Frozen Fountain (image above), located in a beautiful canal house, sells contemporary furniture and home accessories. Work of talented Dutch designers can be found in their collection, but they also carry furniture for international labels.

Droog Design (image above) is a must for design lovers! At Droog you can admire and purchase the designs of this well known Dutch design group. Their building functions both as an outlet and an exhibition space.

Linteloo is my favorite label for furniture! While a lot of Dutch designers concentrate on innovation and fun only (resulting in over-the-top design), the Linteloo designers also focus on quality. Their beautiful, contemporary style furniture are very comfortable and made from the highest quality materials. I have their Aulia coffee table (image above) in my home and their gorgeous Mauro sofa is on my things-for-our-new-home wish list. Linteloo is a Dutch brand with dealers in several European countries. And good news for US readers! Linteloo is now also available through several retailers in the US. Click here for a complete overview of retailers.

The beautiful cupboards in the photo of The Frozen Fountain are from Piet Hein Eek. This Dutch designer graduated in 1990 from the famous Design Academy in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. With his graduation project, a cupboard of reclaimed scrap wood, he got international recognition. Since then he has made name for himself for his excellent craftsmanship and for being ecologically responsible. Eek about his designs, "Everyone is trying to make perfect furniture so I did the opposite, I make furniture that is imperfect... I like using materials that are worthless and acting as though they are precious." On Piet Hein Eek?s website you can see more of his beautiful work.

Sissy-Boy Homeland (image above) is a new favorite of mine. Their collection is an unique combination of old and new furniture, home accessories, wallpaper, candles, quilts and a lot more. Sissy-Boy Homeland has several stores in The Netherlands. Their store in Amsterdam at the KNSM laan is also a great place to have lunch. Excellent sandwiches and coffees are served here! On Sissy-Boy's website you can find the locations of their shops (click on 'winkels').

And if you need a place to sleep in Amsterdam, NL Hotel (images above and below) is a great place to stay. This boutique, design hotel conveniently located in the city centre of Amsterdam. The beautiful interior of the hotel is designed by Edward van Vliet.

Thank you decor8 readers for taking the time to read this post. I hope you have enjoyed this mini tour with me through The Netherlands! Holly, thanks for giving me the opportunity to 'talk' to your lovely audience. I hope you are settling in well and that you are having a great time in Germany.

I will meet up with Holly again for our annual visit but this time we've invited other bloggers and blog readers to join us in Amsterdam on Friday, September 5th. If you'd like to hang out with us and meet new friends for a small informal eats and drinks social, you can contact Holly and she'll give you the details. Mark your calendars and please make it if you can!

(images linked to sources above, all text provided by danielle de lange from the style files.)