Interior design

From time to time, van Ansem works on interiors and/or furniture as standalone objects. Sometimes these are designs for presenting his books, and other times they are commissioned pieces. His interior designs, however, are concrete, functional furniture. He often incorporates one or more pieces—such as cabinets, drawers, or entire furniture items—found in second-hand shops into his designs. Reviving older furniture is a conscious choice.

For commissioned work, these are often pieces of furniture belonging to deceased parents or loved ones, which are reimagined in a new form. Through discussions with the client, an idea for a new piece of furniture is developed. The conversation shapes the form of the new furniture and serves as the foundation for the trust the client places in the process of creating a new design. For Frank, it is important that in such commissions, the “old” furniture is not lost but rather the essence in which the soul of the previous owner can still be recognized is sought. This can lie in small details; sometimes it is the color or colors, and other times it is decorative details of the old furniture.