Twins with a mission: Zussenatelier shares recycling happiness

Two identical faces, one shared passion, and a world full of hidden treasures. Meet Heidi and Petra, the identical twins behind Zussenatelier . What started as a creative outlet during the lockdown, turned into a beautiful adventure full of unexpected finds, sustainable dreams and a big dose of twin fun. Something magical happens in their studio: second-hand pearls get a spectacular makeover and are reborn into unique showpieces. With a big dose of creativity, Heidi and Petra show you how you can transform your home into a personal palace on a modest budget.

Dive into their world full of vintage vibes, personal anecdotes and golden thrift store tips. Let yourself be carried away by their infectious enthusiasm and discover how Zussenatelier, with an eye for every detail, spreads thrift store happiness like confetti at a party. Prepare yourself for a dose of twin magic that will change your view on second-hand forever!

How did the idea come about to start Zussenatelier together?

During the Corona period, our busy (social) lives came to a standstill. This created space to “get bored.” We do a lot together as twins, so we also got bored together. Just like in the past, ideas are born by doing nothing. We text and call each other daily and meet weekly (usually on Sundays) in Dronten or Zevenaar during the lockdown. During our creative Sundays, we came up with the idea to share our ideas with others via an Instagram page. The name Zussenatelier was quickly thought up and the Instagram page created. The name Zussenatelier actually says it all. Creative sisters who can’t sit still and keep working out new ideas in their studio. And that studio can be anywhere, it is not tied to a fixed place or time.

Tell me, what exactly is Zussenatelier?

Zussenatelier was founded by us together, Heidi and Petra, identical twins from Warnsveld, a small village in the Achterhoek. Creativity is in our blood; we grew up with it from a young age and spent hours together at the dining table crafting. We tried everything; from fimo clay to pergamano, from finger crochet to scoubidou, from shrinkie dinkie to making smurf snot and we can fill a whole list. There is little that we have not tried. We did not have much money at home, but our parents really encouraged us to be creative. There was always room to buy something to craft with. We would get it from our favorite store Schepping in Zutphen (which still exists by the way). We can say that our creativity was “activated” then and we still enjoy it enormously. Dad and mom, if you are reading this, thank you!

In our spare time, we like to be creative, just like before, and we prefer to do that together. It has become our number 1 hobby. We get happy from the same things, have the same chaotic brain that sometimes drives us completely crazy, but mainly brings good ideas 😉. The funny thing is that during Corona time we actually just started doing things that made us happy. We made all kinds of things; bracelets, window stickers, wall tiles, etc. We jumped from one thing to another. We shared that with our brand new followers and they were happy about it too, they showed. That gave us a boost to continue with Zussenatelier, even after the lockdown. Eventually, the switch to recycling came. We tour the whole of the Netherlands and discover more and more thrift stores. We have now fully discovered the Achterhoek together. We have made a thrift store brochure of that tour with all 40 addresses and our findings. This brochure can be requested for free via @Zussenatelier.

What makes Zussenatelier unique and how would you describe the style?

Together we give thrift store and flea market finds a second life and show you how you can still decorate stylishly on a small budget. We clean our finds thoroughly and refurbish them if necessary. Then we style them in our interior and take pictures of this and share it with our followers.

No high prices or profit label with us, but a good dose of creativity and an eye for sustainability. The satisfaction we get from this is enormous. In addition, we contribute to charities and foundations by buying our purchases at the thrift store. We only buy items that we like and that we support, so we stay close to ourselves. Our followers get to know our style through our Instagram page, but also through the personal contact that we like. We have a chat at the door or via the chat. Our followers regularly tip us when there is a market or share thrift store addresses that we really have to go to.

How do you divide the tasks within the studio? Does each of you have a specific role or do you do everything together?

Everything we do, we can both do. Thrift shopping, styling, photography, making reels, writing texts etc. We really manage the page together. If one of us is on holiday or sick, everything can continue. One is more skilled in one part than the other. Petra is very good at styling and photography and Heidi at making reels and writing texts. We share our skills with each other and are driven to continue to develop ourselves. In addition, we get ideas every day by looking at other Instagram pages and we do research on antiques and vintage to find out the origin of certain items.

What attracts you to thrift shopping?

Thrifting is fantastic and addictive. It is an adventurous way of shopping for us. We never know what we are going to find. It gives us the chance to find unique and special items that we do not just see in regular stores. Some items also take us back in time. They do something to us emotionally. We regularly have conversations about that time we consciously experienced together as sisters. For example: "Grandma also had those teacups with a gold rim, didn't she?" Or; "Mom used to wear those square sunglasses," etc. In addition, it is fun to be creative with refurbishing and restyling second-hand items, so that we can put our own stamp on them. Another nice side effect is that it is affordable, so you can bring something special into your home on a small budget.

What is your best find ever?

Hard to say. It's about the feeling you get when you find something nice and the price is also favorable... We are very happy with West Germany vases and flower pots, glass lampshades from the 30s certainly make our hearts beat faster. We also like oil paintings with flower prints in brocante frames. At the moment we are very happy when we find breakfast plates with Delft blue edges. We use these for our DIY project "wall plates."

What is your most special find ever?

A series of display cabinets from importer Leiden. These nature cabinets/display cabinets were once used as teaching material in primary schools. These are finds with a story.

Do you have any nice tips for the other thrift shop hunters among us?

1. Visit a thrift store regularly : Thrift stores often get new stuff. By checking regularly, you increase the chance of unique finds.

2. Be patient and creative : Not everything will be a treasure right away, but with a little creativity and a lick of paint you can transform many items into something special.

3. Pay attention to quality : Always check the condition of furniture and accessories. Look for sturdy materials such as solid wood or leather, which are often long-lasting and can be restored.

4. Know your style : It's tempting to buy a lot, but stay true to your own taste and only buy what really suits you.

5. Think sustainable : Choose second-hand with sustainability in mind. By reusing, you help reduce the impact on the environment.

6. Explore different locations : Every thrift store has its own offering. By visiting different stores, you will discover new gems.

7. Download the Kringloopapp : Wherever you are, this app shows all thrift stores within a radius of a few kilometers.

What are your dreams and plans for the future of Zussenatelier?

Our motto is mainly to keep enjoying the things we do and to take on the adventures that come our way. As soon as the fun is gone, we will stop immediately, we agreed. For us it is about passion, creativity & fun, not about obligations.

We often talk about renting a van and heading to France or Sweden to look for treasures. Who knows!

Follow Heidi and Petra!

Zussenatelier proves that creativity and sustainability can go hand in hand. Heidi and Petra show you how you can find the most beautiful thrift store treasures with love, patience and a touch of imagination and transform them into unique eye-catchers. Are you curious about their adventures and tips? Then definitely take a look at their Instagram page @Zussenatelier and be inspired by their creativity and enthusiasm. Who knows, you might discover the magic of thrifting yourself and find that one item you've been looking for for so long. Happy thrifting!

Photo credits: Sister studio