Thank you to Carmen Maria Atiyah de Baets for joining us on TheBoldWay!
Carmen is the co-founder of one of the most inspiring hybrid spaces in Amsterdam: Carmen, a life project that blends a guesthouse, boutique, café, and creative venue.
In this episode, she tells us how—alongside her husband Joris—she transformed a family home into a creative refuge, starting from scratch, with no business plan, in the middle of a pandemic. We talk about design, fashion, motherhood, partnership, architecture, cash flow, extreme exhaustion, and overwhelming passion.
Carmen also shares her influences—from Lebanon, London, California, and Beirut—and her daily fight to preserve the soul of a place in a world that’s becoming increasingly standardized.
A deeply honest and luminous episode that will resonate with anyone dreaming of creating a space that truly reflects who they are.
Enjoy the episode!
Timeline
00:00 : Carmen’s beginnings: a hybrid space in Amsterdam combining a guesthouse, boutique, café, and shared living concept
07:00 : Foundational inspirations: Ace Hotel, Beit Trad, family memories, and the desire to create a warm and welcoming space
14:00 : The couple behind the project: backgrounds in fashion and food, return to Amsterdam, and early entrepreneurial dreams
22:00 : Renovating a historic home: administrative obstacles, restoration challenges, and emotional pressure
30:00 : Launching the boutique: selecting brands like Lido, Mariam Nassir Zadeh, Baserange, and Extreme Cashmere
41:00 : The pandemic as a starting point: e-commerce launch, authentic storytelling, and early support from Freja Wewer
50:00 : Growth, pressure, and motherhood: unstable work-life balance, team expansion, and first hires
01:10:10 : The café and events: daily food culture, community spirit, and expanding the vision around the space
01:20:00 : Living inside the business: managing privacy, raising their daughter Biba, and navigating a relationship within the project
01:30:00 : Vision for the future: staying small, preserving the magic, making luxury accessible, and building something that truly reflects who they are
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