Do you know our series Q&A with Rafa-kids customers? 

The idea was born out of the desire to get to know families choosing Rafa-kids design. We already traveled to Spain to meet Andrea. Berlin to see the lovely family of Victoria. We visited Sladjana in Amsterdam, where we meet her little boy Ezra. Do not forget our chat with Belinda, and her boys, from Melbourne! 

Today, I’m glad to introduce to you this unique family from the Netherlands. I discovered Cham’s account on Instagram and fell in love with her minimal style. I have a weak spot for all Japanese aesthetics, so this was also something that grabbed my attention. I hope you also see the beauty of Cham’s pictures and the unique warm atmosphere she captures around her family life. How does she keep it so simple and organized with three small kids?

Hello Cham, thank you for accepting an invitation to a small interview. I’m glad you have found time to answer a few questions and share part of your daily life with our readers.

1. Could you shortly introduce yourself and tell us about where you live and with whom?

My name is Cham. Together with my husband, we are raising three children: Liam (6), Amy (4), and Yuki (8 months)—our pride! We call ourselves the ‘LiAmYuki’ team; do you see the similarity? (Rafa is named after the first letters of our family members: Robert, Arek, Franek, and Agata.) We live in the Netherlands, in the lovely town of Heerhugowaard, just 40 minutes from Amsterdam. It’s a great environment for the children, with a home featuring a large garden for them to enjoy.

2. I noticed you have a passion for photography and design. Do you have any background in these fields? 

My love and passion for photography started when I had children. I think it is important to capture these special moments. Time passes so quickly as a family, and the children grow like crazy. How nice it is if you can look back and ‘capture the moment and remember them forever.’ We moved two years ago. I wanted to create a home for us as a well-balanced family. Since the new house, I have fully established myself there. Surrounding gives me energy; that’s why our living environment has to provide the energy we need every day: REST because life with three children is already hectic enough! We live by the motto ‘less is more.’ We prefer to invest in good-quality items that we can enjoy for years to come.

3. Three words that best describe your style.

Minimal, japandi, neutral.

4. Raising children can be quite a challenge when it comes to a minimal lifestyle. Have many things changed since you became a mom, for that matter? 

Since I have children, I have become much more conscious when acquiring things. I also buy fewer items for myself, preferring to prioritize purchases for the children and my husband. It’s a strange feeling, isn’t it? Do many mothers experience this? I have also discovered that if you invest in good-quality items, you will enjoy them for much longer. A great example is toys. The children play with them daily. If the products are of lower quality, they can end up in the trash after just a few rounds of play. Not sustainable, right?

5. I noticed you organize many exciting activities for your kids at home. Can you tell us more about it? 

When purchasing toys, I also like to look for open-ended toys. This means the toy can be played with in many different ways, just like your child’s imagination works (so versatile). After school, I sometimes set up open-ended toys to invite them to play quietly after a hectic school day. It’s so delightful to see the creations they come up with, and each child does it in their way. I can truly enjoy this, watching them while secretly taking photos 🙂

6. We are curious about why you chose the Rafa-kids Rocking Baby cot and your experience using it. 

RAFA-KIDS, a brand that fits us perfectly. The design is thoughtful and of high quality. The Baby cot is equipped with all the comforts, and you can enjoy it for years because it’s an adjustable bed!
I would recommend such a beautiful bed to everyone, starting from the newborn stage. The quality is impeccable. The finish is so beautiful. The real eye-catcher for me is the round bar that allows you to sway the bed back and forth gently. Yes, you read it right. You can rock the bed! It is ideal for comforting your baby in this way. In my experience, it’s a small step between rocking and directly picking up your child. Yuki is a light sleeper, and when we try to comfort him by picking him up, he wakes up fully in your arms. The cradle function is so nice; we often calm him down with gentle rocking.

7. And lastly, could you reveal one of your guilty pleasures?

You can wake me up for sushi! Seriously, this was a thing during pregnancy. Fortunately, it only lasted for 9 months. But, it has to be really good sushi; I’m all about the quality, haha. I LOVE IT! You know what’s even more fun? Liam is just like his mother; he eats sashimi at the age of 6 as if they are candies 🙂

THANK YOU so much, Cham for taking your time and sharing with us a bit of your life.

We wish your family all the best. 

If you would like to meet and follow Cham on Instagram, you can find her here: @mamas.oogappeltjes