Designer interview with
Marc Th. van der Voorn

Marc Th. van der Voorn has been working as an independent product and furniture designer since 2001, so he has been part of the design world for quite some time. His products are timeless: layered and detailed in their design, yet calm and understated in appearance.The first time Marc’s path crossed with that of Vij5 was also many years ago. Since then, he, Arjan and Anieke regularly met in a friendly setting at fairs and events. Still, it was not until 2025 that a collaboration took shape. His Qui side table fits naturally within the DNA of Vij5, which is why it has been added to the collection.

Curious about Marc’s story, the design process behind the Qui side table, and how our collaboration eventually took shape? Then be sure to read on.

April 2026

Text: Daniëlle van de Haterd
Photography: Vij5

Creative self-expression was not something Marc was explicitly raised with, yet certain seeds were definitely planted during his childhood. “There is a funny common thread. My parents were not consciously focused on design or aesthetics. Over the years, they simply bought what they liked. Later on, it turned out that many of the pieces they had chosen were new at the time, but eventually became design classics. So unconsciously, I was always surrounded by well-designed objects, and that has certainly influenced the way I approach design today.”

Creativity in the family

Marc grew up in a family of four. His father worked in the fashion industry and his mother was a home economics teacher. Alongside a thoughtfully furnished home, these professions also helped shape the foundation of Marc’s creative mindset, each in their own way. “My mother taught cooking at school, and I don’t think she ever cooked the same meal twice in my life. She followed recipes, but was always searching for new dishes and loved being surprised by other cultures and flavours. A fixed weekly meat-and-potatoes routine? I don’t know that. I recognise many of her qualities in myself: I am curious by nature and I do not like repetition.”

“I have also taken something with me from my father’s profession. Stitching, Velcro, press studs and zips are used in the fashion industry as functional connections, but just as much as a way to create surprising details. I also enjoy applying these materials and design techniques in my own work.”

“I am curious by nature and do not like repetition.”

Marc Th. van der Voorn

Anything is possible

Until he was thirty, Marc moved through life with the feeling that anything was possible. “I still say that to interns today: use that time to play, explore and try things out. Later on, responsibilities grow and life becomes more settled. The consequences of your choices become more real, and the freedom to experiment can start to feel smaller.”

This does not mean Marc believes everything should be settled after that age. He still enjoys experimenting, using it as a way to create designs that keep surprising him.

“It is wonderful to have a creative mind, but there is also a downside,” he says. “Many things fail and cost time and money — you have to be able to deal with that.” For Marc personally, that is exactly what makes the profession so valuable. “Designing is really an education for life. You learn from the process every single day, and that never stops as long as you keep challenging yourself. Bringing a design to life involves so many different elements, and all of them need to fall into place.”

“Many things fail and cost time and money — you have to be able to deal with that.”

Marc Th. van der Voorn

From studying economics to art school

After secondary school, Marc chose to study economics in Groningen. “After a year and a half, I knew: this is not what I want to do for the rest of my life. But what was?”

With the help of his then girlfriend’s father, who worked as an occupational psychologist, Marc started looking more seriously at what might suit him. “It became clear that I needed to do something that engaged both my mind and my hands. But that was so different from the secure future my parents had imagined for me that I wasn’t immediately convinced.”

Without knowing exactly where it might lead, Marc decided to apply to Minerva Art Academy. “I had my doubts, but I thought I’d just see if they thought I belonged there. To my surprise, they were very enthusiastic, and I was accepted straight away into the interior architecture programme.”

Marc moved through his studies fairly quickly, although he briefly took a different path when he went on tour with Is Ook Schitterend, the nationally known band of which he was an early member as keyboard player and songwriter. In the end, he chose to leave life as a musician behind and focus fully on his studies. “I love creating, but a life in the spotlight never really suited me. In the long run, playing the same songs night after night does not make me happy. I much prefer to keep innovating and to work more behind the scenes.”

“No doubt there are plenty of people who are better designers than I am, but I’m also good at marketing my work.”

Marc Th. van der Voorn

Just a little different — simply because it can be

Although Marc trained as an interior architect, he eventually became a product and furniture designer. “Part of that was coincidence, but in some ways it was also a conscious choice. I had set my sights on an internship at a design studio working across graphic, product and interior design, because that combination really appealed to me.”

“At one point, my internship supervisor had to travel abroad for a project. Before she left, she asked me to think about the lighting for another project while she was away. When she returned, I presented her with a series of lamps I had designed myself. It turned out I had misunderstood the assignment — I was actually supposed to select suitable lighting from a catalogue.”

But his hard work paid off; Marc’s lamps were used in the project, and that marked the beginning of his career as an independent product and furniture designer.

He did not even graduate with an interior project, but with a lamp. “That technically wasn’t allowed, but I argued that my lamp design could change the space and its atmosphere. My tutors at the academy thought it was such a strong idea that they made an exception for me. During my studies, I liked to challenge the rules and knew how to present my ideas well. I think that is part of my strength too. No doubt there are plenty of people who are better designers than I am, but I’m also good at marketing my work.”

From lamp to label

After graduating, Marc launched his own label, AAN-UIT. Later, he decided to position himself more broadly, and the lighting collection gradually moved into the background. “In those early years, I learned how everything works. I would come up with an idea, find the right producers, go to fairs, handle the sales, and so on. In many ways, it is similar to what Arjan and Anieke do with Vij5. It taught me what a complete picture needs to look like, and that my strength lies in gathering the right pieces and bringing the puzzle together.”

Seeing the bigger picture

“To broaden my reach, I find reproducibility very interesting, but that does not mean I need to have handled every single part or every product myself.”

Instead, Marc prefers to seek out collaboration. “I enjoy working for brands. Together, we look at what appeals to them in my design language and what may still be missing from the collection.”

When designing, Marc aligns as much as possible with the production processes brands already work with. “I see myself as the architect of every step in product development,” he explains. By that, he means that he oversees the bigger picture while organising the route towards it as efficiently as possible.

Marc believes the complete picture should be right not only in his designs, but also in the world around him. “My partner is an important pillar in my life and plays a major role in the decisions I make. Her work is completely different from mine, but we speak the same language. We are both critical and passionate. Those are essential values if you want to understand and support one another. That is how you bring out the best in yourself and in each other.”

“I see myself as the architect of every step in the product development process.”

Marc Th. van der Voorn

Collaboration with Vij5

“Vij5 and I go way back. I met Arjan and Anieke in their early years, when they introduced the FlexVase. That design really struck me, because the connection between the different parts is such an essential aspect of it. I took the vase to heart and decided to buy one for my parents.”

Although they remained in touch over the years, many years passed between that first meeting and the moment one of Marc’s designs became part of the Vij5 collection. Why? “All the pieces have to fall into place. The intention was there on both sides, but the right design had yet to reveal itself.”

"Something that arises by or out of fascination only truly becomes a product through perseverance. If something cannot be done, then what can be done? Patience is an important factor.”

Marc Th. van der Voorn

The Qui side table

Experimentation is a key principle in Marc’s design processes. The Qui side table is a good example of this. “I was working on another design using 3-millimeter-thick plywood. That’s quite thin, which makes it flexible. By working with it, I learned a great deal about the qualities and behaviour of the material. The way the layers are bonded makes the sheet bendable in one direction. I wanted to test how far I could push the material, and that is how I arrived at the curve that forms the basis of this table. From there, I began exploring what was needed to fix and stabilise the construction. I believe something that arises by or out of fascination only truly becomes a product through perseverance. If something cannot be done, then what can be done? Patience is an important factor.”

At a certain point in the design process, Marc felt this might well be his piece for the Vij5 collection. He decided to take the initiative and show it to Arjan and Anieke, who were immediately enthusiastic about the design.

“The unfinished table was already an appealing object,” Marc says, “but I felt colour could add something extra.” In the linseed oil, for which Vij5 was an ambassador at that time, he saw the perfect match. “I think it is a real quality that the wood grain remains so clearly visible.” And so, another piece of the puzzle fell into place.

Together with Vij5, the side table received its finishing touch. The design was already well developed, but decisions still had to be made about details such as the dimensions of the tabletop, colour choices, reproducibility and packaging. In the end, the finished product reflects the strength of collaboration.

Lasting value

When Marc commits to something, he does it properly. 'Voltooid Verleden Tijd', a song he once wrote for his band, has since become a lasting fixture in the Top 2000, and he hopes to achieve that same sense of longevity with the interior objects he designs.

With every new idea, he takes a hard look at whether it truly deserves to exist. “There are many things I decide not to design,” he laughs. “I would rather create a few genuinely strong pieces, as timeless as the design classics I grew up with at my parents’ home.”

“When people feel moved by something I have made and want to keep it close to them, I feel proud and know my mission has succeeded.”

Marc Th. van der Voorn

A quiet sense of pride

Marc enjoys designing objects with lasting value, where aesthetic choices never come at the expense of comfort. “When people feel moved by something I have made and want to keep it close to them, I feel proud and know my mission has succeeded. Of course, my products also need to live up to that in terms of quality. That is one of the reasons why I believe things should be able to come apart, so a part can be replaced if necessary. I choose my materials with care. For me, design is above all about what it brings. When something I have made becomes part of someone’s everyday life, it has proven its value.”

Products by Marc in the Vij5 collection