04 Jun IN THE HOUSE: Marije van Westenbrugge
Marije van Westenbrugge (47) lives in Oegstgeest and works in Delft, where she runs Studio Habib – a studio that creates custom upholstered furniture, from bespoke dining benches and headboards to bar stools and poufs. Every piece is made by hand, step by step, with care and intention. It is the kind of work that suits her perfectly: creative, collaborative and never the same twice.
Friends describe her as energetic, cheerful and a hard worker (and yes, someone who arrives a little too late a little too often). But what truly defines Marije is something deeper than punctuality. It is her unshakeable belief that you have to see a goal in your mind before you can see it in real life.
"Eerst geloven, dan zien (believe first, then see). Close your eyes, hold the goal in front of you, and work towards it with focus."
That mindset runs through everything she does. When Marije and her business partner Nezar Habib founded Studio Habib, it was not a safe or obvious step. But she committed to it fully, and she has never looked back. Her greatest inspiration is Nezar himself. He fled his home country and lost almost everything, yet he carries himself with remarkable positivity and resilience. His outlook: don’t look back for too long, or your neck will start to hurt, is one Marije has taken to heart. Another source of pride is the perseverance she and her husband share, a quality summed up by his favourite saying: you have to get up one more time than you fall.
At work, what energises her most is the process of creation: sitting with a client, working through the options, and arriving together at something beautiful. Watching a piece take shape in the workshop, step by step, is what she loves most. It is tangible, real, and deeply satisfying.
"Seeing how things come together in the workshop, how beautiful it becomes, step by step, that's where the magic is for me," Marije shares.
Outside of work, Marije recharges with the people she loves: her family, her friends, a good dinner out or a spontaneous gathering at home. She loves to travel and has plenty of spaces still left to discover. Her bucket list is long and she intends to work through it.
Freedom and connection are the two threads that run through her life. The freedom to shape her work and her days on her own terms. And connection: bringing people together, linking worlds, creating the best possible things with the people around her.
One of the most valuable lessons Marije has learned in her career is to take things one step at a time. Rather than looking too far ahead and worrying about things that may or may not happen, she focuses on what is actually in front of her — and then acts decisively. As for her current goal: a little more balance, and time to breathe. Though she is the first to admit she is not sure that will ever fully happen — because she simply loves what she does too much to slow down.
Marije joined House of Treats through an event invitation and is still finding her feet in the community. But her philosophy on collaboration is clear: strengthen each other, while staying true to the feel and value of your own brand. It is exactly the way she approaches everything. With conviction, energy, and a goal firmly in sight.
Marije van Westenbrugge– House of Treats member since 2025.
Marije has participated in several House of Treats collaborations, such as the Porsche event and Ekelhoff Popup.
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