Shaping places people care about, together.
Kletspoot is a placemaking studio for shaping meaningful places, no matter the scale - from homes to gardens, and from villages to landscapes.
Through hands-on exploration I help cultivate places that evoke a sense of belonging, continuity, and stewardship.
Whether you’re looking for a partner for your project or want to collaborate in another way, I'd love to hear what you're working on.
Beyond infrastructure: reimagining our rural roads.
Opinion piece published
The northern Dutch countryside was designed around getting somewhere, rather than being somewhere. What does that do to our communities and our sense of belonging? Perhaps the countryside deserves more than a passing glance. What if slowing down could actually make things better?
Places only matter if people care.
Things I do.
01.
Creative Guidance and Consultancy
Whether you're transforming a region, creating a place-based business, or renovating a home, I help you discover what it can become — and connect with the people needed to make it matter.
From tailored excursions and workshops to community building and visual storytelling, we’ll establish an approach that fits your place, pace and ambitions.
02.
Experiences and Events
I bring together people who care about shaping meaningful places to exchange ideas, discover new perspectives, and inspire each other — from interiors and buildings to landscapes.
Through excursions, gatherings, conversations and hands-on exercises, you’ll gain new insights, sharpen your own practice, and connect with like-minded people.
03.
Heirlooms and Homewares
Collaborating with adept artisans, I make contemporary heirlooms inspired by Anglo-Frisian heritage and landscapes.
Made to order and by hand, these reinterpretations of traditional folk art bring character and distinction to your home — each piece created to last and be passed on for generations.
⯁ First collection coming soon!
04.
Atelier and B&B
Set among rolling fields and quaint villages, Kummel and Kwel is where I practice what I preach — a homely place to work, explore and unwind.
Come to work for the day or stay for a while. Take a swim, have a coffee with me in the studio, explore the collection, and leave with inspiration for your own place.
05.
Stories and Images
I share stories of inspiring places and experiences, and explore how we can make those that aren’t better. Through images, articles, guidebooks and more, I help you find insights on how to shape yours.
In addition, I write and take photographs for independent makers and organisations whose work I believe in. If that’s you, let’s have a coffee.
Coming soon!
Cheesy Conversations
Join a select group of placemakers in an informal setting for an evening of fondue, conversation and a little collective thinking about belonging.
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Date: to be announced
Max. attendees: 10
Price: €80
Tea / Rooms
A collaborative workshop at an inspiring location, exploring room design. For interiors enthusiasts and renovators alike, there’ll be tea and cake aplenty - and insights to take home.
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Date: to be announced
Max. attendees: 15
Price: €65
Who does he think he is?
About me.
“The less a man knows at the start of such a journey [..] the better. All he needs is restless curiosity.”
— H.V. Morton, Journalist & Pioneering Travel Writer
An expert in regional identity, visual storyteller and countryside enthusiast, my upbringing and ethos are best represented by a kletspoot: a boot full of foul-smelling ditch water, the inevitable result of (literally) immersing yourself in places.
My approach is about cultivating a sense of belonging, continuity and stewardship: I am part of this place and what I inherit I must help carry forward. I do that by inspiring, shaping and connecting.
In doing so, I am guided by ten principles: character, heritage, natural materials, regeneration, coherence, slow living, habitability, hand-made craft, collaboration and individuality.
Don’t just take it from me!
“Daniël’s guidance and the ‘moodbook’ he created were instrumental in determining the direction for our programme and helped us get a clear picture of how everything in the area can come together. And on top of that, the process was just a lot of fun and incredibly inspiring!”
⯁
— Rob Tax, Wadden Coast & Reitdiep Programme Lead
“With his experience-oriented approach, Daniël doesn’t just help you see the potential of a place, but, importantly, also empowers the people needed to bring it to life: he inspires and activates them, and gives them the tools they need to take action together.”
— Charles v/d Kerkhof, Regenerative Entrepreneurship Expert
“Daniël’s incredibly good at understanding the character and qualities of a place and immediately sees what’s possible. He always puts that front and centre — and knows how to convey it to others with genuine and inspiring enthusiasm.”
— Gerben Kleiman, Urban Planning & Landscape Advisor
“If governments were to just use roadmaps like the one Daniël created as their guiding principle, they wouldn’t need any additional policies! What a breath of fresh air: inspiring, clear and playful. How wonderful would it be if we could shape our region like this together? We’d certainly love to help make such a future happen!”
— Christa, Co-owner of Agritourism Business De Woldtuin
Let’s Work Together!
Whether you want to order a hand-made object, attend an event, need some creative guidance, want to come work here, or just feel like grabbing a good old cup 'o joe, don’t hesitate to reach out!