EDIT.
by Carmen Atiyah de Baets
Carmen Atiyah de Baets is the founder of Carmen, a shop, guesthouse, and kitchen on an Amsterdam canal. Created with her partner Joris to keep his Grandmother’s home alive, the space embodies her belief in the power of the physical: places where people truly meet, share, and feel inspired.
Guided by connection and care, Carmen curates with intuition, supporting young designers, championing responsible creation, and celebrating clothing as a form of expression. Her world brings together design, culture, and hospitality, where beauty and belonging intertwine and everyday rituals become acts of joy.
Item
"The Pillow Sofa. I love what this fabric brings to the room.”
Place
“Home, and more specifically, our kitchen. It’s the people we gather there who make it home.”
Touch
“Biba’s.”
Scent
“Gold face oil by Monastery.”
Activity
“Book hunting. I try to go to De Slegte on Vijzelstraat every month.”
Seat
“Our ruffle couch. We designed it, inspired by a huge pink version of a friend of ours in Lebanon. It was made by Bini Babs.”
Poet
“Etel Adnan, known more widely for her artwork. There was an incredible retrospective at the Van Gogh Museum a few years ago. She truly touches my soul; when I read her poetry, I see her paintings, I see the Lebanese mountains, the sun… a positive world. Her poems are colorful and radiant, even when she touches on the weight of the world. There is a quiet optimism in her words. We even used one of her poems for Biba’s birth card.”
Ride
“Anywhere with Jori.”
Object
“A Pien Studios coaster.”
Dish
“Breakfast at Carmen.”
Book
“A Woman is a School by Celine Semaan. It’s an important memoir about how women pass on knowledge through love, care, and storytelling — how a woman herself is a school. It’s deeply personal and relatable to me; her family images are nostalgic and full of hope. It’s one of the most beautiful books I’ve read, and I could see all the women in my family and around me reflected in her story.”
Drink
“Sake, I like it hot.”
Sculpture
“Saloua Raouda Choucair’s sculptures.”
Time of day
“Sunset.”
