AtKris Studio: A Living Dialogue Between Past and Future Design
11 June 2025
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by Catherine Milner - Treasure Hosue Fair Editor
AtKris Studio, founded in 2020 by Krista van Oudheusden, is today known for its refined blending of 20th-century vintage furniture, lighting, and contemporary art.
But it began in an overfurnished Dutch home after Krista’s husband, an avid collector of vintage pieces, had begun to fill their house with treasures from auctions and estate sales. “At some point I said, half-jokingly, ‘Maybe I should just build a website and start selling some of this”, she recalls. At the time, she had spent 15 years working in the oil industry but nevertheless, the joke quickly took root and what began as a side project selling from their home became a full-scale operation. It is now headquartered in a 1,500-square-meter gallery space in the Netherlands, complete with a showroom, in-house restoration workshop, and a growing team.
Krista van Oudheusden. Courtesy of AtKris Studio.
From the beginning, AtKris Studio carved out a niche in 20th-century design with a strong emphasis on Italian mid-century work, Dutch Art Deco – particularly the Amsterdamse School – and standout French and Danish designers. “We’ve always gravitated toward pieces that feel special”, says Krista. “Not necessarily because they’re loud, but because they’re made with intention. We look for integrity in form, material, and craftsmanship.” As the gallery’s profile grew, so too did its curatorial ambition. Krista deepened her knowledge through courses at Sotheby’s Institute and a growing library of design books. The couple’s frequent travels to Italy became sourcing trips, often leading them to off-the-beaten-path treasures: a large Murano glass lamp retrieved from the heart of Venice, a sculptural Rivadossi cabinet nestled in a hillside home.
Cactus Lamp. Courtesy of AtKris Studio.
But the gallery’s evolution hasn’t been limited to geography or scale – it’s also philosophical. Krista has recently turned her attention toward the underrepresented and bold: “We’re expanding our focus to include more female designers and voices that haven’t historically had the platform they deserve”, she says. “It’s something I want to actively develop within the gallery. There’s a richness and strength in their work that aligns beautifully with our sensibility – elegant, layered, with an edge.” At the same time, AtKris is also embracing more adventurous works by the Memphis Group, the vibrant Italian movement of the 1980s known for its radical use of colour, shape, and materials. “I love how emotional and expressive Memphis is”, Krista says. “It challenges the viewer while still being joyful. It’s a fresh contrast to some of our more architectural or austere pieces. And it fits with how we’re trying to push the gallery’s voice forward – still elegant, still refined, but not predictable.”
Today, AtKris Studio balances its strong online presence with appearances at select international fairs. “Our clients are global-collectors, interior architects, and design enthusiasts”, Krista explains. “We needed a space that could reflect the quality of our collection, and a way to meet people in person, where they can experience the depth and tactility of the pieces.” These encounters, she believes, are essential for forming lasting relationships – and for conveying the stories behind the work. And while the digital marketplace is crucial (she notes that millennials now form a major part of the gallery’s client base, often valuing transparency and provenance), Krista is a firm believer in the power of storytelling in real life. “Our displays are about dialogue – between eras, between materials, between art and design. That’s what visitors remember.”
Ponti Desk. Courtesy of AtKris Studio.
That philosophy will be on full display at this year’s Treasure House Fair in London, where AtKris will exhibit for the first time in collaboration with Stern Pissarro Gallery. Co-owned by David Stern and Lélia Pissarro, great-granddaughter of Camille Pissarro, the gallery sells Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary art. The curated ensemble will reflect the gallery’s signature style of layering of periods and textures, featuring standout pieces like a rare 1938 Gio Ponti desk designed for Fontana Arte, and two extraordinary Carlo Bugatti ‘gong’ chairs, selected in honour of the fair’s Bugatti exhibition. “It’s such a special opportunity for us”, Krista says. “We’re showing work from across the 20th century – from early Italian design to mid-century lighting to newer influences like glass from the 1970s – and we’re pairing it with exceptional art by Stern Pissarro. Every piece contributes to a larger conversation.”
AtKris is a gallery shaped not only by history, but by possibility. And as Krista continues to look ahead – toward setting up a foundation for female designers in London – she remains grounded in the belief that not only do great designers of the past remain to be discovered but great ones are still to come.
AtKris Studio, founded in 2020 by Krista van Oudheusden, is today known for its refined blending of 20th-century vintage furniture, lighting, and contemporary art.
But it began in an overfurnished Dutch home after Krista’s husband, an avid collector of vintage pieces, had begun to fill their house with treasures from auctions and estate sales. “At some point I said, half-jokingly, ‘Maybe I should just build a website and start selling some of this”, she recalls. At the time, she had spent 15 years working in the oil industry but nevertheless, the joke quickly took root and what began as a side project selling from their home became a full-scale operation. It is now headquartered in a 1,500-square-meter gallery space in the Netherlands, complete with a showroom, in-house restoration workshop, and a growing team.
Krista van Oudheusden. Courtesy of AtKris Studio.
From the beginning, AtKris Studio carved out a niche in 20th-century design with a strong emphasis on Italian mid-century work, Dutch Art Deco – particularly the Amsterdamse School – and standout French and Danish designers. “We’ve always gravitated toward pieces that feel special”, says Krista. “Not necessarily because they’re loud, but because they’re made with intention. We look for integrity in form, material, and craftsmanship.” As the gallery’s profile grew, so too did its curatorial ambition. Krista deepened her knowledge through courses at Sotheby’s Institute and a growing library of design books. The couple’s frequent travels to Italy became sourcing trips, often leading them to off-the-beaten-path treasures: a large Murano glass lamp retrieved from the heart of Venice, a sculptural Rivadossi cabinet nestled in a hillside home.
Cactus Lamp. Courtesy of AtKris Studio.
But the gallery’s evolution hasn’t been limited to geography or scale – it’s also philosophical. Krista has recently turned her attention toward the underrepresented and bold: “We’re expanding our focus to include more female designers and voices that haven’t historically had the platform they deserve”, she says. “It’s something I want to actively develop within the gallery. There’s a richness and strength in their work that aligns beautifully with our sensibility – elegant, layered, with an edge.” At the same time, AtKris is also embracing more adventurous works by the Memphis Group, the vibrant Italian movement of the 1980s known for its radical use of colour, shape, and materials. “I love how emotional and expressive Memphis is”, Krista says. “It challenges the viewer while still being joyful. It’s a fresh contrast to some of our more architectural or austere pieces. And it fits with how we’re trying to push the gallery’s voice forward – still elegant, still refined, but not predictable.”
Today, AtKris Studio balances its strong online presence with appearances at select international fairs. “Our clients are global-collectors, interior architects, and design enthusiasts”, Krista explains. “We needed a space that could reflect the quality of our collection, and a way to meet people in person, where they can experience the depth and tactility of the pieces.” These encounters, she believes, are essential for forming lasting relationships – and for conveying the stories behind the work. And while the digital marketplace is crucial (she notes that millennials now form a major part of the gallery’s client base, often valuing transparency and provenance), Krista is a firm believer in the power of storytelling in real life. “Our displays are about dialogue – between eras, between materials, between art and design. That’s what visitors remember.”
Ponti Desk. Courtesy of AtKris Studio.
That philosophy will be on full display at this year’s Treasure House Fair in London, where AtKris will exhibit for the first time in collaboration with Stern Pissarro Gallery. Co-owned by David Stern and Lélia Pissarro, great-granddaughter of Camille Pissarro, the gallery sells Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary art. The curated ensemble will reflect the gallery’s signature style of layering of periods and textures, featuring standout pieces like a rare 1938 Gio Ponti desk designed for Fontana Arte, and two extraordinary Carlo Bugatti ‘gong’ chairs, selected in honour of the fair’s Bugatti exhibition. “It’s such a special opportunity for us”, Krista says. “We’re showing work from across the 20th century – from early Italian design to mid-century lighting to newer influences like glass from the 1970s – and we’re pairing it with exceptional art by Stern Pissarro. Every piece contributes to a larger conversation.”
AtKris is a gallery shaped not only by history, but by possibility. And as Krista continues to look ahead – toward setting up a foundation for female designers in London – she remains grounded in the belief that not only do great designers of the past remain to be discovered but great ones are still to come.