Every March, a Dutch city roughly 2 hours south of Amsterdam becomes the center of the art world. This is thanks to TEFAF Maastricht, widely regarded as the world’s premier fair for fine art, antiques, and design, bringing 7,000 years of art history together under one roof.
Sharp has partnered with TEFAF for almost a decade, bringing top journalists to the Netherlands to experience the iconic fair firsthand. This year’s group included journalists from Artnet, ARTnews, ELLE Decor, Family Style, Forbes, Galerie, L'Officiel, and Travel & Leisure.
Building on this longstanding press program, the team conceived and launched a new initiative to further elevate TEFAF Maastricht's audience in North America: the first-ever interior designer trip to the fair.
Sharp and TEFAF partnered with Veranda magazine to host a select group of top interior designers from the publication's extensive network to experience the fair. Together, the team secured six of the most respected names in North American design: Brian McCarthy (New York), Peter Dunham (Los Angeles), Suzanne Tucker (San Francisco), Colette van den Thillart (Toronto), and Miles Redd and David Kaihoi (New York).
Our team built a curated itinerary designed to give the group an insider experience off the fair and a taste of the country’s culture: two full days exploring TEFAF's meticulously curated booths, plus a special excursion to Paleis Het Loo, a stunning 17th-century royal palace and former hunting lodge in Apeldoorn.
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The designers were highly active across social media throughout the trip, sharing in real time via Instagram Stories and posting Reels and grid content that spotlighted their favorite pieces, dinners, accommodations, and the group experience as a whole - more than 100 pieces of content in total!
Veranda also published a curated Instagram Reel of each designer's favorite find and will feature the group's experience in an upcoming issue.
The trip produced standout moments beyond social, too: designer Colette van den Thillart purchased a striking ring from Alessandra di Castro, which was later featured in L'Officiel's print and online coverage of the fair's jewelry scene.
Overall, the initiative further solidified TEFAF Maastricht as a key destination and resource for the North American design world.