WORDS OF WISDOM IN MONACO
WORDS OF WISDOM IN MONACO WITH MARIEUX VAN DEN BROEK
By Olga Taran and Xania Keane
Marieux van den Broek , an interior architect who fabricates sophisticated living spaces from start to finish for people across the globe , has a special talent for carefully constructing the interior of one ’ s dreams . He is originally from the Netherlands and now calls Monaco his home . In this latest and most candid interview with the successful artist and businessman , we rapidly penetrate beyond superficialities and get into a deep conversation about hopes for the future , family , his offbeat road to success , how he sold painted mirrors on his bicycle as a teenager , his weakness for vintage cars and his incredible determination to work through challenges and “ create the impossible ”.
HelloMonaco : What does being a Dutchman mean to you ?
Marieux van den Broek : I believe that if you speak generally about people from Holland , there ’ s always a curiosity about what is going on in the world . We are a small country , only 16 or 17 million people , but you find the Dutch everywhere , and there are a lot in business . They are experts in finding niches which others are not looking for . I believe in general , it ’ s very easy to do business with
Dutch people . I do not wish to be a chauvinist , but that ’ s what I hear . We adapt very easily to different circumstances and we all speak English . That ’ s where the world is now , we are not living in a country anymore , we are living globally without country-borders . The world today is so close , so reachable , communication happens so quickly . I ’ m happy to be Dutch .
: What is the most powerful gift that you received from your parents ?
Marieux van den Broek : The most powerful gift from my parents is that they always stimulated me , they gave me a youth which was unbelievable . There was always a challenge with my father and mother . There was never a direct ‘ no ’ if I did something wrong . There was always a ‘ why ?’. They brought me up in a way where you were thinking about your mistakes instead of being punished . If you would come home upset about something , my father and mother always said , ‘ Calm down , there ’ s always a grey tone , it ’ s
34 / Hello Monaco Summer — Autumn 2022 www . hellomonaco . com