This is Room 108 & Gusj Market

Sofas in all sizes, colours and shapes, perfect to curl up on after a day's work. Combine them with the right rug, coffee table or cushion, and every interior gets a makeover at Room 108 & Gusj Market. Interior wizards Jaantje van Eekelen and Ashley Gubbels and their team surprise customers every day with their advice. And the building on the Ketelhuisplein at Strijp-S, an old Philips engine room, makes for a spectacular shopping experience.

Q: First of all: why did Room 108 & Gusj Market merge?

Jaantje: Gusj Market started by itself in this building. The Gusj concept offers unique items from different countries. A wooden door from Morocco and a collection of coffee tables made of recycled teak from Indonesia, for example. Products with character and a story. At Room 108, you can buy customizable furniture, so you can create a unique look for your interior. The authentic pieces of Gusj Market fit in this concept perfectly. We, from Room 108, used to have a shop at the Tongelresestraat. When we saw this building, we were sold. That is why we decided to take over the concept of 'Gusj' to combine old and new in a special way.

Q: What makes Room 108 & Gusj Market a real Eindhoven hotspot?

Ashley: It is a building with a rich history, an old engine room of Philips. We are located at Strijp S, where there is always something new to experience, and where residential towers are popping up very fast. A unique location. People who come here are often impressed by the building, which provides an experience in itself. If people visit us on a tour of the old Philips factory site, they often come back here afterwards.

Q: How did you get through the lockdown?

Jaantje: With our 'On Tour' action. Because of the lockdown, we had to close our shop just before the busiest period of the year. So we decided to bring our products to our customers instead. Customers could register online. We would call them to discuss their wishes, and then we would come over with an element of a sofa. You have to sit on a sofa before you buy it, after all. With our ‘On Tour’, we found a creative way to keep the business going.

Q: What do you consider a must-have for any interior?

Together: A sofa with a clongchair you can plop down on every night!Ashley: That is what we sell the most. Nowadays people almost always want a big living sofa, a real item. The decoration of the rest of the living room is then less present.

Q: Which sofa is your bestseller?

Ashley: That is the Annabelle. A sturdy sofa that fits in many interiors and is available in 700 different fabrics/colors. The lumbar cushions finish it off, they make the sofa more playful, because the seat depth can be adjusted.

Q: How do the different seasons influence interior styling?

Jaantje: You see that especially in the decorative items: the cushions, the rugs, the plaids. We dress our sofas differently in the summer than in the winter. You also see it in the colors. A few years ago, it was mainly ochre in summer, but now it's more soft pink tones. Bronze tones and green always work well. These colors will also return in winter.

Q: What is the greatest compliment you ever received?

Ashley: Someone once bought a complete living room. He sent me three emails to thank me for the personal attention and how it turned out. Every time, he sent new pictures. That is the best compliment you can get. Another great compliment is when customers tell us that everyone who comes into their home is impressed by their interior. That’s good for business, too: every week, we get customers who know someone with an interior from our shop.

Q: What happens to the photos that people send?

Ashley: We put those photos on our website, in the Lookbook. That way, other people can see how a sofa looks in someone's home. We make it worthwhile to send in a photo: the person who takes the most beautiful photo wins the value of their purchase. We select a winner every month.

Q: And finally, can you describe Room 108 & Gusj Market in three words?

Ashley: Personal, innovative and experiential.

Win an interior design consultation!

Take a photo of yourself with the arrow at Room 108 & Gusj Market, share it on your stories and tag @eindhovencity and @room108gusjmarket. You’ll have a chance to win one of five interior design consultations. 

Hotspot: Room 108 & Gusj Market
Location: Ketelhuisplein 7
Specialized in: Interior design, sofas in particular
An Eindhoven hotspot since: 9 September 2021
We interviewed: Jaantje van Eekelen en Ashley Gubbels