Downstairs is a multidisciplinary design studio founded in Amsterdam, now based in France.

We’ve been designing for more than 15 years and we want to share with you everything we learned along the way. We love what we do, working on projects we believe in, helping you achieve your goals, solving problems and bringing ideas to life. Simple, fuss-free and collaborative — just how we like it.

— Annie & Max

We guide projects from initial strategy through design direction to final production.

Advertising & concepts
Art direction
Brand identity
Brand strategy
Editorial & print design
Social media content
Motion design
Web design (Product/UX/UI)

What can we do for you? Let us know

Who we are

Annie. Senior Art Director + Graphic Designer. Working as an independent professional for the last 8 years. Fell in love with graphic design through editorial design. Stayed for the power of concepts and the palpitations. Dreams of running a printing studio someday. Currently thriving as a designer with many hats. Always seeking ways to bridge the digital and analog worlds. Professional rabbit hole digger should be her conference name tag. Consumes reports like they're novels. Listens to true crime podcasts while designing cheerful campaigns. Believes in maintaining kindness within a competitive industry.

Max. Senior Art Director + Product Designer. +15 years of experience. Joined the never dull independent journey 3 years ago. Started with designing prints in all shapes and forms. Stayed for the thrill of solving complex UX/UI journeys. Web & product design are his main focus. Never listens to podcasts while working. Cranks up the volume when deep in design mode. Has a funny French accent when speaking English. Uses too many English words when speaking French. Believes in maintaining kindness within a competitive industry.

What we believe in

No bullshit
Allowing ourselves the gift of time
Following our guts, backed up by research
Putting humans at the core of the project
Having fun
Working hard
Being nice
Making the world a little bit better

We ask questions.
A lot. All the time.

Sweet or salty? Why do you care about your product?
What makes you feel alive?

We believe that you can never be too curious. Exploration is a major part of our work: like adding spices to a dish, the result just tastes better. We work with clients starting from the initial brand strategy phase to the design, art direction and final production of a project. As designers, we believe that we’re responsible for what we put into the world. We care deeply about the people, the process & the results of our projects.

Downstairs is member of LaPluie, a collective for Brand & Social Media Strategy 

Handmade, iode-infused and AI-free.

hello@downstairs.design

LinkedIn

Downstairs SARL. SIRET 934 402 546 00014. TVA FR91934402546. R.C.S. Paris