The home of the Dutch and Argentinean couple is in Marlot, a residential area on the outskirts of The Hague. It was designed and constructed in 1925 by Dutch architect Co Brandes (Jacobus Johannes Brandes), among the most important architects of this Nieuwe Haagse School, popular between the 1920s and 1950s. Brandes made four other homes in the neighborhood, all constructed in precisely the same style. The façade includes a stripe of black bricks that runs horizontally around the house. This is a normal quality of Brandes’ work and of this period, as is the symmetry of this construction, the large chimney along with the mansard roof.
in a Glance
Who lives here: Geert, Cecilia and their one-year-old daughter, Isabel
Location: The Hague, South Holland
Size: The home is a 375 sq. meter, three-story detached house, with four bedrooms, two baths and a huge office. There is also a spacious kitchen, a semi-combined living area and dining area, living room, closet room, laundry and garden.
Holly Marder
The hallway leading back into the kitchen shows one of those magical elements of this contemporary design. To the left, the stairs curves up into the third degree of the house. The view at the top to bottom (or bottom to top) stretches through all three tales.
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The house was renovated in the 1960s. After the couple purchased it in 2008, it was dated and in severe need of a facelift. Very little was left of their first 1920s home. While many of the couple’s neighbors have tried to recreate that fashion, Geert and Cecilia have been following a totally modern appearance. Interior designers Jose Stielstra and Yolanda Dinger were brought in to create a totally new floor plan, which included demolishing walls and adding new ones and gave the home a contemporary and glamorous appearance and feel. Each the work was finished in 10 weeks.
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The highlight of this spacious foyer is a strategically placed column that showcases a glossy bronze statue from Ghana; a gift to Geert from his parents. “The designers wanted to avoid large open spaces as much as possible,” Cecilia says. “When there was too much open space, they wanted to disrupt it with something aesthetically pleasant. An instance of this is the column with the statue.”
The house’s distinct contemporary aesthetic is apparent after you enter the front door. The contemporary fixtures are beautifully accented with ethnic and natural components. The designers wanted to create a minimalist space with warm earthy tones and plenty of texture. “It’s all about the earth tones, about utilizing tons of grey, brown, beige and white,” Cecilia says. Big, sleek Belgian limestone floor tiles are used through the entry, hall, kitchen and dining area.
Holly Marder
Just off the foyer, an almost hidden closet is the perfect place to hang your coat. The ground floor has a guest toilet, seen in this picture, and a warmly lit corner home a granite wash bowl. Though very minimalistic, this region is softened from the wall colour choice. Soft gray-beige is ideal for warming up tiled along with other potentially chilly spaces.
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The dried branch that adorns the wall at the guest toilet on the ground floor is just one of several examples of those designers bringing natural elements in an otherwise very slippery area that can be found through the house.
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The”Mano Hoogglans” kitchen is from Danish design firm KVIK. It features a solid wood worktop over glossy MDF side doors and drawers with no handles. The kitchen island offers plenty of space for cooking in addition to plenty of storage space at the deep pull-out closets. The rustic wood beautifully offsets the glossy cabinet sides, which makes this kitchen contemporary without being stark.
The bench to the right, from Linteloo, is a perfect spot for guests to sit and speak while Geert and Cecilia prepare dinner or drinks. Large glass doors open onto the rear of the property and permit light to flow into the central rooms of the house. Heavy custom-made linen curtains in a soft beige add warmth to the space.
Holly Marder
Iron-framed glass doors lead from the kitchen into what is possibly the best room in the house, the living area. The limestone tiles end here, highlighting a change of atmosphere, from functional to decorative. The pine floorboards also add texture and warmth.
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Spacious and light, the area boasts an enormous couch from Linteloo which wraps round the room to create a cozy and comfortable area for entertaining or relaxing. The sofa is the couple’s favorite item of furniture. “It’s comfortable, fashionable and you can fit a lot of folks on it at one time.”
That incredibly soft Livorno floor rug was handmade in India. It rather looks like a fluffy gold cloud and is also a favored of Cecilia’s. It generates an instant coziness in the room, adds some glamour and ties in beautifully with all the ethnic accents. “I love it. I adore the colour; it is so warm and comfy, and it is too comfortable for me to sit and play Isabel.” Both contemporary coffee tables can also be from Linteloo.
Holly Marder
There’s no doubt that the living area is the most utilized area in the house, purely because it’s just so welcoming, with subtle colors and warm attributes in addition to ample light from the massive windows that take up every wall. Pops of colour counter the beige tones in the area, adding a bit of fun and supplying a cultural feel. Intelligent accessories such as the ones gorgeous geometric throw pillows and the pottery vases on the far dining table, which have been created by Geert’s mum, also add a cultural touch.
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Though distinctly modern, the little dining table and amazing wire chair have a retro feel on them. This is a location to have a cup of coffee and read the paper while still being a portion the hustle and bustle of the house. The’Leaf’ seat is by Lievore Altherr Molina for Arper.
Dining table: Ikea
Chair: Arper
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A contemporary charcoal-colored metal room divider divides the living room and the dining area. This striking feature highlights that distinct modern feel the designers were searching for. Additionally, it provides a visual separation between the two spaces while still keeping them integrated.
Holly Marder
In the dining area, the solid walnut dining table is paired with (surprisingly lightweight) linen couches by Linteloo. With the addition of some throw pillows along with the warm khaki and beige tones, this room is a cozy area for entertaining family members. Additionally, it opens onto a paved terrace through large French doors for casual outdoor dining .
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The dining area was formerly a sunroom. The renovation allowed the designers to expand the ground floor of the house without compromising the size of the terrace. It sits off the kitchen, which makes it both convenient and consistent with the open-plan design of the house.
Holly Marder
The far end of the kitchen island is spacious, the ideal spot to put a few bar stools for casual entertaining or dining. Geert was skeptical in the designer’s suggestion to paint the khaki feature wall, but the velvety warm tone actually adds depth in an otherwise stark room. The floor lamp at the corner plays off the colour beautifully and direct the eye towards the press room to the right.
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Although the designers wanted to upgrade the house into a more contemporary fashion, they also took good care to keep some of their property’s original features. “We’ve used some of those first elements of the house to combine with the contemporary, minimalistic style of the house now,” Cecilia describes. An instance of this is the inclusion of the iron-framed doors. Though not first, they were intended to match the first window frames of the house. This set of doorways takes you from the kitchen into the media room.
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The media room, with the lovely Linteloo corner couch, is a silent space for the few to cuddle up and watch a film together, even though they acknowledge it isn’t used as much as it might be. “We are thinking about turning this room into a play area so that Isabel can have friends over and play in there. It’s fine and close, so I can be close to her while I am cooking in the kitchen.”
Holly Marder
Once more, contemporary blends seamlessly with ethnic touches through smart accessorizing. The metal tub holding a group of wood stumps, the African bud bowl along with the statue include decorative texture and attention. As in the living room, the floorboards are oak.
Holly Marder
That super-soft handmade Livorno rug is used again in this area, this time at a creamy pearl colour that works very nicely with the beige palette and traces of aubergine.
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The clay platter holding three candles is just another gorgeous piece produced by Geert’s mother. The item brings the hint of this ethnicity found across the remainder of the house into this space.
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Walk towards the foyer and you’re in the bottom of the stairs. The IKEA cupboard in the hall is used to store shoes.
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The stairs and passages are filled up with natural sisal woven carpeting, which adds texture and warmth and prevents tiny tots from slipping. The option of sisal woven carpeting also complements the home’s contemporary décor. The first wooden balustrade was painted a shiny charcoal, joining it in nicely with the limestone floors, sisal carpeting and new white walls.
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The main bath is sleek and contemporary, with a freestanding oil bathtub at the middle of this area and’his’ and’hers’ vanities on each side.
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The glossy finish of this toilet cabinets and large white tiles are offset by a hefty wooden stool, ideal for placing your towel within easy reach. The ever-present ethnic theme is brought into this otherwise very modern space through understated accessorizing.
Holly Marder
The walls supporting every vanity have been painted a rich charcoal color and a long, narrow mirror stretching across the entire length was added above every tiled backsplash. Where warm tones such as the wall colour would ordinarily decrease the visual dimension of a room, the large mirrors rather emphasize its size and openness.
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The bath’s gigantic shower with two evenly gigantic shower heads ensures there’s room for two.
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The spacious house office on the second floor has been created by Cecilia and Geert, as was Isabel’s bedroom, which is off to the best. The extended IKEA desk is a practical work space. The shelves above display Geert’s collection of automobiles and tractors. “For each car that Geert has ever possessed, he’s got a mini version! He also enjoys tractors,” Cecilia says. The office opens onto a balcony, so in summer months the doors can be opened to allow in the cool breeze.
“We understood the two rooms would not be as trendy as the rest of the house, but designing it ourselves was a way of making it personal. The three of us invest a lot of time together in the workplace because it is spacious and it is so near Isabel’s bedroom.”
Holly Marder
The couple decided a daring reddish IKEA bookshelf to display their book collection, adding a pop of color to the complex reading area. The two seats by Scandinavian designers Stokke along with the glossy coffee table provide the space a retro sense. When choosing the colours and furniture,”we dared to be a bit experimental,” Cecilia says.
“We wanted something that could go along with the subject of the remainder of the house, but something that has been ours. Geert wanted a reddish bookshelf and I wanted a very pink bedroom for Isabel.”
Holly Marder
The workplace leads into the infant Isabel’s bedroom, which was also designed by Geert and Cecilia. The furniture in this area was purchased at IKEA.
Seat: Ikea
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From the rear of the house, you can see the kitchen near the peak of the garden steps and the dining area to the leftside. The balcony on the second floor is away from main bedroom, though it is not used. In the near future, Cecilia and Geert would love to update the garden to add a play area and separate lounge area. Cecilia would also like to turn the third degree of the house into a relaxing escape of her own in which to relax and wind down.
The renovation did take its toll on the couple, who lived in the house during the entire practice. “Living for 10 weeks with a group of about ten contractors working in your house every day… it was just a massive project.”
The results of Geert and Cecilia’s house renovation are just stunning, though, and they plan to enjoy the house for several years to come. Both are getting married this month. Rather than the traditional wedding presents, they have asked their guests to donate to a piece of artwork to hang on the wall in the living area. Do you have any ideas as to the manner of artwork they ought to go for?
More tours:
Eclectic Coastal Home at Holland
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A Modern Home for Newlyweds