A bright, white and airy Dutch home

Happy new year! I hope you had a fantastic end to 2013 and have recovered from new year's eve?...nothing cleared out the cobwebs better than a trip to kallbadhus sauna pier yesterday. I feel I'm all ready for the year ahead now and I'm so happy my blog is getting back to normal after the break (I've missed it!). So, as promised, here's the first home tour (of many) for 2014. It's the beautiful Dutch home of Nancy Berendsen photographed by Holly Marder in all it's white and pastel glory. 

Holly Marder

What do you think? I love the tones, it's very pretty and relaxed with just enough colour for my taste.

More pastel home inspiration can be found here and here. And do you remember this other Dutch home and children's room photographed by Holly  - she never fails to find a fab house!

You can see lots more of this beautiful, bright and airy home here.

If you're in need of a 2014 wall calendar don't forget you can always download the My Scandinavian Home one here.

Have a lovely day!

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A Dutch Home Infused with Warmth and Harmony

Hello Monday! I hope you had a great weekend? It was midsummer here so we're all nursing slight schnapps hangovers (lethal stuff that!). Nothing a double shot of coffee and a beautiful home tour can't fix though, thankfully! And have I got a charming home for you this bright, sunny Monday! Located in Monster (amazing name!), close to the Hague in The Netherlands, Tinta Luhrman's abode has a tremendously calm and harmonic feel thanks to the touches of beautifully crafted wood throughout. It's little wonder the owners have turned woodwork into a successful online business. I caught up with Tinta to find out more about interior design, her love of 'brown' tones and working with wood.

// affiliated links marked with *//

Who do you live with?
I live with the most special man, Rutger, the most beautiful girl Dieuwertje and the best dog ever, Paxi!

Dining chair*, Era armchair*, Natural linen table cloth*

Selenelion Moon print by Stella Marie Baer, Olly Wood Surf Board


What do you do for a living?
My husband and I design and make furniture and also have a webshop selling handmade products. I am an interior designer and Rutger is a carpenter. After years of working independently, we decided to combine forces and start working together.

What is the essence of Woodchuck? 

Simplicity and natural materials are at the heart of our business. We live and breathe wood, literally ;-). From early on, I was drawn to the colours, smell and look and feel of wood and Rutger loves to work with his hands. Woodchuck is a concept that is 100% us. Everything we sell is created by us and passes through our hands. We love this old school way of working and believe putting that extra bit of love into a product gives it something special - both for us and the clients.

"Design is an ongoing process that keeps growing until it's finished. Nothing is so subject to change as wood and a creative mind."

Mobile by Laine Maison Makes, Art by Lily Nichols

You have a beautifully unique interior, how has this evolved?

Since I was little I have always surrounded myself with natural materials. I've always been into Scandinavian and Japanese style. I don’t follow trends, I've always stayed true to myself. I have a penchant for vintage items but also new designs. Every house needs a uniqueness. I always start with a white canvas and then I let the interior evolve. Every room has a different light and feeling so I use this as my base. The same goes for the colors I use.

"Everyone has his of her own color: brown is mine. It's a hue that brings me a sense of calm and happiness. And I eat chocolate every day ;)" 

 

Woodchuck shelf

Vintage fans*

Do you have any tips for anyone looking to introduce more wood into their home?

I think wood gives your home warmth and the combination of using different kind of wood enhances this. But not every one loves it. Choose the wood you like the most to create your own look.

Bespoke wood wall by Woodchuck, Natural linen bedding*

Do you have any general interior styling tips?

Decorate your home in a way that feels good to you and dare to be different. Stay true to yourself. Surround yourself with beauty and try to have less storage space so you don’t buy a lot of things you don’t use. That’s why we have an open kitchen: we only have things in our kitchen that we use, not a pantry full of things we don’t.

Swedish Linens bed sheet

Thank you for welcoming us into your home Tinta. 

Anyone else tempted to add more wood to their home now? If you're looking for me today I'll be over on the Woodchuck website (or Tinta's instagram feed - looking for inspiration!), see you there?!

I also love the floor in the children's bedroom - I've got such a weakness for painted checks! Is there anything that struck you about this home? 

In case you're feeling inspired by all things wood you might also want to check out a Brooklyn home with reclaimed wood and the lovely home of ÉmilieDesjarlais (in case you missed it last week!) and also this guide to parquet floors.

Oh and this Dutch home features some lovely pieces from Woodchuck too.

Have a great start to the week!

Niki

All photography: Tinta Lurhman / Woodchuck

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A fabulous Dutch home in an old tannery

After two eye-watering early starts at the IKEA headquarters this week (checking out their new products for 2016 - eeeee, so exciting!) I'm finally enjoying a slow coffee morning at home. Slow is a bit of an understatement. I bumped into a friend on my way back from nursery and had a chat for the best part of an hour - just because I could! I'm finally at my desk and getting down to today's home tour. Luckily when the home is as wonderful as this (it's an old tannery in Gilze, Holland dating back to 1900) pictures speak more than a thousand words. Owners Wesly and Astrid have tirelessly nursed the space back to health, turning it into the fabulous home it is today. Let's take a tour....

Photography: Jansje Klazinga (shared with kind permission). Stylist: Emmy van Dantzig. VT Wonen.

Wow! What a space! Mid-century and Scandinavian pieces against a back drop of exposed bricks, glass room dividers and incredibly high ceilings. What more could you ask for?

And don't get me started on the plywood shelves and that swing!

This might be a crazy question, but could you live here?!

Items I know and love: source a mid-century armchair here, DLM side table, Hay tray, keep an eye out for a mid-century leather sofa here. There's a great selection of mid-century credenzas here.

See more of this fabulous Dutch home here. 

I had the pleasure of meeting the photographer behind this shoot, Jansje Klazinga when she came to shoot my home a couple of years ago. She's fab, and so talented! I love these pics she took of Valentina Fussell's Copenhagen home (you may recognise the name as Valentina wrote a lovely review of my book recently) and this fab family home in a former nursery.

Have a lovely day! 

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A home with red floors - with surprising results!

It's not often you come across a home with bright red floors throughout, even in Holland where there's a general love of vibrant pops of colour (alla this and this home). I was sceptical I must say, but when I took the tour of the home (beautifully captured by Holly and Jansje) I was pleasantly surprised. Owners Sanne (an industrial designer) and Tim (an architect), bought this lovely space by the sea in The Hague back in 2013 and set about renovating it one design move at a time. They've filled the house with vintage treasures and upcycled furniture collected over the years (the shelves in the sitting room are made from reclaimed stair treads!) as well as the odd modern find. The result is a relaxed, eclectic and vibrant family home. Let's take a tour...

 

Shared with kind permission: Styling - Holly Marder, Photography - Janske Klazinga.

Wow! What a lovely home. I love the quirky touches and blend of old and new. And of course their cute children!

And what did you make of the painted red floor?

I had the pleasure of meeting Holly and Jansje when they came to photograph my home last year. Such a talented duo! Other spaces shot By Jansje include Tina Fussell's lovely Danish home (also styled by Holly) and a Dutch home in a former children's nursery.

If you fancy a little more beautiful Dutch inspiration today, there's also a whole archive to explore here (scroll passed the first one as it might be this home), I do love a dose of Dutch style, don't you?

Have a lovely day!

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A Dutch guest house with red floors and vintage touches

Iiiiit's Friday - woohoo! I thought I'd celebrate with a flash of colour. Do you remember this striking Dutch home with red floors which we were all pleasantly surprised about? Well the architect and industrial designer owners have since moved and opened up their wonderful home as a guest house. The  'hostel in The Hague' was furnished by Holly Marder (in record time!) and the result is a bright fun space with cool vintage finds and a boho vibe. If I find myself in this Dutch city I know where I'll be staying, how about you?!

Hostel The Hague. Photos / styling: Holly Marder

What do you reckon about those red floors?!

A note on where a few items are from: Dining room: vintage dining chairs / Eye Eye poster /  magazine holder. Bedroom 1: wicker love seat / black and white cushion/ walnut candlestick/ black patterned cushion. Bedroom 2: vintage lamp / wicker stool / granite blanket / patterned cushion / blue and white cushion.

Other fabulous Dutch homes here.

Holly has such a great sense of style, I love her bedroom (one of the most popular posts on here ever) and studio. She's also photographed this fab black and white home and a whimsical family home.

The beauty of jet lag (I arrived back from New York yesterday) is it's meant I've managed to creep downstairs first thing and create this post before my girls are awake. There's something great about these quiet hours with just my coffee, laptop and a chunky knit blanket! Do you ever work/ study at first light?

Oh and I'm sooo excited to introduce you to my new sponsor Yorkelee today. Yorkelee is an online shop selling unique, creative, affordable Scandinavian style prints for the home and for kids (check out Yorkelee on IG). It's almost like these prints are made for My Scandinavian Home, think monochrome and pastels. I've got my eye on the Ampersand, you can and Perfection Home prints. I hope you find something you love too.

Have a great couple of days and see you Monday! 

PS This weekend I'm holding a give-away with a talented German artist, so don't forget to stop by! 

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A happy and relaxed Dutch home (and beautiful Christmas cards!)

It's Friday and the end of a very looong week - time to celebrate, yay! Although this beautiful Dutch home isn't decorated for Christmas it still has some lovely pops of red. Based in Amsterdam, it's the home of design duo Romy Boesveldt and Ilya Yashkin and their three children. I love the mix of colours they've chosen and all of the designer / vintage finds. They clearly have a penchant for Tom Dixon lights too (people after my own heart!). What a beautiful, relaxed home!

Holly Marder for Houzz

The space was photographed by Holly Marder from Avenue Lifestyle (who also photographed this fab children's room) for Houzz where you can also check out many more pics from this colourful home.

If you're looking for last minute Christmas cards I have just the thing. A great (and very talented) Swedish friend of mine Ulrika, has just finished her first graphic design course and designed these beautiful Christmas cards exclusively for My Scandinavian Home blog. There are two fab cards to choose from.To view and print them off all you need to do is click on the following links:

Baubles card - designed by Ulrika Sjöström

Star card - designed by Ulrika Sjöström

Here's some last minute tree inspiration (for the pared-back look) -  I love the idea of having real candles on a tree but wouldn't dare risk it would you?! And if you're in the mood for sprucing up your home it's worth checking out Design Collector's Christmas promotions too.

I hope you have a lovely weekend!

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