Houzz Tours
Netherlands
My Houzz: A Scandi-chic Home Celebrates Monochrome and Natural Wood
A Dutch flat reveals a black and white interior studded with plenty of natural, repurposed wood
When it comes to home design, Mariƫt van der Kooij loves two things: Scandinavian style and scrap-wood furniture. So when the 28-year-old educator moved in with 25-year-old temp agency worker Tim van Soeren last year, she jumped at the chance to decorate their new flat in her signature taste.
Their compact rented flat in Amersfoort, the Netherlands, is surrounded by windows overlooking the city, giving the pair enough natural light to opt for a black and white interior, filled with DIY furniture.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Mariƫt van der Kooij and Tim van Soeren
Location Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Size 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
Their compact rented flat in Amersfoort, the Netherlands, is surrounded by windows overlooking the city, giving the pair enough natural light to opt for a black and white interior, filled with DIY furniture.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Mariƫt van der Kooij and Tim van Soeren
Location Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Size 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
MariĆ«tās favourite spot is at the dinner table and bench sheād been eyeing for a year at Jorg Steigerhout & Meubels. āWe are really lacking an extra room for crafting and reading, so the dinner table is my best alternative,ā she says.
The table was somewhat altered by Timās father after the couple put on varnish and the wood turned dark. āMy father-in law came to the rescue and replaced the top planks with other ones,ā MariĆ«t says.
Lamps, Action. Wire basket, vase, sheepskin, Kwantum.
See how to use natural wood to stunning effect
The table was somewhat altered by Timās father after the couple put on varnish and the wood turned dark. āMy father-in law came to the rescue and replaced the top planks with other ones,ā MariĆ«t says.
Lamps, Action. Wire basket, vase, sheepskin, Kwantum.
See how to use natural wood to stunning effect
When the couple moved in, the walls were yellow and there was a secondary door leading straight from the living area into the bedroom. Tim convinced MariĆ«t to paint part of the wall charcoal grey. They didnāt like the door, so they put a floor-to-ceiling board in front of it in the same hue as the rest of the wall, giving them more wall surface to work with. Itās now partly covered by a bookcase and a wooden Christmas tree.
MariĆ«t loves to repurpose things. The wicker basket in the bookcase used to be a shopping basket. āI now use it for storage,ā she says. āThe typewriter is one of my best finds from a thrift shop. I usually give it a more prominent place on my dresser, but for Christmas I had to move a few things around.ā
The white pillowcase with black pine trees is a DIY project she made using a carved potato as a stamp.
Paint, Karwei. Lamp, Kwantum. Expedit bookcase, Ikea.
MariĆ«t loves to repurpose things. The wicker basket in the bookcase used to be a shopping basket. āI now use it for storage,ā she says. āThe typewriter is one of my best finds from a thrift shop. I usually give it a more prominent place on my dresser, but for Christmas I had to move a few things around.ā
The white pillowcase with black pine trees is a DIY project she made using a carved potato as a stamp.
Paint, Karwei. Lamp, Kwantum. Expedit bookcase, Ikea.
Timās father made a scrap-wood tree with small shelves to hold holiday accessories.
Wooden houses, Zink & Zo. Postcard, Inwijkdaarstaateenhuis. āXmasā banner, Buiten de Lijntjes.
Browse unconventional Christmas trees
Wooden houses, Zink & Zo. Postcard, Inwijkdaarstaateenhuis. āXmasā banner, Buiten de Lijntjes.
Browse unconventional Christmas trees
Above the sofa hangs a postcard rack with a collection of inspirational quotes and pretty illustrations. āItās a budget-friendly alternative to art, and it enables me to frequently change postcards,ā says MariĆ«t.
Rack, Marktplaats. Postcards, Inwijkdaarstaateenhuis, paqhuis and hart&8.
Rack, Marktplaats. Postcards, Inwijkdaarstaateenhuis, paqhuis and hart&8.
Over the back of a swivel chair, Mariƫt draped a throw she made from a worn-out jumper, which she stamped with a carved potato and black paint.
She loves to create pretty vignettes with budget-friendly accessories and natural elements. A found branch displays fairy lights from Happy Lights.
Candleholder, Tierlantijn. Tray, Hema.
She loves to create pretty vignettes with budget-friendly accessories and natural elements. A found branch displays fairy lights from Happy Lights.
Candleholder, Tierlantijn. Tray, Hema.
The couple found this TV cabinet, made of scrap wood, at the second-hand marketplace Marktplaats. They attached casters to facilitate cleaning.
Two open shelves from Ikea display more postcards and small accessories. A jar filled with black and white straws is paired with a vintage camera, for playful accents.
Paper straws, Joy & Co.
Paper straws, Joy & Co.
The coupleās bedroom also follows a black and white palette. Instead of covering the accent wall with wallpaper, they just used two strips, creating a symmetrical composition that works as a headboard. Two vintage side tables from Spoor 38 serve as bedside tables; matching reading lights finish the look.
Baskets, Tierlantijn. Duvet, Wehkamp.
Baskets, Tierlantijn. Duvet, Wehkamp.
Mariƫt made this decorative house with a piece of scrap timber.
With only one bedroom in the flat, the couple created a tiny shared workspace in the corner. A bag by French design studio be-poles keeps the place tidy by holding wrapping paper and craft materials.
MariĆ«t likes to create pictures on the wall using washi tape. Itās easy to remove and doesnāt leave any marks. For Christmas, sheās made a reindeer.
The couple have tried to make the rented kitchen match their aesthetic by displaying some of their favourite wooden cutting boards. A simple wall rail gives them easy access to cooking utensils.
A rack in the hallway displays MariĆ«tās favourite magazines and prints.
Mariƫt hangs out in her favourite spot, where she crafts most of her home accessories and browses online for new decorating ideas.
TELL USā¦
What do you think of this Dutch home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
TELL USā¦
What do you think of this Dutch home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Since the space is small, they went with a compact corner sofa to provide ample seating. āWe managed to fit in everything we needed without the room being cramped or cluttered,ā says MariĆ«t. She bought the second-hand shop dresser next to the sofa and painted it white.
Corner sofa, Kwantum. Banner, Buiten de Lijntjes.