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My Houzz: A Home Grows With the Family
A family of four marries French country style with vintage touches in The Hague
Hello! I am a contributor for Houzz, writer and interior stylist based in the Netherlands. Always in search of beauty in all forms, I founded my lifestyle blog Avenue to satisfy my thirst for design and lifestyle inspiration. I am the loving mother of a beautiful little girl called Lola, and the adoring fiancé of a handsome Dutchman.
Hello! I am a contributor for Houzz, writer and interior stylist based... More »
Channeling influences from classic Hamptons style along with touches of vintage and French country charm, the home of Floris Zwolsman and his family radiates comfort and enduring style. When he discovered this ground-floor home in an up-and-coming neighborhood of The Hague, Netherlands, he and his wife purchased it on a whim a mere six months after completing a four-month-long renovation of their previous home. It has become the perfect family home for the couple, who extended the house when they discovered a second child was on the way.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Floris, Priscilla and their two sons Jasper and Merlijn Zwolsman
Location: Bezuidenhout, The Hague, Netherlands
Size: 110 square meters, three bedrooms, one and a half bathrooms
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Floris, Priscilla and their two sons Jasper and Merlijn Zwolsman
Location: Bezuidenhout, The Hague, Netherlands
Size: 110 square meters, three bedrooms, one and a half bathrooms
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by Holly Marder
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| A neutral palette and a mix of new with vintage pieces create a warm, country aesthetic. “I wanted to have a natural, organic feeling in this house, which is why I chose oak floorboards and natural tones,” Floris Zwolsman says. Through his business that he runs with his brother, Zwolsman has access to wholesale furniture outlets, where the coffee table and many other furnishings came from. The fireplace was rebuilt during the renovation, adding a touch of cozy to the room in a simple and contemporary way. The vintage flag above the couch is a 48-star U.S. flag used during World War II. Floris has a deep interest in anything to do with World War II and the Vietnam War. He also enjoys collecting vintage pennant flags, framing them and selling them on a Dutch secondhand site called Marktplaats. Living room wall paint: Cat's Paw by Farrow & Ball |
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Above the vintage dresser hangs a 1966 original print of Zwolsman’s father, a piece he discovered in his parents' attic. Simple framed photos, candles and a fresh white orchid keep the vignette uncluttered and classic.
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The couple created a play area for the children along one wall in the kitchen, which also features an oversized painting by local artist Vittorio Roerade. The bright, bold and intriguing artwork was purchased by Zwolsman in 2003, and it has gone with him from house to house ever since. “I love the colors. It’s young and hip and looks great against the wall color as well,” he says. “Art makes a house a home.”
The renovation completely transformed the dated 1960s home. The couple kept many of the home's original details while injecting a modern aesthetic through contemporary fixtures and fittings. When designing the interior, the couple wanted each room to have its own color palette.
Paint: Parma Gray by Farrow & Ball
The renovation completely transformed the dated 1960s home. The couple kept many of the home's original details while injecting a modern aesthetic through contemporary fixtures and fittings. When designing the interior, the couple wanted each room to have its own color palette.
Paint: Parma Gray by Farrow & Ball
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The renovation of the house encompassed an extension from the kitchen to include a small dining nook, with double French doors leading out onto the back yard.
The Belgian stone countertops, SMEG appliances and custom door handles give the Ikea kitchen a refined look and feel. Modern appliances blend well with country touches.
The dining area includes a French country style dining set and a baroque style chandelier. The artwork on the far wall is a painting of the Samburu tribe, one of the last remaining African tribes, purchased at Clic Gallery in New York.
The Belgian stone countertops, SMEG appliances and custom door handles give the Ikea kitchen a refined look and feel. Modern appliances blend well with country touches.
The dining area includes a French country style dining set and a baroque style chandelier. The artwork on the far wall is a painting of the Samburu tribe, one of the last remaining African tribes, purchased at Clic Gallery in New York.
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A vintage side table in the dining area is accessorized with family pictures and table lamps with linen lampshades.
Zwolsman, a property manager, is one of four sons who inherited his mother’s passion for interior design and insatiable desire for change. His mother was always busy with the house, either painting, decorating or both. “She has always been an artistic, creative and chaotic person,” he says. This creativity flowed onto Zwolsman and one of his brothers, who have a joint business renovating and selling properties.
Zwolsman, a property manager, is one of four sons who inherited his mother’s passion for interior design and insatiable desire for change. His mother was always busy with the house, either painting, decorating or both. “She has always been an artistic, creative and chaotic person,” he says. This creativity flowed onto Zwolsman and one of his brothers, who have a joint business renovating and selling properties.
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Jasper’s room is soft and soothing, with boyish touches. Wicker storage baskets keep toys and diapers within reach while changing wriggly bottoms.
"What we wanted to do in this room was to have a mature room that was still soft and appropriate for a boy, with masculine touches," Zwolsman says. They chose to create a room in the same country style as the rest of the house, adding vintage touches through accessories such as these pennant flags.
Artwork: Ikea
Paint color: Green Blue by Farrow & Ball
"What we wanted to do in this room was to have a mature room that was still soft and appropriate for a boy, with masculine touches," Zwolsman says. They chose to create a room in the same country style as the rest of the house, adding vintage touches through accessories such as these pennant flags.
Artwork: Ikea
Paint color: Green Blue by Farrow & Ball
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| What little baby wouldn't have beautiful dreams with the words "I love you bigger than the sky" above his head? Jasper's father created this original wall art using chalk to create a fluffly cloud around the words. Chair: Ikea |
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| A locally bought antique whitewashed closet is the statement piece in Jasper's nursery. |
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In the guest bathroom, a Moroccan lamp casts interesting patterns of light on the wall.
Hallway paint: String by Farrow & Ball
Hallway paint: String by Farrow & Ball
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| In the master bedroom, black-framed family portraits serve as a headboard. The bedroom windows add much-needed light and views into the backyard. Paint color: Elephant's Breath by Farrow & Ball |
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When adding the extensions to the back of the house, the couple chose to keep a walkway between the two extended rooms to allow light into the bedroom. Looking out of the bedroom windows to the right is the extended dining room. To the left is Merlijn's bedroom.
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| Off the master bedroom is the bedroom of 5-month-old Merlijn. When they realized they were about to welcome another member into the family, they extended the back of the house to create his room as an exact mirror of the dining room space. The space is a perfect fit for a tiny tot, with easy access to Mom and Dad. Floor-to-ceiling wardrobes provide ample storage. |
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The home's ever-present vintage touches continue into Merlijn's bedroom, with a dresser turned changing table. The soft yellow wall color (String by Farrow & Ball) provides a gorgeous contrast to blue-and-white gingham patterns and crisp white furniture.
The windows along the side of the room bring light into the space, while the vertical window on the back wall allows a view into the backyard.
The crisp white silhouette of a giraffe makes for a very original feature wall in Merlijn's bedroom. The gingham-patterned upholstered chair adds a French country touch.
Crib and shelving: Ikea
The windows along the side of the room bring light into the space, while the vertical window on the back wall allows a view into the backyard.
The crisp white silhouette of a giraffe makes for a very original feature wall in Merlijn's bedroom. The gingham-patterned upholstered chair adds a French country touch.
Crib and shelving: Ikea
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| The ensuite bathroom off the master bedroom is clean, crisp and uncluttered. Though small, the bathroom has a large bath, shower and vanity. Zwolsman says, "We created our own little wellness space, with a bubble bath and dimmable lights to create a space that we could really relax in. "We wanted to keep the bathroom light. We used large tiles on the floors and walls to create the appearance of more space and avoid unnecessary clutter," Zwolsman says. "We worked with the size that we had, using every last centimeter of space. Because of the unusual shape of the bath, there was room for a heater, as well as a two-person vanity and rain shower." The large horizontal mirror also helps to create more space. Baskets: Ikea |
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| The home is in the up-and-coming neighborhood of Bezuidenhout in South Holland’s city of The Hague. It was built in Haagse School style, a style of architecture popularized between the1920s and 1950s. When Zwolsman discovered the property was for sale, he negotiated an appealing price with the real estate agent and purchased it on a whim without consulting his wife. It was a bold move, but after he promised Priscilla that they would stay put for at least five years in their new house, they put their first-floor apartment on the market and it sold in six days. The house was in its original 1960s state when the Zwolsmans moved in and was in desperate need of Floris Zwolsman's interior design and renovation skills. |
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Despite this wet and windswept scene, the couple's backyard is used regularly during warmer months for outdoor get-togethers.
More Inspiring Houzz Tours:
Contemporary Character in a Dutch Suburb
Canadian Cottage in the Netherlands
Eclectic Coastal Home in Holland
More Inspiring Houzz Tours:
Contemporary Character in a Dutch Suburb
Canadian Cottage in the Netherlands
Eclectic Coastal Home in Holland
Comments
Janet Paik What a thoughtful and sweet nursery.
17 months ago · Like
scarbowcow This is a refreshing change from some of the obscenely huge and sprawling American houses that are so common here. Since I live in Europe, where homes are smaller and flats are normal for families of four (or more), seeing how people make small spaces into cozy and convenient homes is quite welcome. I don't have any friends or relatives in the US who live in McMansions, so I imagine that these ideabooks appeal to Americans who have modest suburban homes and want to decorate them stylishly and attractively. It would be good to see more ideabooks like this one.
17 months ago · Like
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Holly Marder Thanks, scarbowcow, for this positive feedback. I am pleased you enjoyed browsing through the ideabook. I agree that this family have done a great job in making a small city space an inviting home for a family, and have succeeded in designing the home to feel very spacious.
17 months ago · Like
Nat such a calm and serene home, great use of space and I looove their furniture!
17 months ago · Like
Kathryn Peltier Design Lovely.
17 months ago · Like
Kristin Bythewood I live in the Boston suburbs, and the affordable houses are not that big. Mine is 1600 square feet with smaller bedrooms and these ideas totally work for me.
17 months ago · Like
zuitzy Thank you for featuring a home of more modest size. We have down-sized by choice and love to see how other families have designed their homes for living, not just showing!
17 months ago · Like
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lmichele Another great piece Holly. You have a real eye for beauty and detail. So lovely to see more and more of your ideabooks each week.
16 months ago · Like
Ideabook published on Jan. 6, 2012.
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