My Houzz: Tiny Amsterdam Apartment Bursts With Personality

The founder of her own interior design business, Studio Nest, van den Kerkhof loves to mix several design styles. “An interior is an extension of your personality,” she says. “I think it’s boring to stick with just one style.”

This cognac leather armchair was a lucky find on the Dutch secondhand site Marktplaats. Piles of magazines within arm's reach and a large pouf turns the previously empty space between the dining and living rooms into a comfortable reading nook.

“I like things that are used, that have a story in them,” van den Kerkhof says. “I feel it enhances the look and feel of a space.”

This cream vintage leather chair was her first vintage purchase, and, to this day, it is one of her favorite pieces.

Rug: Ikea

“Working in the interior design industry has definitely influenced my style,” van den Kerkhof says. During her interior styling studies, she worked at Baden Baden, the former showroom of the iconic Dutch designer Piet Boon, whose style combines modern elements with sustainable materials. “I learned a lot about styling from my colleagues and was highly influenced by Piet Boon's symmetrical style. I have since tried to let go of that a bit in order to create my own style.”

The Moroccan tray table is a gift from her father, who has traveled extensively around the world.

This collector's item vintage armchair is another piece given to van den Kerkhof from her father. When he was young, he accidentally painted it without realizing its worth. It is one of her favorite pieces — here, she's paired it with an inexpensive vintage stool that she recovered.

The couple's most recent purchase is their Foscarini Diesel Fork floor lamp, which adds a touch of utilitarian chic to the room while adhering to contemporary lines.

Shelving unit: Expedit, Ikea

A low console is home to books, music, art, drinks and another one of the couple's favorite items — a funky lamp that van den Kerkhof purchased while working at Baden Baden.

Above the console, a gallery display features framed artworks by South African artist Marlene Dumas, a Matisse print, an Etsy art print and works from a collection of art called "Vita Brevis Ars Longa" (translated: "Art Is Long, Life Is Short). Van den Kerkhof painted the dog picture when she was 15.

Although the apartment doesn’t offer much in the way of storage or space, the couple love their home for its authenticity and original detailing.

In the dining area, bright tangerine lamps draw the eye up, toward the high ceilings, and emphasize the gorgeous original sash windows with stained-glass detailing.

Pendants: Arne Jacobsen for Louis Poulsen

Van den Kerkhof has carved out a tiny workspace in the corner of the apartment, which is where she does all of her design work and meets with clients.

The desk chair was found abandoned on the side of the street near a trash bin. “It was dirty and old, and it has a paint mark on it. Most people would say it’s trash, but I love it!”

Drawer unit: Alex, Ikea

This treasured sideboard spent most of its life in van den Kerkhof’s parents' living room. When she went off to study, the cabinet went with her. Having undergone a few facelifts, from white to deep red, its new pale gray hue and new knobs make the perfect addition to the dining room.

On top of the vintage sideboard, a wooden tray is used as a base for a vase, a small book bought during a weekend in Paris, brushes and pencils used during her studies, and a stone her father gave her when she was young. A candlestick from Ikea gives the arrangement height.

Renting can be a limiting design factor, so the couple made the kitchen their own by accessorizing it with practical and pretty items. Wood cutting boards provide a soft accent against the kitchen's white tiled walls.

A single shelf holds a collection of decorative blue and white china bowls, crisp white kitchen accessories and some of their favorite cookbooks.

A silver Moroccan sugar pot and cup are part of a set given to van den Kerkhof by her father. The matching tray table is in the living room. When her father was young, he worked on a boat and traveled a lot, collecting bits and pieces along the way. Van den Kerkhof pairs these treasures with practical utensil storage beside the stove in the kitchen.

Outdoor space comes with a hefty price tag in this part of the world, so the pair was pleased to have this balcony to enjoy warm weather.

A comfortable sofa on the balcony overlooks the charming Dutch style architecture for which Amsterdam is famous.

“The area we live in is really lovely, with lots of cafes and shops, and a food market on Saturdays,” van den Kerkhof says.

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