{"id":17483,"date":"2022-12-02T09:30:46","date_gmt":"2022-12-02T08:30:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homesandantiques.com\/?p=37601"},"modified":"2022-12-02T10:16:06","modified_gmt":"2022-12-02T09:16:06","slug":"a-quirky-20th-century-dutch-home","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/rss_feed\/a-quirky-20th-century-dutch-home\/","title":{"rendered":"A quirky 20th-century Dutch home"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Sophie Hannam\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 02 December 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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\u2018I love the balance that different design periods can bring to a home,\u2019 says interior stylist Manda Collins. \u2018It creates a look that\u2019s really unique and unusual, but very un-Dutch in style.\u2019 The early 20th-century home that Manda bought with her husband Billy back in 2011 reflects her passion for quirky design perfectly; each room houses a mismatch of original vintage<\/a> finds that\u2019s often described by her Dutch friends as being a little \u2018different\u2019.<\/p>\n

With its gabled facade and ornate windows, the building is akin to a Dutch canal house in the countryside, situated in the village of Santpoort-Zuid on the north coast of the Netherlands. Just a short walk from the beach and surrounded by fields and greenery, the space is a rural haven when compared to the family\u2019s previous home in Amsterdam\u2019s bustling centre.<\/p>\n

\u2018I instantly fell in love with it,\u2019 says Manda who, after first attempting to buy the neighbouring house, was thrilled when her three-storey home appeared on the market soon after. \u2018It had more original features, and I fell for the tiny windows, open fireplaces and leafy views.<\/p>\n

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Although there were no structural issues, the house required a significant update. Wide lacquer wooden flooring now runs throughout, replacing the original boards, and the walls and ceilings are painted with a modern blend of dark slate grey and duck egg blue, with pops of neon pink and lime. \u2018There\u2019s no way I could live in a monochrome home,\u2019 laughs Manda. \u2018I know people say \u201cblue and green should never be seen\u201d but I think that\u2019s ridiculous \u2013 it\u2019s a great combination!\u2019<\/p>\n

As soon as the house was theirs, Manda and Billy opted to build an extension at the back to replace the thin, alley kitchen that\u2019s typical in period Dutch homes. In keeping with the original style of the house, the extension is a wide, open-plan space for eating and entertaining. \u2018It\u2019s the room that we live in more than anywhere else,\u2019 explains Manda. \u2018I cook here for the kids and it\u2019s a lovely, relaxing space.\u2019<\/p>\n

Although modern in design, Manda\u2019s flair for vintage is tangible throughout the kitchen, with shapely art nouveau candlesticks<\/a> acting as a quirky centrepiece on the breakfast table and original Fibrocit copper chairs for seating, sourced from a hotel being sold in Brussels. Manda is a magpie when it comes to sourcing antiques<\/a> and spent her youth trawling antiques fairs<\/a> and shops for unusual trinkets with her mother. \u2018Even my student halls of residence were a trove of curiosities bought from flea markets,\u2019 she laughs.<\/p>\n

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Now, she has a more daring approach to antiquing \u2013 browsing online auction sites<\/a>, such as eBay and Dutch marketplace Marktplaats for the rare and unique. \u2018Even if I haven\u2019t seen something in the flesh, I\u2019m prepared to take the risk and buy it if it feels right,\u2019 Manda explains.<\/p>\n

The taxidermy peacock in the dining room is one of her favourite eBay finds. Bought for next to nothing, it sits atop a glossy antique cabinet, also bought online. But the crowning jewel in her hoard of internet treasures is the set of mid-century chairs that bring a touch of old-fashioned glamour to her dining room. Covered in luxe ochre velvet, the flatbase chairs always command attention among Manda\u2019s visitors. \u2018Ironically, the most expensive thing about buying them was hiring a van to bring them home!\u2019 she laughs.<\/p>\n

Although Manda\u2019s home divides opinion among some of her more traditional friends, it\u2019s very much her sanctuary. \u2018I really believe the look of your home determines how you feel,\u2019 she explains. \u2018When it comes to decorating, you\u2019ve just got to do what makes you happy.\u2019<\/p>\n