{"id":17516,"date":"2022-12-09T09:30:09","date_gmt":"2022-12-09T08:30:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homesandantiques.com\/?p=37985"},"modified":"2022-12-09T10:13:52","modified_gmt":"2022-12-09T09:13:52","slug":"a-dutch-christmas-house-in-de-westereen","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/rss_feed\/a-dutch-christmas-house-in-de-westereen\/","title":{"rendered":"A Dutch Christmas house in De Westereen"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Christianne Raymer\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 09 December 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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Baukje and Anton Smits are true treasure hunters, regularly trawling flea markets, antiques shops<\/a> and charity shops, searching for anything that appeals to their aesthetic, which is best described as French farmhouse<\/a>. And if any of their new-found treasures are in need of repairs, Anton, who is a carpenter, is able to oblige.<\/p>\n

The items they love tend not to be especially \u2018chic\u2019 Baukje explains; rather, they are serviceable pieces made for everyday use: \u2018a bit sturdy and sober. Like old Gr\u00e8s pots \u2013 we always buy those \u2013 and antique<\/a> rinse bowls, especially the whites. I think I\u2019ve got 20 of those, which I use for desserts, peanuts, or even a little piece of soap, so number 21 will come home with me as well!\u2019 But it\u2019s not just practical stuff that catches Baukje\u2019s eye; she is also drawn to elegant frames, antique silver and glassware, and handmade lace<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Evidence of their antiquing can be seen wherever one looks in the couple\u2019s house in the Frisian village of De Westereen in the north of the Netherlands. Designed with the help of Anton\u2019s architect father, and built in 1989 by Anton himself, the house feels much older than its 30-odd years. By incorporating traditional features such as visible beams, panelled walls and a carved fire surround complete with antique tiles, Anton gave the house a sense of history that belies its newness.<\/p>\n

Whitewashed walls, chosen by Baukje because of their timeless appeal and light-reflecting effect, are the perfect backdrop for all their treasures, which she uses to create charming vignettes throughout the house. Baukje rarely visits contemporary interiors shops, \u2018only Ikea once in a while for a new sofa\u2019. Everything else in the house is vintage<\/a>, second-hand, antique, or it has become weathered through the decades, like the dining table that Baukje and Anton bought 30 years ago.<\/p>\n

Her love for antiques was born 25 years ago, when she inherited an enamel teapot<\/a> from Anton\u2019s grandmother. \u2018Such a pretty thing, with a nice nostalgic look. I started collecting enamel<\/a> and, after that, earthenware, which combined beautifully with the enamel\u2026\u2019 And then, one day, she simply threw out all the plastics and new things she owned and replaced them with beautiful old objects and items made from natural materials.<\/p>\n

\u2018I even got rid of the dish brush,\u2019 she adds. The country pine furniture also underwent a metamorphosis and was painted white, although recently Baukje has painted the kitchen doors a smart off-black and added some soft neutral shades<\/a> elsewhere. \u2018Just enough to add some contrast,\u2019 she explains, having decided that an all-white scheme felt a bit too \u2018pretty-pretty\u2019.<\/p>\n

Christmas is a favourite time of year, and Baukje enjoys dressing the house for the season, creating her alternative to the traditional Christmas tree<\/a>, and adding a bit of romance to the bedroom in her preferred palette of white and silver, with sparkling touches of red and the natural charm of weathered and whitewashed wood.<\/p>\n

The decorations start to go up in early December, a few things at a time \u2013 a bit of greenery, a few branches of eucalyptus and Christmas lights to brighten up dark corners. \u2018Other decoration is slowly added, but not too much; I like to keep it calm,\u2019 says Baukje. The best part of decorating the house is kept until last: hanging antique ornaments on the old bedstead doors that lean against the wall in the living room, which is Baukje\u2019s take on the traditional Christmas tree.<\/p>\n