Character study

We could all learn a thing or two from this house about what constitutes a good amount of quirk.

We could all learn a thing or two from this about what constitutes a good amount of quirk.

Hedda Pier and Michiel Lenstra bought their 1930s Netherlands row house at a time when the Dutch property market was at a low. They’d been looking to downsize from their home in the centre of the Hague into family-friendly Wassenaar not far away, and were hoping for something near a school for their kids.

This property fit the bill, but had been on the market for more than a year; it belonged to an elderly woman who hadn’t done any maintenance or redecorated since the ’70s. With a serious subsidence problem at the back, rotten window frames, no central heating, and orange and green tiles in the kitchen, it was in a bit of a state and practically unsellable, and yet…

Unbeknown to Hedda and Michiel, a property developer had been to see the home the same week as they had, putting in an offer for the same amount on the same day. He had the finances already lined up, so the house went to him.

“I was gutted,” says Hedda. “I saw its potential and really wanted it for our family, so I called around and found out who the developer was, and within days convinced him to sell it to us — for a decent profit — in its existing state. It was the flip of a lifetime for him, but worth it to us.”

After happily taking possession, the couple added an extension to the rear of the house to make room for a large kitchen and dining area, and removed a partition wall on the ground floor to maximise the floor space. They stripped the house and added new wiring, double glazing and central heating, but kept most of the original character features, including the doors, stairs and 1930s terrazzo tiles in the entry and groundfloor hallway, the latter a welcome surprise when they were found hiding under carpet tiles and layers of glue. On the second floor, they took out every single wall, then redesigned the space to include bedrooms for the children and a bathroom/ utility room, with plenty of storage space in the attic above.

Hedda is a partner at boutique interior design business Avenue Design Studio and has bought and renovated numerous homes. Of this one she says, “One of my biggest design challenges was keeping the base very neutral. We were moving from the city and didn’t know if we were going to like it enough to stay long-term. The idea was that if we wanted to, we could rent it out in a few years’ time, which meant I couldn’t make the interior design too personal or outspoken.”

“Within days I convinced him to sell it to us. It was the flip of a lifetime for him.”

A calm, warm canvas overlaid with tactile materials and a selection of wonderful furniture and art is an Avenue Design Studio trademark, and this aesthetic is reflected throughout. Although it’s carefully curated and full of wonderful finds, however, this is a family home — and that means dents in the table and fingerprints on the walls. But the couple don’t believe having children is a reason to avoid buying special pieces, and instead aim to teach their kids to appreciate nice things.

“I like homes that have character,” says Hedda. “I like to experiment and I’m also a bit of a collector. I love art, fabrics, patterns, colour, books… I like so many things that I sometimes need to rein myself in to avoid making it all a bit too crazy! I have so many chairs that I’ve loaned many of them to family.”

Hedda has learned that it takes years to build up a collection and advises her clients to have patience. She credits her father for her appreciation of all things beautiful. “Throughout my childhood, he’d come home with a leaf or feather from the forest, a bangle from a market or a painting from an auction, always with the same enthusiasm, as if it was the first time he’d found a treasure.”

“I like homes that have character. I like to experiment and I’m a bit of a collector.”

ABOVE Hedda sits on the Ikea sofa (with a linen cover from Bemz) in the living area below a walnut picture rail custom-made by her studio’s go-to joiners DVB Design. The art on it includes (from left) an etching by her sister Anine Pier, two original etches by late Russian artist Ossip Zadkine, a painting bought at an Amsterdam gallery and a small graphic piece given to Michiel when his grandmother passed away. To their right (pictured on page 103) is a black Triplex wall light by Mackapär — a rare find as it didn’t make it into production after the first batch was made.

LIVING The couple had their wooden deck chairs — bought by Hedda’s father in Ghana in the ’70s and originally from a cruise ship — reupholstered in an animal-print fabric by Swedish design company Sandberg. Next to them on the coffee table custom-made by a local metal workshop is a metal sculpture Michiel inherited from his grandmother.

ABOVE Many of the three-storey home’s original fixtures were retained, including some stained-glass sliding doors in the living area, which have proved particularly handy on cold Sunday afternoons when the family watches movies on the sofa with the fire blazing. Above the bench seat is an artwork by the Hague artist and friend Rob van Hemert, who regularly visits Hedda’s studio with new work.

LEFT Hedda chose Farrow & Ball’s Blackened to create a neutral base on the walls throughout the living areas, which in the hallway picks up on the pale flecks in the original terrazzo flooring. BELOW The open-plan kitchen and dining area is housed in a new extension at the back of the house.

DINING The family spends a lot of quality time together at their oak dining table designed by Hedda and made by DVB Design. CH26 chairs by Hans J Wegner for Carl Hansen chairs complete the space, giving it a casual- contemporary vibe. The Fluid pendant light is by Muuto.

MASTER BEDROOM The couple made their headboard years ago and have had it reupholstered several times. Their bed linen is from By Mölle, and the throw is a Liberty fabric from Hedda’s extensive collection. “WhenI see a fabric I love, I buy 3m of it,” she says. “I have this idea that I might one day make it all into tablecloths for an amazing second house in the country.” Also in this space are tables by Kartell, lamps by Lightyears and a pendant light by Foscarini.

ABOVE Against the master bedroom wall painted in Farrow & Ball Dimpse is an antique British colonial cabinet bought in India — a wedding gift from Michiel’s parents. Above it is a large print by photographer Brooke Holm, a favourite of the couple, who both have a strong connection to the ocean.

FINN’S ROOM Here, the high-rise bed from Ikea was painted with Farrow & Ball colour Worsted — a restful complement to the Farrow & Ball Parma Gray on the walls. Hedda also added leather handles to the ladder for safety. Upholstered mattresses are stored under the bed for use when friends come to play, and in the corner of the room sits a battered leather club chair that’s been used as a nursing and reading chair for both children — and as a scratching post by the family’s cats.

STELLA’S ROOM Hedda likes kids’ rooms to have a bit of colour, and in her daughter’s room she really took that to heart, opting for Little Greene paints Angie and Marigold. The mini gallery on the wall above the bed includes a floral pen drawing by Stella’s great grandmother, a botanist. The bed and bedding is by Ikea.