Take a quick tour...
THE PROPERTY
A three-bedroom detached house built in 2000 in Vinkeveen, in the Netherlands.
THE VALUE
Bought for €825,000 in 2011; now worth €1.4million.
“Every
time I drive up the path, I sigh with relief – it’s so nice to be home!”
Marjolijn and Misja loved their old house, but hated its location near the motorway. ‘It made selling it difficult,’ says Marjolijn, ‘but that gave us lots of time to look for another place.’ The couple set their sights on Vinkeveen. Marjolijn says, ‘It’s a village, but we can also be in Amsterdam or Utrecht within 15 minutes. We looked at more than 30 houses – everything from new-builds to 1930s houses and even farmhouses – and, after no less than four years, finally ended up here! We wanted a detached house that had a soul and a big garden, but that would be low maintenance.
‘I was heavily pregnant with Thomas when we got the keys, but we started tackling the biggest issues immediately. We cleared the garden of debris and found another piece of land behind dense blackberry bushes! We had the whole house painted, inside and out, and replaced the flooring downstairs. We also had a chimney removed in the living room and replaced it with a modern fireplace. Shutters were fitted, too, to give the house character. The biggest project was in 2016, when we extended to create a “garden room” kitchen-diner. We refitted the kitchen and laid a larger terrace. The new room completes the circular layout of the house, with all rooms arranged around the stairs.
‘Creating a cosy atmosphere at home was my priority – making it a great place to invite friends to for dinner, having a drink and playing music. Nothing stays in the same place for long – I always move and change things in the house. I’m influenced by travelling but also by my work for my store, houseofproducts.com. I read a lot and follow lifestyle trends, but I’m also very sensitive to colour. Creativity is what I do! We are so happy and grateful that we live here and can enjoy nature to the full.’