beyond the pale
Soft colour and Scandinavian style give this rural home in the Netherlands a chic, rustic aesthetic
When Eva van den Honert was a student, she used to cycle past a rundown prewar house to visit her boyfriend, Toon, but she never imagined that one day she would find herself living there. ‘Toon’s parents lived opposite the house,’ recalls Eva. ‘Eventually, it went on the market. The price was lowered three times because it needed so much work, but we fell for the place once we saw inside. It had such a lovely atmosphere and we liked how spacious it felt. It also has a large garden and is situated right in the heart of the village, which is a wonderful location. Although we’re very central, it’s really quiet, too, so we have the best of both worlds. My mother was initially worried that we were taking on such a big project, but now she loves what we’ve achieved.’
During the six-month renovation, which included rewiring the whole property, adding new ceilings and floors, replastering, redecorating and updating the kitchen, the couple also planned for future works, which would include creating a dormer bedroom in the attic and redesigning the garden to include two verandas. ‘Every evening we would set to work in the house with the help of family and friends,’ says Eva. ‘ We plastered the walls and laid the wooden floor ourselves. We removed an old carpet in the hall and discovered beautiful period tiles beneath. We didn’t have enough money to install a new kitchen, so we updated the old one on a low budget. We set the sink in an old wooden sideboard and painted
it with chalk paint to give it a lovely matt finish, and then we custom-made a stone slab for the countertop.’
Eva’s touch is evident throughout the house and garden, reflecting her love of rural Scandinavian style and soft colour. ‘I’ve always enjoyed interior design and opening my shop, Abbey Lane, across the street from where I live, is a dream come true. Many of the pieces in my home come from there and also from flea markets and our travels. I enjoy creating something unusual, like the coffee table, which was an old Indian daybed, and the chandelier in the garden, which I made from separate lights bought in Turkey. I’m a huge fan of chalk paint as it’s very natural and gives a lovely powdery appearance. I use it on walls and on furniture and also outside on the children’s playhouse, as it’s so versatile.’
Eva likes experimenting with subtle colour, especially in the bedrooms of her two daughters, Julie, seven, and Loïs, four. ‘Their rooms have a Scandinavian atmosphere, full of pastel shades that are very calming,’ she says. ‘It’s better to use colour on the walls as it’s difficult to create a mood with just white. Before I had my girls, I changed the bedroom colour schemes at least three times and at one point everything was lime green. I’m not afraid to experiment, as I love colour, but I definitely prefer soft pastels now.’
Eva’s home is constantly undergoing change to keep it fresh as she can’t resist creating new schemes. ‘There’s always something I’m ready to update or change,’ she says. ‘I’d like to add some small Moroccan tiles to the bathroom, but who knows? I may change my mind again tomorrow.’