inspiration
‘Living in Singapore gave me so many ideas – all the colours, the fabrics, the heat, even the scents in the air’
Like many homeowners, Mariska Meijers first began to think of moving house once her children had left home. ‘When my son Mauk and daughter Annemarth went to university, it was definitely a case of empty-nest syndrome,’ she says. ‘Our old house, where I’d seen them grow up, suddenly felt quite different and a little sad. It was time for a fresh start.’
Mariska decided to downsize and chose to move to an apartment in the centre of Amsterdam. The property is located in a former Victorian grain store, right next to the water. ‘I was drawn to this place because it has such great light,’ she says. ‘It works for me as an artist’s studio as well as a home.’
MAKING CHANGES
While Mariska loved the location of her new home, she felt there was room for improvement with the layout and decor. ‘The building had been converted some 20 years previously, and the style was still very neutral and bland,’ she says. Reconfiguring the layout was the priority. Shortly after moving in, an internal wall was removed that had been blocking the entrance, so that the sunny view over the water could be seen from the moment you walk through the front door. The existing bedroom was then divided, creating a small second area for guests to sleep. Mariska has nicknamed this area ‘the crash pad’. ‘It’s where my children can sleep,’ she says. ‘Usually, it’s my daughter who uses this room when her student house gets too noisy!’ Most of the apartment’s floor space consists of the open-plan sitting
room, which flows into the kitchen-diner. The bathroom and utility room are tucked away into the remaining space.
BOLD APPROACH
With the structural works under way, Mariska turned her attention to the decor. An artist and designer by profession, she has a highly developed sense of colour. She instinctively favours a dark and dramatic palette, so it’s no surprise that her chosen background colours are inky blue and charcoal grey. ‘I painted my walls grey 10 years ago,’ she says. ‘Everyone thought I was crazy, but with the kitchen I’ve gone to the extreme – pure chic black.’ The oak cabinetry is teamed with glossy Moroccan tiles that catch the light.
Throughout the apartment, dark-toned backgrounds offset vibrant leafy greens and luxuriant golds and purples that shimmer on Mariska’s fabrics and cushions, providing contrast and depth. These colours also help to show off her antique finds to best effect. ‘I love to demonstrate how antiques can be used in contemporary schemes – say, by putting a fabric shade on a lamp base,’ she says. ‘That way, they can look modern all over again.’
Mariska’s time spent living in Singapore has also had a strong influence on her decorating style. ‘It reawakened my sensibilities,’ she says and her ikat fabrics and palm tree motifs are a powerful reminder of when she lived there. Back in Amsterdam, Mariska has recreated a similar effect, surrounding herself with tropical colours for a home that’s stimulating, yet also supremely comfortable.