This country home combines authentic styling with natural character
Timeworn accessories, grainy woods and natural materials create a unique ambience in Anneke Herbers’ atmospheric home
For Anneke Herbers, it was a case of keeping it in the family when it came to the country house she now lives in – it originally belonged to her parents. ‘At first the house was a base for my father and my daughter Marjon to keep and breed horses in the paddocks and stables at the rear of the property,’ she explains. Then in 2000, as her father grew older, he invited Marjon to take over the house, so she could continue working with the horses. Eventually Anneke and her late husband Gerhard also moved in to help and be near the family.
Moving into the house helped Anneke establish her interior style (herberslifestyle.nl/en). ‘The decor was very different in those days to what it is now,’ she explains. The exterior of the property has a rustic, cabin-like feel about it, yet inside the walls were decorated with old-fashioned plaster and there were lots of inherited pieces that were tricky to work with. Anneke went back to basics and started afresh, while being mindful of how her parents had lived and used their home. ‘Key to my look is my love of country style,’ says Anneke. ‘I‘m drawn to down-to-earth and unassuming pieces.’ The furniture and accessories she has carefully curated sit harmoniously together in the cabin, set against glorious views of the pastures and paddocks beyond. The look feels authentic to the surroundings, and the connection with nature can be seen in Anneke’s choice
INSPIRATION ‘I enjoy DIY and the making process. Much of the interior is down to a can-do decorating approach’
of materials used across the walls, floors and furnishings. The house radiates texture, from chalky tactile paints and hand-plastered finishes on the walls, to warm grainy woods, etched marble details and soft, scrunched linens.
The style throughout is both refined and elegant, but effortlessly relaxing and timeworn in equal measures. Anneke was keen to design sociable yet cosy spaces for friends and family to gather in, and this led to an open-plan design with a carefully coordinated, cohesive feel.
Anneke has chosen to decorate using a natural palette that’s inspired by the surrounding landscape and the inherent colours of the materials used to build her home – clay, sun-baked reeds and hewn timber beams.
There is low-key pattern – seen in embroidery details, tiles and antique carving – which evokes a serene feel. Lamps and lighting are kept to a minimum. And, as is frequently seen in North European homes, candles are dotted throughout the space, lit to add ambience and warmth.
This home features many unique touches and details, from the mixing of chalk paint colours to the updated and upcycled finds, including a beautiful wrought-iron gate that was personalised by Gerhard. The house is also filled with artisan-crafted, handmade and imperfect pieces, each with its own story behind how it was made, recycled and created.
‘I hope my home is a successful marriage of authentic styling, natural character and of-the-landscape colours,’ says Anneke. ‘I wanted to make a warm and open-hearted home that will age and mellow with grace and poise.’