Welcome to my home
“The
location of this place makes me happy every day. It’s so nice to sit on the balcony and read a book in the sun
friends” or drink cocktails there with
Gertjan Langeland lives here. He works for a global theatre production company.
THE PROPERTY
A two-bedroom apartment in a 1906 building, near the
Vondelpark in Amsterdam,
The Netherlands.
THE VALUE
Gerjan bought the property for €685,000 in May 2019; it is now worth €800,000.
For Gertjan Langeland the Vondelpark, Amsterdam’s main park, was a big draw when looking for a new home. ‘My former house was a few streets away, in the same neighbourhood, but closer to the city centre. I wanted something slightly bigger, and different; a change to avoid boredom!’ He was pleased to discover that this apartment has such large rooms: ‘They are so well proportioned, with high ceilings. I love how the windows let in so much light and the Vondelpark is so close. It’s like my back garden.’
When Gertjan bought the property in 2019, it was painted in white throughout. He knew that he wanted to replace the kitchen, but apart from that, he didn’t have the time to plan redecorating. ‘I have a busy schedule and, although I have a good eye and like interior design, I wanted to get it right in one go. I knew the work of interior designer Nicole Dohmen through friends (atelierndinterior.com) and when she heard that I’d moved, she dropped me a note. She invited me to see her own home, which is a magical place, filled with beautiful artefacts from her travels.’
Gertjan wanted his home to match his personality: cheerful, not too serious, yet masculine. ‘I wanted it to look warm and cosy, and not like a showroom,’ he says. ‘I gave Nicole carte blanche. That could have resulted in a place that didn’t feel like “me”, but I have all my quirky pieces that make it mine. We had good conversations before she showed me her moodboards. She understood what I wanted, perhaps even better than I knew myself.
‘The renovation was an easy journey,’ Gertjan continues. ‘Nicole arranged everything, which suited me and the result passed my expectations. I think if you interfere, there can be too many compromises and the result will never be as good. I love the colours, the cosy corners, all the little details, such as the fringes on the curtains. Everyone feels comfortable here.’