‘our home has real dutch style’

Caroline brought a flavour of her native Netherlands to her Twenties property in London

Alex and I met in Amsterdam, where I owned a flat, and he persuaded me to move to london,’ says caroline. ‘Alex initially owned the property, but had it rented out while he lived in a flat nearby. the house wasn’t in great condition as Alex was a typical bachelor and hadn’t really done much to it. there were lots of eighties touches, like orange walls, an enormous turquoise enamelled bath, which was far too big for the room, and lots of glass block partitions.

Despite the house’s dated look, we decided to move in and had some friends living with us. It was a bit of a party house for a while, which was great fun initially, but when I got pregnant with James, it was time to create a family home.

Changing the house

Before James was born in 2010, we extended the kitchen into the side return, and also up into the loft. We left the little conservatory at the end of the kitchen as it’s really useful. With the basic structural work complete, it was then a question of tackling the house room by room, which we’ve done over several years.

I was excited to bring in some of my native Dutch touches. I can’t bear things matching and we like to use plenty of colour – blues, greens, reds and oranges are popular in Holland, along with exposed brickwork, terracotta tiles and acres of painted wood. Simple design is valued along with comfort.

Choosing the kitchen

I wanted to recreate my parents’ kitchen, with some brickwork, wood floors and floorstanding units only, plus open shelving for crockery and pans. So we opened up the chimney breast and put the cooker there. We couldn’t find a kitchen we liked, so we got a carpenter

to make one for us. The cost was relatively reasonable and we could have exactly what we wanted. It took ages to find the right blue for the units. We started with one that was a bit too dark, but eventually found a warmer tone.

Dual-use space

As we already had a table in the kitchen, I wanted to create informal seating at one end of the sitting room. I chose a wooden table and benches, which are a staple in Amsterdam and can accommodate more people. The area also doubles up as an office for me, which is great as I run JJ’S Wigwam, an online business selling childrenswear and accessories, from it.

I added shelves along the walls at both ends of the living area as well as

‘ go for painted floorboards instead of carpet throughout for a stylish look that’s easy to maintain’

in the dining area, and some boxes to tidy away all my work things in seconds. There’s still plenty of space for the kids to do their homework and we can quickly clear everything away.

All in the details

In Holland, it’s popular to have painted wooden stairs rather than carpet, so we laid terracotta and black floor tiles and then painted the stairs to match. The tiles were meant for garden paths, but we loved the colours. We chose the tiles first and then got that particular red paint, which you see all over Holland, made up.

Metal beds are very Dutch, so we chose them for three of the bedrooms, and a wooden one for the fourth. We also decided to paint the wood floors and add rugs. I really like the look of metal against painted wood, which makes it easier to

‘consider an informal kitchen layout with a freestanding feel for a relaxed and friendly vibe’

provide a contrast of different textures with soft bedding and blankets.

I’m not one for lots of pattern and I don’t like wishy-washy tones. So the sitting room is painted in a very definite blue, and there’s a feature wall in a similar hue behind our bed. Everywhere else is off-white except for the children’s rooms, which each have a fun wall of paper.

Finishing touches

I wanted us to be able to relax and not worry too much about the furniture or spilling things. Wood floors are great for that, as you can clear up any mess in seconds. I deliberately chose dark furniture and wood pieces, too, because I want people to be comfortable when they come to visit, and not be concerned that they might ruin something.

Simple style is my thing and I like to mix in old pieces found in junk shops with contemporary buys. We’ve slowly added bits of artwork and the odd cushion as we’ve found them.

Now everything is just the way we want it. This house is indestructible.’

‘think outside the box when it comes to accessories – the green mirror in our bedroom was a window frame and cost £50’