Country villa modernisation Haarlem: one partition wall as the starting point for the whole interior
In 2015, Choc Studio completed the interior design for a country villa near Haarlem. Dirk and Bella had lived there for four years, but had only dealt with the essentials when they moved in, filling the rooms with furniture left over from their student days. After four years, they decided it was time for a thorough redesign, without major renovation work.
The brief: how do you modernise a villa without major renovation?
The villa had plenty of rural character, including tiled floors, a yellow kitchen and a lot of ornate detailing, none of which matched what Dirk and Bella had in mind. The challenge was to create a different feel through targeted changes, without any demolition or construction work.
Dirk and Bella wanted more cohesion and a contemporary look, without losing the warm, country character of the house. When Julia asked what absolutely had to stay, The answer was short: nothing, except the piano. From that point on, Choc Studio could start with a clean slate.
The approach: a glass and steel partition as the first step, followed by targeted improvements to the kitchen and bathroom
The first move was a custom glass and steel partition, made by Cosmas Meubelstudio, separating the living room from the kitchen. Its clean lines broke with the ornate detailing that had been everywhere before, in one go. For Dirk and Bella, this was also the moment they felt confident the rest of the project would work out.
From there, targeted improvements followed with a big impact. The kitchen cabinet fronts were replaced with sleek new ones with a sturdy handle, instantly giving the kitchen a more contemporary look. In the bathroom, new tiles were placed over the existing ones, giving the room a calmer base quickly and affordably.
The result: an interior where nothing of the original furnishings remained, except the piano
The living room is furnished with a spacious corner sofa by Meridiani in a warm clay tone, with cushions by Pure Choc in ivory, sand, orange and grey. The two Meridiani armchairs are upholstered in a cotton herringbone fabric, the rug made from recycled plastic bottles is by Mohawk, and the throw is by Zinc. The kitchen has a custom table with a walnut top by Seuren Tafels and a base by Cosmas Meubelstudio, with chairs by Suite NL and a glass pendant light by Foscarini. In the hallway, a custom side table by Pure Choc holds a lamp from the Layer by Adje collection, with a rug by Limited Edition underneath. In the master bedroom, curtains by Villa Nova and cushions by Pure Choc complete a calm, understated look.
Dirk and Bella: “Everything you see here is Julia’s idea. Like a director, she came up with all of it, from the kitchen and the partition to the colours on the walls and the lighting plan. It took a long time, but we both finally feel like we’re really home here.”
This project was photographed for Stijlvol Wonen by Denise Zwijnen.
Does your home have plenty of potential, but you’re not sure where to start? Get in touch with Choc Studio for a no-obligation introductory conversation.