Interior design city home Haarlem
In 2018, Choc Studio completed the interior design and realization of a city home in Haarlem. An extension was added at the rear. Several layout designs led to a ground floor that gives a family with three children a place to be at any time of day.
The question
The owner had lived in the house for over twenty years and had three growing children. More space was needed, alongside the extension at the rear. But the character of the house had to stay, and the new interior had to work comfortably for several people at once without feeling crowded. The layout was the key to both.
The approach
Choc Studio prepared a variety of layout designs. The owner had a clear preference: sitting area at the garden end, cooking island at the front. The designs showed that the available space at the front wouldn’t allow for it. An alternative, with the kitchen at the rear, convinced her immediately.
The internal walls came out. The result was an open living space with the kitchen at the rear, a dining table designed by Choc Studio at the centre, and the sitting area at the front. A bio-ethanol fireplace by Planika divides the space in a light-handed way. A conventional flue wasn’t possible in this house.
The furniture was fully replaced, including a sofa that was barely two years old. Pieces that don’t serve the space undermine it, regardless of how recently they were bought. The colour palette is built around natural tones: Limestone and True Taupe by Little Greene, long curtains by Villa Nova. Lighting and curtains are controlled via an app.
The result
The living space offers a spot for everyone at any time of day: a large sitting area, a dining corner with a custom table, a smaller seating area by the garden and a kitchen with a bar. The hallway sets the tone with bird-patterned wallpaper by Arte. Furniture by Meridiani, Vibieffe and Marac, rugs by Carpetlinq, fabrics by Romo, Casamance and Zinc. Lighting by Moooi, Contardi, Tom Dixon and Modular. Kitchen realised with Dutch Kitchen Design. Oak parquet flooring by XellDesign.
Mariëlle: “Everything in this house, big and small, makes it a wonderful home, where everyone can find their own spot at any time of day, without getting in each other’s way.”
Published in Stijlvol Wonen, December 2018. Photography: Denise Zwijnen
Are you planning to renovate your city home and want the layout and interior to work together from the start? Get in touch with Choc Studio for an introductory conversation.