Interior design new build villa near Amsterdam: how early involvement shapes every choice that follows
Even before construction began, Choc Studio was commissioned to design the complete interior for this new-build villa. By linking the interior design to the construction phase, the floor plans could be used to their full potential, and every decision on colour, material and furnishing could be made in relation to each other.
The brief: how do you make good interior choices for a house that doesn’t exist yet??
After four years of searching, the purchase finally went through. And the next challenge started straight away: how do you make good decisions about an interior that doesn’t exist yet? Shortly after the project began, Petra had to move abroad for six months for work. Most choices would be made remotely, based on drawings and samples. The question wasn’t just what to choose, it was how to be sure those choices would actually work together.
The approach: starting with a lighting plan, before furniture or materials
Choc Studio started with a lighting plan, before any furniture or materials were discussed. Eric was surprised by that at first. Choc Studio’s reasoning: in a new build, lighting is one of the few things you can barely fix once construction is finished if you get it wrong early on. Recessed spotlights from Modular run throughout the villa, complemented by pendant lights from Marset above the dining table and lighting from Meridiani and Stout Verlichting in the seating area. Every light point is dimmable.
To support decisions made from a distance, Choc Studio worked with 3D presentations, which made it possible to properly judge the proposals even without the materials at hand.
The style is modern chic: wide-plank whitewashed flooring, a home office that connects to the living room like a modern double reception room. The seating area is grouped around a bespoke fireplace wall, with an L-shaped sofa and chaise longue by Meridiani in grey tones and a rug by Kymo. The coffee table, side tables, desk and built-in cabinets are bespoke pieces by Choc Studio. The dining table is by Van Rossum (black oak), the chairs by Pure Choc in Zinc Textile fabric. The kitchen is finished in a metallic colour, with bar stools by Meridiani at the white kitchen island. Walls are painted with Little Greene, with fabrics from Casamance and Romo.
The result: the house finished ahead of schedule, the interior ready from day one
The house was finished several months ahead of schedule. Because everything had been ordered well in advance, Choc Studio could furnish the interior the moment the house was ready.
Petra: “Wow, it was even more beautiful than I’d imagined. This house just has good vibes, we enjoy coming home to it every day.”
This project was published in Stijlvol Wonen (Summer 2014). Photography: Denise Zwijnen.
Starting a new build project and wondering what a difference early involvement makes? Get in touch with Choc Studio for a no-obligation introductory conversation.