Voorschoten

This stately, late 19th-century house is located in the centre of the Dutch village of Voorschoten. All the historic elements, such as the ornamental ceilings, the panelling in the hall, the sliding doors between the living room and the garden room, and the old parquet floor, have been preserved.

Marcel Wolterinck: “The use of pure materials in combination with sober, earthy colours produces an air of tranquillity and balance. The interior woodwork elements, such as the window frames and doors, have been given a dark brown colour, and the parquet floors are also dark in colour. The owners clearly stated that the rest of the interior should be light and practical. The furniture and the textiles are in a variety of grey/beige shades. Furthermore, nonchalant sofas and chairs were chosen, with tables in lighter shades of wood, and woollen or pony-skin carpets.”
Every room on the ground floor has cupboards which have been designed to feature lots of drawers and shelving for books. Oak is the principal wood sort – brushed and whitewashed, stained in an anthracite tint and finished with a transparent matt varnish. An exceptional detail is the cupboard in the garden room, with its inbuilt gas fireplace, which is a brown-grey colour with a vivid, fresh contrast.