Everything about this 1970s house was brown at first. “The flooring, the walls, the ceiling. That which was brown,” Manon van Niel says. When she and her husband, Ruud, purchased a tomato farm at Westland, the Netherlands, they were not sure they wanted to dwell in the outdated house that came as part of their property. But through a home improvement, Manon, a professional organizer, transformed the house to a light-filled, modern space her household is now pleased to call home.
in a Glance
Who lives here: Manon and Ruud van Niel and their two daughters, Quinty and Sterre
Location: Westland, the Netherlands
Size: 220 square meters (2,368 square feet); 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, studio space
Holly Marder
Space has been the priority in this renovation, so the family bumped out the dining area for additional light and space in the living area.
“In the six years we have dwelt here, my personality has changed a whole lot,” Manon says. Her country-chic style combines design aesthetics from classical to modern. To help organize her recently expanded space, Manon layered in large announcement bits against a neutral color palette.
Sofas: Kivik, Ikea
Holly Marder
A warm shade of gray, white highlights and pale walnut flooring provide a warm welcome.
Holly Marder
A set of Moroccan lanterns contrasts with a large country-style cabinet the couple purchased when they were newlyweds. Through the years, Manon gave the storage device a pretty and practical update by painting the pinewood a fresh white and incorporating shelves.
Holly Marder
The living room furniture is arranged for comfy television viewing around a potbelly stove. A true longhorn cow skull in Fort Worth, Texas, hangs above the stove. The product was brought back from among several trips the Dutch household takes to the United States.
Holly Marder
Manon picked a dramatic black because the accent color in the dining area. New, large windows open up the room, and floor-to-ceiling curtains make the ceiling look higher.
Holly Marder
“Every two years that I paint the walls, as my design keeps shifting,” Manon says. It is difficult to imagine the house with its original brown carpeting, ceilings and walls. This view from the dining room addition demonstrates where a wall separating the kitchen in the living room was knocked out.
Holly Marder
Shadows from pendant lights that Manon made from inexpensive baskets add texture to the compact kitchen.
Holly Marder
The couple’s 8-year-old daughter, Sterre, enjoys her womanly bedroom of light pink, floral lace and prints accents. Dutch firm Wood Fever constructed this custom made bed for Sterre, with built in storage drawers beneath the mattress and wardrobes on both ends. Manon painted the wood paneling white.
Bedding: Pip; Calamine, Farrow & Ball
Holly Marder
The couple’s 13-year-old daughter, Quinty, has an equally feminine bedroom that reflects her love of blue. Quinty battled cancer at a really young age, and after she completed her treatments, Manon gave her room a new look for a sign of a new start.
The vintage chandelier has been a thrift store purchase, which Manon upgraded with paint and tiny fabric-covered lampshades.
Bed: Leirvik, Ikea
Holly Marder
The family’s home office has enough room for the women to do their assignments and also for Manon and Ruud to utilize it as a workspace.
Holly Marder
The high-contrast master bedroom comprises 2 stunning photos from Cambodia taken by Manon’s cousin, a travel guide and photographer. When the couple hosted a going-away party for her, then she thanked them by allowing them to choose two of her photos to have printed on canvas.
Paint color: Oval Room Blue, Farrow & Ball; pendants: Candledrops, Zuiver
Holly Marder
An accent wall of black patterned wallpaper adds contrast and texture, and helps the wall-mounted TV to blend in the background.
Manon loathed the white antique dresser she inherited from her grandmother. A spacious walk-in cupboard is located behind the white portrait doors.
Holly Marder
To make more room in the master bathroom, the couple opened the original slanted ceiling and added a dividing wall in the center of the room, with the shower on one side and the bathroom on the other.
Straightforward Ikea cabinets function as his-and-her sink vanities, even though the few intends to replace them shortly.
Holly Marder
Holly Marder
Westland is popularly referred to as the produce and flower region of South Holland. Large potted plants line the greenhouse, in which the household grows berries. A huge studio area sits off the courtyard, between the house and the greenhouse.
Holly Marder
Manon exercises her creative power in this black and white studio, complete with a kitchenette. Here she creates things for your house, such as cushions, clothing, accessories and gifts for your girls’ rooms.
As a professional organizer with her own business, Organize Your residence, Manon also holds here.
Holly Marder
On the exterior, immaculate garden beds of lavender and mondo grass pair with tidy paving. In this image, you can see the dining room extension.
Holly Marder
The household has a swimming pool at the front yard, a rarity in the Netherlands.
Holly Marder
Here is Manon, at home in her living area. The house has come a long way since she first stepped on the property six decades ago, but now, she says,”I love it here!”
View more photographs of this van Niel home
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