Argomenti trattati
The story begins with a chance encounter in a small Amsterdam storefront where actress Carice van Houten first saw wallpapers and fabrics that sparked a full-house transformation. Already settled in a recently purchased 1918 brownstone near the city, Van Houten—who calls herself a walking color explosion—wanted a home that mirrored her eclectic temperament while remaining comfortable for everyday family life. That meeting with Nicole Dohmen, owner of the shop and founder of Atelier ND Interior, set the design process in motion and established a collaborative ethos focused on marrying exuberance with functionality.
From the outset the brief was clear: channel maximalist impulses into a coherent residence where each area feels distinctive but connected. Dohmen and her team tackled structural changes—removing partitions and an enclosed staircase to open flow—while preserving elements like the original herringbone floors that add patina and historic warmth. Rather than simply layering color at random, they developed custom palettes with paint houses and curated a mix of vintage midcentury furniture and contemporary, sculptural accents so that dramatic moments feel intentional rather than overwhelming.
Design approach and collaboration
At the heart of the renovation was a careful process of distillation: translating Van Houten’s exuberant mood board into rooms that support daily life. Dohmen describes this as a balancing act—helping her client keep the energy while deciding which elements should take center stage. The team experimented with custom tints, settling on signatures like a soft blush for the entry and a purple Kvadrat carpet that anchored the living room. These choices were supported by technical decisions—custom paint blends by IJM Studio, trim contrasts using RAL shades, and sourced lighting—so that the house reads as a considered composition rather than a collage.
Room-by-room highlights
Public rooms: entry, living, dining, and kitchen
The home’s entry sets the tone with a delicate blush that functions as a warm neutral and a palette springboard. In the living room, Dohmen let a purple Kvadrat carpet dictate scale and coloring, then layered seating that mixes a Baxter sofa with vintage pieces by Afra and Tobia Scarpa and sculptural side tables. The dining area—nicknamed the Glass House because of its large panes and greenhouse past—uses layered drapery and a sculptural table by Sabine Marcelis to create a theatrical but livable eating zone. The kitchen takes a quieter route: earthy cabinetry painted in Invisible Green and an island softened by Farrow & Ball’s Mouse’s Back, while capiz shell pendants and a Calacatta marble counter introduce subtle glamour and violet veining.
Workspaces and playful niches
Small-scale rooms allowed the designers to be bolder: Guy Pearce’s office is drenched in a custom chartreuse tint that reads energized in tight quarters, while a second study uses a cheerful Sulfur Yellow (RAL) with claret trim to link cabinets and upholstery. A tucked-in stairwell nook became an intentional hideaway featuring Jim Thompson fabric and a vintage Ligne Roset chair—an example of how a quirky corner was elevated to a purposeful destination rather than an afterthought.
Private rooms: bedrooms and bathrooms
The primary bedroom leans into graphic pattern and organic shapes, a nod to Memphis-style form without feeling retro pastiche. A Vispring bed upholstered in pink Pierre Frey mohair and a Pontefract paint tone create a restful warmth, while the adjoining primary bathroom shifts to a muted caramel scheme with Winckelmans tiles and a vintage Ettore Sottsass mirror for understated calm. Guest and kids’ spaces embrace personality—the guest room’s House of Hackney floral reads funky rather than sentimental, and the children’s bathroom uses undulating tiles from Madarin Stone to bring movement and visual depth that actually enlarges the room.
Material choices and living with color
Throughout the project, contrasts matter: antique and contemporary, saturated and neutral, bold textile patterning next to pale walls. Fixtures and fittings—like a mint green Art Deco sink sourced from Affaire d’Eau, a Quooker tap in the kitchen, and vintage lighting—tie design moments together. Importantly, the family reports that the house’s vibrancy becomes enveloping rather than jarring: what reads as exuberant on a mood board feels cohesive and lived-in once inhabited. The renovation demonstrates how intentional color strategy, thoughtful sourcing, and structural clarity can turn a historic shell into a home that is both theatrical and practical.
In the end, the collaboration between Van Houten and Atelier ND achieved a rare balance: spaces that indulge a love of color and character while allowing daily rhythms—work, play, rest—to unfold naturally. The result is a home that welcomes curiosity, invites conversation, and proves that fearless pieces and well-chosen neutrals can coexist in harmony.