Dutch Houzz: A Run-Down Nursery Estate is Back in Full Bloom
With some TLC, a former nursery estate is transformed into a bright and welcoming family home
The town of Boskoop, in the Netherlands, is famous for its fruits, shrubs and perennials. Over 750 local nurseries still operate along strips of land separated by narrow canals. Historically, the nursery owners built grand homes on their properties while their employees lived in row houses across the street. One of these historic homes was purchased by Olaf Ooijevaar and Iris Bakker in 1992 and was badly in need of repair. “The plaque on the house reads ‘Huize Houtworm’, which translates to ‘Woodworm Estate’,” Bakker says. “There were holes in the roof and woodworms everywhere.”
The bright blue front door is located at the side of the house.
The neighbouring piece of land is still owned and operated by commercial growers. A row of homes that were once workers’ cottages line the field.
A barn-like structure stands behind the house and is used for various social gatherings. “I like to have things used,” Bakker says. “We always let people use the shed for parties, meetings and events.”
AFTER: The walls are painted in several layers of varying shades of green paint. The colour of the walls changes dramatically throughout the day.
Ferrolight Spoetnik 10-arm pendant: Brink Light
Ferrolight Spoetnik 10-arm pendant: Brink Light
Dandelions and other flowers from the garden create a colourful dining table centrepiece.
Saar, the family dog, rests after a run in the fields.
Natural light pours into the living room through tall, wide windows.
Sofa: Eurohome; blue chairs: de Bijenkorf
Sofa: Eurohome; blue chairs: de Bijenkorf
Ooijevaar made these ceramic tulips by hand. He uses a pottery kiln in the barn.
Tall pocket doors separate the dining room and the living room.
The glass cabinet in the living room is full of the family’s collections. Ooijevaar owns a 1973 Citroën that is similar in design to the white model car on the top shelf.
A Day of Freedom plate from the end of World War II is part of the couple’s collection of pottery.
Ooijevaar inherited these china cups and plates from his parents.
BEFORE: When the couple purchased the house in 1992, the kitchen was dull and dated.
AFTER: Today, the kitchen is a bright and welcoming space. The fridge is located under the benchtop and rolls out using the drawer pull.
An antique scale and containers are part of a family collection.
More antique containers line the open pantry cupboard. The majority came from Ooijevaar’s parents.
Lettering over the stove reads ‘Eigen Taart is Goud Waard’, which means ‘Your own cake is worth gold’.
A breakfast table and chairs sit along one wall in the kitchen. The black and white floor tiles spill out into the front hallway.
The door and windows are original to the house, and have been beautifully restored. An original light fixture has a place of prominence in the front hall.
The purple wall colour in the hallway changes colour as the natural light in the room changes, looking dark blue in the evening. Decorative details in the house, including the door frames and banister post, were painted to show off the flower shapes carved into the wood.
Bakker is seen here with Saar in the back of their property, where she built a secluded bench.
While renovating, the homeowners kept a scrapbook of the house, filled with ‘before’ photos, notes and samples of the original wallpaper.
Who lives here: Olaf Ooijevaar, Iris Bakker, daughters Kristal, 22, and Daphne, 20, and Irish setter Saar
Location: Boskoop, the Netherlands
Size: 195 square metres; 3 bedrooms, 1½ bathrooms
Property size: 9,000 square metres
Year built: 1910
A view of the house from the main road, showing the canal in front. A slender bridge connects the road to the driveway.