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Germany Houzz Tour: North Sea Home Brings Three Generations Close
Rustic with Scandinavian and industrial influences, this spacious home in northern Germany is a comfy retreat for all
These grandparents wanted their newly acquired house on the North Sea island of Föhr in northern Germany to be a place where the whole family could come together. Their children and grandchildren live elsewhere but visit throughout the year, so this house – conveniently located 150 metres away from the beach – now serves as a base for family get-togethers.
The layout also needed optimising. The upstairs flat, once occupied by restaurant employees, could only be reached through an outdoor staircase. So the family had a lot of work ahead of them to turn this into a comfortable family home.
The downstairs floor plan. Clockwise from top left: cloakroom; boiler room; kitchen; dining area; living area.
Implementation: freshening up an old property
A wall on the ground floor was knocked through in order to make the ground floor feel more spacious. A staircase with a steel stringer and timber steps was built in to connect it to the storey above.
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Implementation: freshening up an old property
A wall on the ground floor was knocked through in order to make the ground floor feel more spacious. A staircase with a steel stringer and timber steps was built in to connect it to the storey above.
Do you want to optimise the layout of your home? Speak to an architect on Houzz now.
The upstairs floor plan. Clockwise from top left: bathroom; hallway; bedroom; bathroom; bedroom; bedroom.
The old drywall that had divided the attic flat was also moved. This created space for three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The new layout sleeps seven.
The old drywall that had divided the attic flat was also moved. This created space for three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The new layout sleeps seven.
The kitchen before works.
The ‘70s wiring was updated, the roof insulated and the outer walls covered in calcium silicate board for better thermal comfort indoors. The house was also connected to district heating.
The ‘70s wiring was updated, the roof insulated and the outer walls covered in calcium silicate board for better thermal comfort indoors. The house was also connected to district heating.
The attic before works.
The bottom floor is split-level because there is a partial cellar underneath.
Certain original features – such as the timber ceiling beams – were kept. “They were hidden before,” says Grotheer. “We then built an entirely new ceiling including screed for heating and engineered wood.” The old cross-beams were reinforced in places with steel supports. “We preferred to keep the original beams and add something new next to them.”
Certain original features – such as the timber ceiling beams – were kept. “They were hidden before,” says Grotheer. “We then built an entirely new ceiling including screed for heating and engineered wood.” The old cross-beams were reinforced in places with steel supports. “We preferred to keep the original beams and add something new next to them.”
“We left the window openings the way they were,” says Grotheer, however they replaced the old frames with wood. This made it possible to return to the shade of green they had once been painted. “Moreover, we recreated the original door, which we discovered in a historical photo.”
The experts returned to similar shades of green throughout the interior. They used J3.14.63 from Sikkens on the bedroom walls, while the grey-green of the windows, stairs and bookcase is L0.05.55.
Materials: lasting and wear-resistant
The owners requested that simple materials, which would work well for all the generations, be used in the decor. “Moreover, they needed to be resistant to wear,” says Grotheer. “If the grandchildren want to use the house for a party, there should be no worries that the surfaces will suffer.”
The owners requested that simple materials, which would work well for all the generations, be used in the decor. “Moreover, they needed to be resistant to wear,” says Grotheer. “If the grandchildren want to use the house for a party, there should be no worries that the surfaces will suffer.”
They also requested inexpensive materials. “We decided on softwood floors and sanded screed. The latter is cheaper than tile flooring.”
The screed also has a certain industrial charm. “Here we used materials that suit the building’s history,” says Grotheer. “Hence the metal features, for example.”
In the bathroom they used a lime cement- and rosin-based screed called Futado from manufacturer Volimea, which is suitable for wet areas. “The advantage over tile is that the surface is seamless and you can create a clean seal underneath,” the architect says. “With its light raw-velvety surface, it is moreover better than [other] screeds, because it is more durable and slip-resistant.”
The dining table in the open-plan living area was commissioned from a carpenter and painted in the green shade that reappears throughout the interior.
Interior: open and cosy
He describes the decor as a mix of the rustic feel of the existing building as well as Scandinavian and industrial influences. “We wanted to capture the industrial look of a workshop,” says Grotheer, “which is why we chose bookshelves that look like industrial shelving”.
The rest of the built-ins were made to be as plain and restrained as possible. “They should recede into the background, so that the spaciousness of the interiors is more noticeable.”
Interior: open and cosy
He describes the decor as a mix of the rustic feel of the existing building as well as Scandinavian and industrial influences. “We wanted to capture the industrial look of a workshop,” says Grotheer, “which is why we chose bookshelves that look like industrial shelving”.
The rest of the built-ins were made to be as plain and restrained as possible. “They should recede into the background, so that the spaciousness of the interiors is more noticeable.”
That’s why they went for open bookshelves, which do not visually take away from the dimensions of the space. There are also closed storage units, “for storing things like seasonal decor”, says Grotheer.
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The Wassily chairs from Marcel Breuer have belonged to the family for many years.
Most of the furniture comes from the owners. “They took apart an old holiday home in France and brought the furniture and artwork from there,” says Grotheer. “It was interesting to see the house we designed fill up with personal belongings.”
Your turn
What do you love most about this inter-generational home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the renovation conversation.
More
Do you love to see different countries’ approaches to heritage homes? See Germany Houzz Tour: High-End Luxury in Munich’s City
Most of the furniture comes from the owners. “They took apart an old holiday home in France and brought the furniture and artwork from there,” says Grotheer. “It was interesting to see the house we designed fill up with personal belongings.”
Your turn
What do you love most about this inter-generational home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the renovation conversation.
More
Do you love to see different countries’ approaches to heritage homes? See Germany Houzz Tour: High-End Luxury in Munich’s City
House at a Glance
Who holidays here: Grandparents, children and grandchildren
Size: 116 square metres
In: Wyk, island of Föhr, Germany
Architects: Grotheer Architecture
The idea: A house for everyone
When these grandparents bought this house in the centre of the village of Wyk, they wanted to create a place where the whole family could come together. Built in 1889, the house was previously used as a restaurant and was not in the best condition, as architect Sven Grotheer notes. “Not much had been done over the last decades, it was only touched up on the surface.”