My Houzz: White Interiors Brighten a Dutch Cottage
Tessa Weerdenburg jumped at the chance to buy a country cottage in the Netherlands right next to one owned by her parents, where her family spent summers when she was a kid. Now she's able to keep the tradition going with her three daughters.
But while the location was ideal — about a two-hour drive from her family's primary residence in Pijnacker — the interior felt compact, dated and dark. The house has only two bedrooms for a family of five, so Weerdenburg needed a way to make the space feel larger. White paint and budget-friendly furniture saved the day.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: This is a vacation home for Martin and Tessa Weerdenburg and daughters Lieve, Bente and Roos.
Location: Drenthe, the Netherlands
Size: 70 square meters (about 753 square feet); 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
The couple first added a few coats of white paint to the existing dark wood trim around the windows to match the white walls. This immediately made their compact living room look and feel larger.
They created built-in-looking units by combining three white Billy bookcases from Ikea, then customized those by adding doors.
Sectional: Månstad, Ikea; coffee table: Rex; storage unit, armchair, blanket: Ikea; rug: Perletta Carpets; stool: Hema; cushion: Tas-Ka; stool: Kruk Tess
Weerdenburg warmed all the white with a few light wooden accents, like at this workstation, where her daughters like to read and write. "I didn't want it to look particularly styled, but I did want it to have a light and bright look and feel, like a Swedish summer cottage," she says.
The couple repurposed an old TV stand from their primary home to create bench seating in a simple breakfast corner. The bench stores toys and board games. New white window blinds add privacy while maintaining a light and airy cottage feel.
Pendant light: Brasa, frame ledge: Ribba, both by Ikea
While the kitchen cabinets are original, the couple updated the countertop and faucet with newer models.
They added this glass Ikea cabinet to store additional dishes. Weerdenburg swapped out the stock knobs with leather handles that she designed.
Cabinet: Hemnes, Ikea
A central electric fireplace in the living room heats the cottage during cooler months.
Two original slim closets flank a full-size bed in the main bedroom. The couple added Besta cabinets from Ikea to fit in between. A ledge displays framed photographs from family vacations.
Tray: Kruk Tess, Nu interieur | ontwerp; bedding: Ofelia Vass, Ikea; cushion: Tas-Ka; lights: Tral, Ikea
In such a compact space, the family tries to keep accessories to a minimum to avoid clutter.
Bag: Tas-ka; lamp: Tral, Ikea
Their three daughters share the other bedroom. “My parents had four children, and we all shared a room in their cottage," says Weerdenburg. "If needed, we can always put up a tent in the garden, or use the garden shed to create an extra sleeping space.”
Bed linens: Tas-ka; pendant: Ikea; beds: custom
Weerdenburg customized the built-in closet with a single cognac brown leather handle. On one of the walls, the girls hung their favorite pictures and art projects using washi tape.
See more about tape's usefulness in decorating
The couple recently added this storage shed to their lush green property.
A wooden gate leads to Weerdenburg's parents' cottage next door. During the autumn and winter, the family sits in chairs covered in sheepskins, lights a fire and enjoys evenings gazing up at the stars while sipping hot chocolate.
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