My Houzz: Copper Tones Warm an Amsterdam Apartment
http://www.decor-ideas.org 12/30/2013 23:24 Decor Ideas
Alarm bells start to sound whenever Kees de Zwart sees copper accessories. The 53-year-old financial service employee at TomTom is proud of his newest acquisition, a copper lamp for the hallway. De Zwart has a knack for finding beautiful objects in unlikely places — including windows he passes by.
But for creating coherence and context in his 549-square-foot Amsterdam apartment, he sought the help of interior designer Anja Hesp and contractor René Koomen. De Zwart’s vision was to have a robust, manly, modern, but not-too-sleek interior. One year after remodeling and redecorating, he is smitten with his new home.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Kees de Zwart
Location: Amsterdam
Size: 51 square meters (549 square feet); 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
Interior designer Hesp needed a starting point, so she suggested a copper-colored accent wall. De Zwart couldn’t envision it but with a little persuasion gave in to the idea. After two weeks with a wallpaper sample on the wall, the outspoken hue grew on him and he was sold. He recognizes now that it adds warmth and depth to the small space, but also a bit of opulence and sophistication. This marked the beginning of his copper crush.
Wallpaper: Arte from de Mooiste Muren
To avoid having the place feel too moody, Anja advised de Zwart to paint the dark wooden floors white. At first he was a bit hesitant but eventually took a brush and did it himself.
Copper chairs: HK Living via Wonenmetlef; transparent chairs: Tobias, Ikea; table: Lloyd via Greenwich Village
De Zwart wanted a large, robust couch with a well-worn feel to it. Hesp introduced him to a leather sofa from Loods 5 that took some getting used to. “I was put off by the slim legs,” he says. But once de Zwart saw the sofa in real life, he started to appreciate the soft leather, cognac brown hue and deep seats. The piece is now one of his favorite spots at home.
De Zwart has had the crystal and brass chandelier since college. “When I was a student back in the ‘80s, I told my parents I wanted a chandelier,” he says. “One day they passed a random home, looked inside the window, and the chandelier caught their eye. They plucked up courage and just knocked on the stranger’s door, asking if they could buy the chandelier for their son. The rest is history.”
Floor lamp: Nick-Knack by Philips
In the space above the sofa, de Zwart displays a collection of painted plates titled “Hollandse Nieuwe,” part of the Altered Perspectives series from Little Owl.
With his new minimal decor and furnishings, de Zwart had to declutter and edit down his accessories. “It taught me that less is indeed more,” he says. The bookshelf has a graphic and industrial appearance, and pairs well with the table and copper-colored chairs.
Shelf: U-shelf, Anno Design via Mono Amsterdam (now Mesimu)
De Zwart saw the distressed emerald green console in the window of a flower shop, where it was being used as a prop, and convinced the shopkeeper to sell it to him. It now functions as a small writing table.
This British steampunk-style lamp is from Folksy. Paired with a copper cup, it feeds de Zwart’s metal urges.
It’s hard to imagine, but this wall used to be covered with a floor-to-ceiling built-in wooden bookcase, made by the former owner. “There also used to be a door, but our contractor, René Koomen, opened up the space,” de Zwart says.
Instead of concealing the central heating pipelines, de Zwart chose to make use of them in the design, painting them in a copper hue. Now they add a subtle industrial feeling to the space.
On top of the TV console is another of de Zwart’s window finds. “I used to live in the red light district, where I often passed a window of a creative gallery with this particular piece on display,” he says. One day de Zwart decided to ask whether he could buy it. “The statue was not for sale, but after some bargaining I became the proud owner. There was one condition though: I could only have it if I wouldn’t transport it in a box, and if I would carry it with its face forward. So that’s what I did.”
TV cabinet: Sideboard, BoConcept
In a corner next to the couch is another copper lamp de Zwart selected for its unique form and hue.
Cushions: Westwing; lamp: Pine cone, BoConcept
Remodeling the kitchen was a big undertaking. When de Zwart moved in, it was cramped and the cabinets were dated. Koomen rebuilt everything, sourcing items from Bruynzeel Keukens, repositioning the gas and water pipes, tiling the backsplash and enlarging the door opening.
Copper vase: HK Living
De Zwart wanted enough storage but was also insistent about having an open shelf for easy access. The new design ensures both.
A vintage cabinet de Zwart already owned, painted the same hue as the fridge, serves as cookbook storage.
Refrigerator: Smeg via Wehkamp
This dark chocolate hue was inspired by a photo de Zwart once saw in a Dutch magazine. He wanted to create the same mood as in the picture but with a different print. “The Amsterdam Rijksmuseum recently launched the Rijksstudio, where a collection of masterpieces are made public for downloading, so the public can print it and create their own gallery at home,” says de Zwart. The self-portrait of Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen from 1533 sparked his interest.
Paint: Pure series by Flexa
To make an old cabinet blend in, de Zwart painted it the same hue as the wall — a perfect solution for a narrow space.
On top of the cabinet, de Zwart showcases his newfound copper lamp and a small collection of art pieces. The aboriginal art on the wall is from a gallery in Sydney.
Lamp: Barefoot by Leitmotiv via DOTshop
De Zwart’s book collection used to be in the living room but now has a spot in the knee-high open bookcases by Ikea.
Bed: De Boxspringfabriek; bookcase: Expedit, Ikea; duvet: House in Style
At the foot of his bed is an old table used to display another Buddha statue and a favorite vintage painting.
See more photos of this home | Show us your home!
Browse more homes by style:
Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Eclectic Homes | Modern Homes | Contemporary Homes | Midcentury Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Barn Homes | Townhouses | Apartments | Lofts | Vacation Homes
More: 15 Ways to Design with Copper
Related Articles Recommended
Related Images Recommend
