After stumbling upon a few Dutch sites this week with an uneducated North American vantage point on The Netherlands, (I had a layover in Amsterdam once but that's it!) I began to ask myself, "What exactly defines Dutch design?"
-I loved this home tour of Haarlem resident Eline Pellinkhof over on Bloesem this week! That cross-stitch rose wall mural is the best!!
-Then found a sweet little Amsterdam shop around the corner, Het Grote Avontuur, chock full of whimsical design for home and body. I especially loved these.
-On a quest for a definition to Dutch design, I lighted upon this article written by Heather a Canadian who spent some time living in Amsterdam and wrote an informative post geared toward unknowing North Americans on the major characteristics she noticed of Dutch interiors.
Here are her top 5:
1. Large harvest dining room tables
2. Hardwood floors!
3. White. White. White.
4. Mismatched and modern.
5. Juxtaposition of old and new items.
So what would you add? What do you know of Dutch design? Is it considered Scandinavian? (Im a little confused on that one)
Maybe I can't define it exactly but I do know one thing for sure... I'm smitten. I'm imagining the flowers blooming this time of year, and people bustling in the canals, and buildings with more history than I know what to do with. Maybe I should put a trip to Holland on my to do list. Yes!
images: life abroad, lille lykke, and bloesem
love it, heather! need a little light and bright around here . . .
Posted by: kristie@thedecorologist | March 10, 2011 at 09:49 AM
totally lovin the cross stich mural too!
Posted by: Eve Peach | March 10, 2011 at 09:51 AM
OMG, I love the flower on the wall! :) What a great idea!
Posted by: Susana@citrusandorange | March 10, 2011 at 10:05 AM
That cross stitch rose is such a good idea! Maybe it's a wall sticker I wouldn't fancy painting each individual cross.
I do think it's a v similar look to Scandinavian style yes.
Luv Kat x
Posted by: Kat | March 10, 2011 at 12:38 PM
Ha, this is an easy one for me of course... First, Dutch is not Scandinavian (that is only Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark). Second, I am actually not sure if there is a typical Dutch style. From these pictures it seems as if everyone here lives in beautifully styled homes, but I am afraid that most people do not live like this. Also, the houses here have so many different styles; conservative, modern, brocante, retro, kitch.... A lot of Dutch people do like to mix and match old and new though (and so do I, as you can see on my blog) and yes, I also know a lot of people with a wooden floor and a harvest dining table. If you want to see what well read and up-to-date Dutch interior magazines present (again, this is not representative for the average Dutch home), you can check out www.vtwonen.nl, www.101woonideeen.nl or www.ariadneathome.nl. The first one even has an online archive of old issues.
Hope this is helpful. And if you ever plan a trip to Holland, please come to The Hague and drink a cup of tea at my place!
Love, Iris
Posted by: Iris | March 10, 2011 at 01:51 PM
Oh Iris!! Yes!! I should have interviewed you first before I wrote this. Thank you for stopping by to share your personal perspective on Dutch design. Its always been a mystery to me. I love that you not only gave us some fabulous links but also described the variety of homes in The Netherlands. I wonder if different areas or cities also have different design aesthetics. That is how it is here. I love deciphering the differences in styles from cities like LA to Atlanta.
Im off to check out these online magazines. I have to admit my ignorance and say although I have heard of vtwonen I didn't realize it was Dutch. Im sorry to say that I get Danish and Dutch confused alot.
Do you have images of your home on Flickr or on your blog? I would love to hear more about your personal style!!
And thank you for such a profound offer. I accept! I would love to share a cup of tea with you. Now I just need to start saving for a European vacation.
And always know that you are always welcome to come have tea with me in my home too!
Hugs...
Posted by: Heather | March 10, 2011 at 02:31 PM
Your confusion is understandable, both are small countries, especially compared to the US. Hence we do not have any real differences in aesthetics between the cities or areas.
And yes, I post about my home and styling efforts (it is a hobby, I am actually an inhouse lawyer) every other day.
Posted by: Iris | March 10, 2011 at 03:51 PM
My brother lives in Amsterdam and I've been there many times. Yes, hardwood floors, white paint, mix of modern and old-fashioned. It's dark there so much they have big windows, high ceilings, and white paint to bring in and capture the light. :-)
Posted by: Krista | March 10, 2011 at 05:46 PM
hello my friend!!! well, i can't add anything else, but i sure loved seeing these pictures you shared!!! so lovely and inspirational!!! ;) have a good day!!! twiggs
Posted by: Twiggs | March 11, 2011 at 04:53 AM
I think your pretty close with white, hardwood floors and mix-match old and new. Though, as Iris mentioned, not everyone has this great taste xD. But I guess that's normal for every country.
Dutch design normally applies to the modern design style among Dutch designers. It's quite minimalistic and quirky, Droog Design is the ultimate example of that. (http://www.droog.com/ I love their sticky lamp!) It can also be quite experimental.
The historical background of the Dutch probably has something to do with their taste. After the reformation most of the Netherlands became protestant or reformed/Calvinistic. The influence of these religions became stronger after the Dutch got rid of their Catholic Spanish/German King/Emporer in a revolution. The century that followed is known as the Dutch Golden Age, huge fortunes were made by tradesmen and others. But the Calvinist faith did not believe in personal wealth, so the rich refrained from spending to much on things like golden palaces. Even 400 years later, still a rich western European country, it's not socially acceptable to make your house look like a tiny mini-Versailles. The minimalistic, white, simple and basic style fits perfectly with this background.
Posted by: Kipsnif | March 26, 2011 at 07:11 AM