Name: Brittni
Location: Java Island, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
In 2008 I quit my job as a graphic designer in Minneapolis, MN and moved to the Netherlands with 2 suitcases to be with my now Dutch husband. At that time, I was waiting on a work visa, so I had no other option then to go thrifting (of course) and make ourselves a new home with very little money.
Our apartment is on Java Island, which feels like a small oasis in the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam. When we look out our kitchen windows we are directly looking at the IJ River and can watch all the ships pass by. On the other side of our house the river is made for swimming so it's very busy in the summer with kids and families playing in the water.
Because The Netherlands can be very gray and rainy, especially when you only see gray water below, it was important that our house have lots of color inside so no matter what the weather conditions we still feel uplifted.
Almost everything we own is second hand, and we've focused on adding some newer/designer pieces which we want to keep in our lives and pass down to our children. We know the purchase is worth it if we're willing to ship it to the states if we ever move back one day.
One of our favorite items is our kitchen table, by the Dutch designer Piet Hein. And we have a lot of memories trying to get furniture home strapped to the back of our bikes and maneuvering our way through the crowded streets of Amsterdam.
I hope you enjoy these small snippets of our home.
Thanks, Brittni!
Visit Brittni's Blog: Dash and Verve
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(Images: via Brittni)
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Such a cute place! Oddly enough, the mauvey carpet works.
The color is AMAZING. It looks like you simply set out to be fun and quirky rather than to stick to a budget. Nicely done.
I had the same question @sophieto... not really my cup of tea, but the colors are very cheery. I hope you're very happy there.
You wouldn't get me out of that kitchen with that window and the view you describe! Cute place.
would you mind sharing your blue wall color? it is beautiful!
Ahh! the quintessential Dutch black and white linonleum floor! How I've missed it. And carting everything on a bike - the Dutch put EVERYTHING on a bike. Bookshelves, beds, you name it and it comes along. Love the colours and the energy.
lovely and calm. you did a great job sifting through the thrift ~ I remembering thrifting in Amsterdam .
Is that a dish rack the vinyl is displayed in? Good idea. I love this, such a fun home.
I love it! This place makes me very happy :) Great job
I would love to see more!
It is surprising to see such a bold color in a Dutch house! I also have a Dutch husband and while he might wear the loudest colors, he was unused to having bold colors on walls. Now his clothes have toned down and we have a yellow and white striped wall. :) Great way to bring happy into the gray!
Thank you all for your wonderful comments. I was enjoying a vacation in Iceland when I saw our apartment was featured and was absolutely thrilled.
Indeed, if you know the Dutch, it's hard to come by bold color on walls or anywhere in the home so I'm glad my hubby was willing to trust me. And it's so fun to see how our place continues to evolve.
@CHASGWEN79 I will get back to you with our wall color. I need to dig through some stuff to try and find.
Thanks again!