The Stained Glass in This Historic Apartment in the Hague Is Stunning

“When I accepted the job offer to work in Amsterdam, I thought that at least if the job itself didn’t work out, I could at least take photos of pretty canals, nice food places, and of course bikes outside of work,” Jim begins. “But it didn’t take long to settle in to the city and I started to really love it! The Dutch work/life balance was a total upgrade from London, and I’ve met some really great friends along the way, too.”

“However, like many of the world’s cities, Amsterdam’s house prices have also rocketed in recent years with competition for even the smallest of apartments at at all-time high. Over time, I was also beginning to feel a bit stuck in my life. The city was becoming smaller and I needed to shake the snow globe a bit again to keep things fresh,” Jim continues.

“After eight years of renting in Amsterdam (and finally paying off my 20s), I decided to start looking for a place of my own.  My search also coincided with meeting my partner, and after a year of juggling train timetables between cities to meet up, I decided to move a bit closer to him in the Hague.” 

Jim explains that the Hague is “a really nice mix of historical architecture, and an eclectic mix of shops, bars, and restaurants while also enjoying good travel connections to Schiphol Airport for trips home and 40 minutes to Amsterdam by train for work. It’s also about 30% cheaper to buy here, and the choice of housing stock and less competition for housing compared to Amsterdam made it a pretty appealing option, too.”

“Aside from love, the biggest draw for me was the Hague’s close proximity to the beach. Growing up on Ireland’s dramatic Causeway Coast, I’ve always hoped that a home by the coast would be possible one day.”

“I’ve sacrificed a lot to live in big, cosmopolitan cities close to my work, so the Hague now thankfully offers me a really nice balance. The apartment is around a 15-minute bike ride away from the coast — something I never dreamed of being able to achieve in the U.K. or London, given my tight budget, so it makes it super special actually.”

• Nockeby Sofa — IKEA
• Coffee Table — Das Gaaf
• Shelving Unit — IKEA
• Magazine Rack — Zara Home
• Black Chrome Chair — H&M Home
• Green Swivel Chair — IKEA
• Chrome Lamp — H&M Home
• Chrome Vase — H&M Home
• Cactus Watering Can — IKEA
• Circle Storage Boxes — HAY
• Blanket — Arket
• Print — Sue Doeksen
• Fisherman Tapestry — Vintage Store
• Orange Blown Glass Ball Vases — Venice Glass Atelier
• Rhino G-No Toy — G-Star RAW
• Teepee Lamp — Sprinkelhop
• Floor Lamp — HAY x IKEA
• TV — Samsung Frame

• Zuiver Table and Dutchbone Westlake Chairs — Loods5
• Platsa Wardrobes — IKEA
• Ring Lamp — IKEA
• Sputnik Lamp — Marktplaats
• Yellow side table — Xenos
• Ribbed Glass Vase — Kwantum 
• Disco Ball — Vintage Store

• Table — Home24

• Clock — IKEA
• Storage Jars — IKEA
• Cabinets — IKEA

BEDROOM

• Tess Light — Karwei
• Bed — IKEA
• Chair — IKEA

• Wall Mirror — IKEA
• Storage Cabinet — Praxis

Thanks, Jim!

This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.

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