A Self-Professed “Trash Queen’s” Amsterdam Flat Is Full of Secondhand Gems

published Apr 4, 2024

A Self-Professed “Trash Queen’s” Amsterdam Flat Is Full of Secondhand Gems

published Apr 4, 2024
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Bedrooms
Square feet

754

Sq ft

754

Megan Burmeister and her boyfriend, Justin, have been renting this two-bedroom apartment in Amsterdam’s Museum Quarter for three months, and pay €1850 (about $2,003) a month. “My background is in fashion design but after falling in love with decorating my previous rental, I decided to retrain as an interior designer,” she begins. “Now I’m working to build my portfolio whilst decorating my apartment and home studio. My boyfriend, Justin, is a tattooist, specializing in naïve-style flash tattoos. He’s also very handy, so together we do all our own renovations.”

“Our home is cozy, colorful, and full of weird and wonderful things that make us happy. We have been lucky to have travelled a lot, so much of our home decor is from around the world,” Megan writes. “Ninety percent of the things in our home are thrifted/found on the street. I’m a self-confessed trash queen, spreading the message that secondhand can be contemporary and cool. I share a lot of our Amsterdam- and Europe-based treasure-hunt antics on my Instagram.

“I am South African and British, Justin is British, and we have been expats in Amsterdam for eight years, so making our space a home-away-from-home is mega important to us. As such, we are big on nostalgia!” Megan writes.

Our vintage Italian leopard, Lenny that Justin bought me for my Birthday one year :)

“Justin loves old-school hip-hop, has a bigger-than-average LEGO collection, and loves drinking whiskey. I am obsessed with vintage Americana and have an online concept store, Motel Bodega, where I make and sell artworks and secondhand objects to make your home feel like the ultimate staycation. With many strings to our bow, our home reflects our varied interests but mostly it’s bold, totally extra, and super cozy. We like to draw the curtains and host dinner parties with friends that feel like we’re in the dining carriage of a Wes Anderson train.”

Resources

  • Thrifted Rug — Dutchbone
  • Dining Chairs — Thrifted and Reupholstered
  • Retro Ceiling Light — Thrifted
  • Black Leather Sofa — Thrifted
  • Curtains — Self-Made
  • “Open” Light — Thrifted (Added the “Open” in Lettering Made from Electrical Tape)
  • Silver Lamp — Thrifted
  • Wooden Display Unit — Facebook Marketplace
  • Wooden Tiger — Mexico City
  • Kokeshi Doll — Tokyo

Thanks, Megan!

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