Project: Canal House / Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands / Size: 115 m2 / Interior Designer: i29 / Location: Ouder-Amstel, Netherlands / Restoration: Kodde / Contractor: G.K. Visbeen & Co. / Interior Builder: Schneider Interieurbouw / Photography: Ewout Huibers
How often does a designer get to work on a house that was built in the 17th century? For most designers, probably not often. But if you practice in a city like Amsterdam, it may happen more often than you think, as the city has thousands of canal houses built during that period.
Amsterdam-based design firm i29 got the chance to convert this neglected 17th century canal house into a bright home with unexpected views and room for discovery.
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The house, located along the canals near Amstelveld, was originally built in 1675. Over the years, the neglected house had fallen into a state of near total ruin due to neglect. But over the course of more than two years, the firm worked with a team of specialists to totally transform the home.
The new interior highlights different areas in color, which provides a new perspective on the monument. Original details are variously exposed or hidden in colorful rooms. To create unexpected sight-lines and to create a spatial experience, the different spaces are connected by allowing color or finish to seamlessly blend from one space to another. In contrast to the existing structure, new interventions and finishes by i29 are clearly recognizable.
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The kitchen space on the ground floor is finished in white concrete and features light walls and a custom-designed oak kitchen and dining table. Passing through it, a green glass volume marks a hidden, fully equipped guest room with an en-suite bathroom and garden access. The kitchen is visually connected to the study room above through a gray stained oak wall, which also forms a beautiful entrance to the rooms above. That same gray continues into the living room, but in the form of a fabric wall covering for acoustics. Behind the rotating book wall in the living room, another hidden area reveals a reading or relaxation space, engulfed in a calming blue finish.
The design of the upstairs sleeping quarters radiates comfort and luxury like a true hotel experience. The master bedroom, with its original roof construction, is separated from the bathroom by a mirrored volume that encloses both the stairwell and the shower area. The shower walls are constructed with two-way mirrors, enhancing direct views of the canals. The adjacent bathroom features a traditional Japanese bath and freestanding matching sink, both in wood. All of the new and clearly-designed interventions are tailor-made for this 17th century house and blend into the existing environment, yet also raise the quality of the house to a higher level that is ready for the next generation.
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