WILD AT HEART

Almost everything about Loet and Martijn van der Hert’s amazing renovation was influenced by nature

- RACHEL LEEDHAM

The festive season starts early at Loet and Martijn van der Hert’s house. On 11 November, they festoon the exterior and the garden with fairy lights in preparation for the Dutch winter festival of Saint Martin. ‘This is when the neighbourhood children go up and down the streets singing and collecting sweets,’ Loet explains. ‘It was while Martijn and I were living in the US that we got into the habit of decorating the outside of the house for Christmas. Now, all of our neighbours do the same.’