An artist's RESIDENCE

Rustic details and a restrained palette lend a sense of simplicity to this lovingly restored Friesian bakery

- ANDRÉ REUTER

Although they were not actively looking for a new house when they set off on a cycling holiday around their home region of Friesland eight years ago, Pauline Kick and her husband Hans admit they had often talked about their next move. 'But as our 'dream home' had a long list of requirements, we assumed it would remain a dream,' Pauline explains. So the moment they noticed a 'For sale' sign on an old, canalside bakery in the small town of IJlst, it felt like fate had lent a hand. Situated at the very edge of the historic centre, and dating back to the 17th century, the building seemed to have 'fallen out of time', Pauline recalls, and they hopped off their bikes to take a closer look.

Peering through the large, original windows, they spotted terracotta-tiled floors, beamed ceilings and antique Friesian tiles running behind the kitchen sink. Better still, through the windows at the back, they could make out a wildly romantic garden. On returning from their trip, they eagerly looked up the property online, only to discover it was beyond their budget. Although disappointed, they couldn't forget about it, says Hans, explaining that he kept returning to the ad and was quick to respond when, a few weeks later, he noticed the price had been reduced.

Apart from modernising the bathroom, updating the kitchen and installing a woodburning stove, very little has changed. 'We kept the original layout,' says Pauline. "That's why there's no hallway. When you walk through the front door, you're standing in the middle of our living room, because that's where the shop used to be.'