Sweet Pastels

Soft colours and soothing tones complemented by natural furnishings define this townhouse in the Netherlands

- Christina Gossmann

Shades of pink and turquoise and lots of fresh flowersgive this bright family home a summer atmosphereall year round. Along a quiet street, among neat red-bricked houses with terraces, sits a townhouse that is home to Ilonka, Eric and their daughter, Pleun. The couple had dreamt of owning a home in the Nijmegen neighbourhood, so as soon as one came on the market they snapped it up and have lived there for almost 20 years.

However, their first impression was anything but positive. The house had not been renovated for a long time and was in quite a bad condition. It was also very dark, but when they pulled back the curtains and let in the light, Ilonka and Eric started to see the possibilities. They got the keys in 1998 and began the extensive renovation process right away. Both Ilonka’s and Eric’s fathers are handy men and the two worked as a team five days a week to replace the electricity lines and water pipes around the house and installed a new kitchen for the couple.

After six months, the house was completely renovated and Ilonka and Eric could move in. Since then, the family has grown to include their daughter Pleun, now 17, and they’ve expanded the house by 15 square metres, with a spacious and bright dining area leading to the courtyard. More recently, they’ve added a new kitchen to replace the one their fathers helped create.