Old House, Modern Attitude

Taking on the challenge of a listed property, Antoinette and Lars van der Berg opted to highlight its assets without feeling tied to its historic style

Living room

‘This room has French doors on two sides, which let in plenty of light, and the high ceilings make it feel open, too,’ says Antoinette. ‘We’ve kept the window dressings simple with natural linen curtains.’

BUY THE KEY PIECES

Vilborg curtains, £29 a pair, Ikea, are a match. Bridgeport coffee table trunk, £155.99, Wayfair, is similar

After living in the US for a few years, the van der Berg family moved back to their house in the Netherlands, which had been rented out during their absence. ‘It felt like we’d completely outgrown the space, though,’ says Antoinette. ‘But I had my eye on this house, which was just across the road and much bigger. It had extensive grounds, including a swimming pool, hockey pitch and an orchard. I loved the idea of cooking with home-grown fruit and nuts!’ So naturally, when the place came up for sale, Antoinette put a call in to the estate agent.

‘When it came to the renovations, we had clear ideas of what we wanted to do and we planned it all out in detail,’ says Antoinette. The house is a listed property, not just because of the building itself, but because of its location in a conservation area. ‘The work took six months. We’re happy with it and have put a lot of thought into making it the wonderful home it is. It’s minimalistic in style, but warm and welcoming – it’s like a comfort blanket. With the children now away at school, we intend to relax and enjoy it for as long as possible – until it’s time to move somewhere smaller.’

Breakfast room