Restored Dilapidated House and Started Living There

"When we first saw our future home, I immediately fell in love with its wide windows and spacious porch," recalls Holly Mather, the owner of this house in Holland. "But my husband Dirk only saw rotting floors and old wooden frames. It was not easy to convince him to buy this treasure."

The now "worn-out" three-story house has been transformed into a modern cottage. The renovation was done in two stages. In the first two weeks, Holly and Dirk demolished the guest bathroom and laundry room to free up more space, replaced the deteriorated floors with oak parquet boards, plastered the walls and painted them white. After that, the family moved in right away. That's when things got really interesting.

Living in a house where walls are being demolished — a bad idea. Add a five-year-old child and pregnancy to the mix — it becomes twice as bad a plan. But we made it work.

Interior design in the house was handled by Holly. As a designer, she loved it. Dirk, an engineer-robotics specialist, made sure every detail was functional and practical. Agreement wasn't always easy.

Over time, we realized that from us came a good team. Dirk helped me not overstuff the house with interior items, and I helped him — not turn the house into a soulless space. In the end, it turned out great!

After moving in, the couple replaced all the furniture and started with the kitchen. They installed a long kitchen cabinet with bamboo facades and spent on a six-meter marble countertop. The dining area was assembled from a long wooden table and a collection of antique chairs.

The living room and kitchen in the house are combined. However, using contrast between the dark kitchen and monochrome beige living room color scheme, the space is divided into zones. Where the guest bathroom, which the couple demolished, once stood, Holly and Dirk installed panoramic doors leading to the porch.

The girls' bedroom is the most vibrant room in the house. There's a lot of color and patterns, while white walls and floor create a harmonious blend of all shades. Holly was inspired by her favorite Moroccan rug for such a bright room.

I bought it many years ago, but there was no place for it anywhere. In the girls' room, it fit perfectly.

Holly and Dirk's bedroom is simple and cozy, as intended. The couple finally came to a common understanding: they didn't want to overload the room with unnecessary details and bright colors.