"Promstroyles"
We are building wooden houses since 1996
Your new home in the style of old Holland
Special natural conditions Holland could not help but affect the way of life of the country's inhabitants. The proximity of the sea, the humid climate and the fertile lands of the Dutch plain, located below sea level, forced the Dutch to build dams, canals and locks, and erect protective embankments (“polders”) that protected their lands from flooding.
Dutch architecture was also shaped by both the nature of its inhabitants, who were always struggling with nature, and the climate itself.
The constant struggle with water caused the appearance buildings, a special style was formed - without ostentatious luxury and bright external effects, maximally functional, thoughtful, distinguished by both practicality and decorativeness and undoubtedly possessing a unique charm.
Those who come to Dutch cities for the first time are surprised by the slope of the buildings. Some houses in Amsterdam lean forward, others lean backward. The asymmetry is visible to the naked eye. It seems that houses generally “stay on their feet” only because they cling to each other. There are many legends explaining this state of affairs. They say, for example, that houses were deliberately tilted forward to make it easier to lift loads through the windows upper floors. Or so that constant rain drips from the roof directly onto the ground, rather than flowing down the walls. But main reason, most likely, the soil became very swampy, in which the foundation piles did not hold.
Dutch half-timbered timber - a classic of European architecture
To make the pressure on the foundation more uniform and to make the building heavier during settlement, construction was carried out mainly from brick, which was then plastered and painted. Distribution of the load made it possible to build houses with several floors. However, orders and decorative elements- cornices, door portals, window frames, pilasters and the like - were made of wood using the ancient half-timbering technology widespread in Europe. On top they were covered with plaster, which protected the wood from rotting, and the plaster was whitened with lime, which gave the building a festive two-color, that is, additional elegance.
Netherlands
- this is the place where the Dutch style was born and developed, one of the practical and beautiful interiors in country style. In some countries, the Kingdom of the Netherlands is often called Holland, which is incorrect. South and North Holland are only two of the twelve provinces that make up the Kingdom of the Netherlands, although they are the most developed. Thanks to merchant shipping and the fact that South and North Holland communicated with foreign countries more than other provinces, they gained great fame outside the borders of their country.
Like the interiors of other countries, the development of the Dutch style was influenced by natural factors and the location of the country.
The Netherlands means "lower lands". This name is justified, since the entire territory of the country is located below sea level and at the mouths of large European rivers: the Rhine, Meuse, Scheldt.
In the north, the coast is washed by the North Sea. This Northern European country has always been forced to struggle with the elements of water, with adapting the coastal lowlands for life.
Hydraulic structures were constantly created - dams and dikes,
gateways and channels.
On the lands reclaimed from the ocean, buildings with a unique appearance were erected.
The Netherlands has little forest and mineral resources. The soils in the country are practically unsuitable for cultivating crops, so livestock farming developed: meat and dairy.
In addition to livestock farming, the main industries developed in the Netherlands were shipping, fishing and trade.
Development in the country began in the 17th century after liberation from Spanish rule and the emergence of the world's first bourgeois republic. The rapid construction of cities began, where oil-processing, soap-making, brewing, cloth industries and, along with them, wholesale trade developed.
A flourishing was also achieved in Dutch painting.
Too expensive land for development and its shortage led to the construction of houses closely pressed against each other.
They were made narrow, very elongated in depth.
Their facades were decorated with high pediments.
Behind the house there was usually a small courtyard. Along the banks of river branches and canals there were houses in one long row.
Driveways were built along the canals, and the embankments were planted with greenery. The houses looked picturesque among the water and greenery.
The houses were not luxurious palaces; on the contrary, everything in them was rational and economical.
However, outwardly modest, inside they were distinguished by comfort and coziness.
It was not for nothing that Peter I, who visited Holland in the 17th century, decided to build the Russian capital, St. Petersburg, according to the models of Dutch cities.
A Dutch house with a plastered and whitewashed facade against a backdrop of garden greenery looks attractive.
The interior decoration is not inferior to the exterior.
Colors used in interior design in the Dutch style: white, color eggshells, yellow, blue, a little red, ocher, brown, beige.
WALLS
Plastered and painted in colors: light ocher or pale blue.
The main thing is that the walls look light. They may not be perfectly smooth; they are plastered with coarse structural plaster and the effect of clumsily plastered walls is created. But at the same time, the comfort and atmosphere of an old village house is created.
Decorating walls with brick and artificial stone is widespread.
It is used both outside,
and inside the house.
Brickwork is used in the interior to zone space.
Also used natural stone or light brick.
The walls, like the ceiling, are often decorated decorative beams and balusters.
It is better not to use wallpaper.
Preferably natural wood parquet is used or, as an alternative, laminate that closely resembles natural wood.
Boards made from solid wood are also good on the floor.
Ceramic tiles of different sizes, similar to natural stone, are often used for flooring.
It is important that the floor is dark in color.
CEILING
Dark, to match the floor, wooden beams and the balusters will serve as decoration for the ceiling.
They are often “aged” and decorated with wood carvings. 
WINDOW
Classic Dutch windows are a frame of small glass with partitions that divide the window into squares or rectangles.
Windows are often decorated with glass painting or stained glass.
LIGHTING
Maximum used daylight.An openwork bronze chandelier is appropriate in a Dutch interior.
TILES
Interior decoration with magnificent tiles is inherent in the Dutch style.
They decorated stoves and fireplaces
and just walls in the rooms. The Dutch one is very elegant.
Skillfully made tiles look very elegant.
Blue Delft and Rotterdam carpet tiles are a unique decoration for a Dutch-style home.
The tiles were painted with scenes: landscapes, images of ships, windmills, pastures and scenes from the life of the Dutch.
TEXTILES and CARPETS
Gingham curtains
and curtains that do not block the penetration of sunlight.
Lace napkins on the shelves
Tablecloths on tables
Homespun rugs
Oriental carpets and tapestries 
Canvas covered with picturesque compositions
FURNITURE
Made from natural wood, decorated in " architectural style" This means that the appearance of the furniture reproduces the façade of the building.
The glass doors of the cupboards are divided into squares of glass, just like the windows on the façade of the building, and the sides of the cupboards are decorated with turrets and columns.
The Dutch invented a tableware rack, where beautiful blue and white dishes are placed on open or glass shelves.
Wooden chests of drawers and tables should look darkened with age or painted with paint.
There are hand-painted furniture facades.
Chairs with wicker seats.
Wicker chairs.
Chairs and armchairs covered in leather or fabric.
Dutch style furniture is often rough and massive, but comfortable and comfortable.
It cannot be said, however, that there is no place for luxury models among Dutch furniture.
The legs of tables, chairs, armchairs and sofas are made slightly curved.
Wood carving is widely used in furniture design, which gives it uniqueness and sophistication.
There are also pieces of furniture inlaid with glass, leather or metal.
ACCESSORIES
Wicker baskets
Copper products: pots,
candlesticks
and other copper interior items.
White and blue dishes in cabinets and decorative ceramic plates on the walls
Fragile porcelain figurines
Silver things.
Mirror in a dark carved frame
Hunting trophies
Old geographic Maps. Care and love for maps lives in the blood of the descendants of brave sailors.
A globe will not be out of place in a Dutch interior.
Famous Dutch paintings and engravings, framed in baguette.
Homes are decorated not only with landscapes, still lifes, portraits, but also with images interior decoration Houses. Dutch artists saw beauty in everyday things, in everyday little things. Their paintings depict such a quiet and cozy life of simple things, filled with special meaning. An example of such a painting “The Old Lady by the Fireplace” by J. Vrel, mid-17th century
or “Room in a Dutch House” by P. Janssens Eming, 1660s, “Kitchen” by P. K. van Slingeland, 1648. These works are filled with feelings and sensations of the value of ordinary Everyday life people in a simple and cozy home world.
Tulip vases,
and a variety of ceramic and porcelain products
Wall clock in lacquer case
Works of Chinese and Japanese art and decorated the home with them: vases, trays, lamps and more
In the Netherlands they love and know how to grow fresh flowers. The country is famous for its tulips, with hundreds of different types.
Everything in the interior of a Dutch house is subject to a game of contrasts: dark floors and light walls, light window sills and dark flower pots On him. At the same time, the house is in perfect harmony with the surrounding nature.
Active navigation and trade of the Netherlands with many countries influenced the life and way of life of the local population. The exoticism of distant countries, the sophistication and sophistication of France, Italy and Flanders (close neighbors) have found their place in the culture and everyday life of the people of the Netherlands.
Dutch-style house designs are unmistakable. Amazingly beautiful facades, expressive brickwork, unusual windows... This Joyce & Jeroen house on an old street in The Hague, the Netherlands, is no different from its neighbors from the facade. However, the studio Personal Architecture in 2012 she gave him a back glass wall and modern elegant interior. We invite our readers to evaluate bold ideas architects.
Employees of Personal Architecture said that they had to strengthen the foundation and structure of the building so that the reconstruction would not turn into a banal redecorating. This opened up vast possibilities for design.
The combination of an ambitious vision for the project and boundless trust from clients helped create the idea for the renovation. The decisive factors, of course, were the wishes of the customers, including the desire to preserve the ancient brickwork, the shape of the windows and the unique layout of the house. However, there is concern about the result of the combination of ancient building structures and modern construction technologies was still preserved.
The main facade of the house was restored, and the back wall was completely demolished and replaced glass wall 11 meters high. Thus, thanks to the witty architectural solution a three-story high space appeared in the house, allowing free access to light and air movement.
The interaction of empty spaces, floors, internal terraces and a transparent wall creates a kind of intrigue between the exterior and interior of the house. Roll call of classical architecture and modern solutions seen everywhere here.
New spiral staircase, connecting all four floors, brings fresh dynamics to the interior, and, in addition, allows, if necessary, to delimit the space between the owners of the house and guests. The old flight of stairs in the foyer was left as a reminder from the past. Competent redevelopment made it possible to increase the area of the house and get more rooms. Finally, the project is crowned with an original roof terrace with a jacuzzi.
This house promises customers a lot of new and unusual things. And for passers-by, it is no different from other buildings on Merlenstraat.
(as, indeed, in other ethno-styles) this is not just a set of certain objects and things, but an atmosphere created by the painstaking work of the hostess. A Dutch home is a comfortable space to live in, furnished simply but elegantly. At first glance, everything is ordinary, but sophistication and artistic taste are imperceptibly present in the external and internal appearance of a Dutch home. How to develop your sense of style, how to create a subtle and exquisite interior Dutch house? Let's try to figure it out together. In this article you will find the answer to the question: how to decorate an interior in the Dutch style?
- The Dutch are not only descendants of wonderful sailors and merchants, but also very hardworking people. They literally reclaimed pieces of land from the sea, which they furnished beautifully. Many houses in the Netherlands have their own mini-marinas for boats and yachts. There are many old houses, but they are all maintained in good condition, both the facades and their interior decoration.
- It's hard to believe, but the Netherlands was once under Spanish rule! But by the 17th century, this state gained independence and began to develop along its own path.
- At this time, active construction in cities began in the Netherlands. Many architects worked to create the Dutch style in the appearance of residential and public buildings. The distinctive appearance of Dutch cities was formed from the original and innovative ideas of architects and urban planners. Gothic, Renaissance and Classicism combined to present to the world what everyone now calls Dutch architecture. Many features in appearance houses, one of them is windows with several (often nine) partitions.
- The proximity of the sea in the Netherlands predetermined the development of navigation and trade. Merchants on their ships went to distant East Asian countries and brought from there rare and outlandish things: woolen carpets, silk, Chinese porcelain and bronze items. But not every European had the opportunity to buy these goods for their home, since due to the long overseas route from where they were brought, they were very expensive. Therefore, craft workshops began to emerge in Holland that tried to reproduce fine Chinese porcelain. This is how it appeared in the interior blue and white dishes, which not only became an alternative to Chinese products, but also firmly secured the right to be the calling card of this country.
The dishes were painted with blue paint and traditionally depicted sea vessels, fish, windmills, everyday scenes from life, as well as floral ornaments.
A feature of the Dutch style is that the interior decoration of the house contains interior elements that repeat the appearance of the facades of unusual Dutch houses. You can also find such drawings on dishes.
But this does not mean at all that dishes of other colors were not produced in Holland. Quite popular are simply white kitchen utensils, sometimes with a blue or blue rim.
- Dutch housewives beautifully display plates, mugs, teapots and vases, and this technique has worked flawlessly for centuries. Namely, it creates a cozy and unique atmosphere in the house. Remember that open shelves always attract attention and, if you want them to really serve as interior decoration, keep them clean and in perfect order.
- Ceramic and porcelain plates can decorate a Dutch-style home not only open shelves, but also attached to the walls.
- Vases play an important role in interior decoration. And in a Dutch house this is no exception.
- The Dutch decorate their dishes not only with blue and white dishes, but also with copper pots and teapots polished to a shine. They are often displayed as part of the interior, but they are also used for cooking.
- Open shelves are elegantly decorated with lace and napkins embossed on fabric. The same floral motifs are used. Dutch housewives subtly feel the line between interior decoration and unnecessary frills, which often play a completely opposite role.
When choosing napkins for your kitchen, you should give preference to products made from natural cotton or silk threads and preferably handmade.
Always remember that any well-equipped kitchen will not be cozy and warm without the smells of freshly prepared dishes and home-baked goods.
- The Netherlands is known throughout the world as the country where white and blue ceramic tiles. This clay products box-shaped. They were made in wooden box forms. The main difference between tiles and ceramic tiles is that the tiles with inside have a recess and points for mechanical attachment of this product to the surface.
Tiles were used for cladding stoves, fireplaces, walls, and building facades. The front side could be either smooth or embossed.
Just like for tableware, “Dutch” motifs were used for painting tiles: flowers, mills, ships. Often a whole picture was assembled from tiles, laying out a plot from individual tiles.
- Of course, in Holland (as the Netherlands is often called after the name of one of the provinces) production has long been established ceramic tiles. And it is widely used to decorate homes.
Tiles are used not only to decorate kitchen backsplashes, but also to lay out the floor and decorate the walls in the bathroom and toilet. A feature of the Dutch interior is the use of ceramic panels assembled from small tiles into one whole. The subjects remain the same: the sea, ships, mills or flowers.
- But the Dutch not only decorated their fireplaces, but also natural stone or strong, well-burnt bricks.
After all fireplace- This is also a decoration of a Dutch house and its decoration should be approached especially carefully.
Of course, to make a room look like a Dutch house, you need more than just a fireplace. Wall decoration, a set of “Dutch” furniture, lighting, textiles and other more important small parts interior It is worth noting that creating an interior is not a matter of one day or even a month.
In order to understand how the interior and life in a Dutch house works, you should look there and see everything for yourself.
The peculiarity of European houses is that their owners carefully think through and arrange literally every corner. At the same time, not somehow, but so that it is both convenient and beautiful.
- If you are the lucky owner country house and are planning to decorate its interior in the Dutch style, you can use natural wood to decorate the interior of your home. And then wooden staircase will be a real decoration for him.
- If possible, do it windows to the floor, decorate one of the walls with stone, lay porcelain stoneware or tiles on the floor. Don't forget about the built-in shelves.
- And if you mount wooden (or false) ceilings beams at least in the kitchen, it will become a real decoration for her. This corresponds to the decoration of a home in the Dutch style.
When choosing furniture for your home, first of all, decide on the style that is closer to you. After all, the Dutch interior can be in a rustic (country) style, classic and modern version. Most likely, there are other ways. But just don’t forget that the house should turn out beautiful, comfortable and functional. It is also spacious and filled with air.
And, of course, natural light is a must!
- Electric lamps in the Dutch interior they are used not only direct purpose, but also to create style and decorate your home. Crystal glass can easily “coexist” in the same room ceiling chandelier and porcelain or metal sconces, desk lamp, Spotlights and others lighting. It is important that they all look appropriate in a given room.
When creating a Dutch-style interior, try to use natural materials. And choose lighting fixtures from glass, metal, porcelain and crystal. Do not use plastic lamps. They cheapen the interior too much.
Perhaps you decide to make a lampshade for the lamp yourself. This is also an acceptable option.
As for furniture, in country and classic style it should be made of natural materials: wood, leather, glass, metal.
Dutch furniture is sure to be of high quality and durable, as well as comfortable and stylish.
- Of course, the Dutch style in the interior is original and original. Master furniture makers from the Netherlands came up with and brought to life such a masterpiece of furniture art as dishware slide.
The phrase “Dutch houses” is usually associated with the famous grachts of Amsterdam. It should be taken into account that the architecture of the Dutch capital is special. The houses in the central part of the city are old, tall and narrow. They may have several apartments: one on each of four or five floors. But it happens that only one family lives in such a ‘palace’. Or even one person.
In Leiden, a university city of 121,000 people, such mansions are few and far between. The city is filled mainly with two-three-story buildings, closely adjacent to each other. Multi-colored, cute and well-groomed, they delight the eye and create the impression of joy and contentment. Apartment buildings(no taller than ten stories) are smaller, and they do not seem like foreign bodies at all, but fit perfectly into the overall landscape. There is little greenery in the city, but there are many canals. Living by the water is especially prestigious: for the Dutch it is very important beautiful view from the window.
I have lived in Leiden for more than twenty years and during this time I have visited many houses there. I want to tell you about them. But I note that instead of Leiden, any other Dutch city could have appeared - with minor exceptions. The picture is the same everywhere. Not regarding architecture - you can’t blame the Netherlands for its poverty. And regarding the internal layout.
So, houses and apartments. Let's start with the first ones. Opening the door, you enter small hallway and you immediately see an unusually steep staircase leading to the second floor. Unprepared people may be afraid: yes, how to climb this? And then also go down? It's actually not that scary if you take your time and hold on to the railing. Going upstairs, you see the doors of the bathroom and toilet (the latter is also located downstairs), as well as two or three, sometimes four doors leading to the bedrooms - usually small ones. About the same on the third floor, under the roof. And sometimes there is only one a large room. Or a tiny attic - then the house is essentially two-story. And again about the stairs. It is not only steep, but often also screw-like. When climbing it, beware of the narrow part of the steps. When I first came to the Netherlands, I didn’t know anything about this, and it almost turned into disaster. I was visiting, and the hostess asked me to take her five-month-old baby upstairs. At some point, I almost lost my support, and I had a child in my arms. I will never forget the horror and panic that overwhelmed me. Fortunately, everything ended well.
On the ground floor there is a living room, where, unlike the bedrooms, exemplary order reigns. This is understandable: you are receiving guests here, so you won’t throw away clothes and papers. The living room is a large elongated rectangle. There is usually little furniture: dinner table, a low table (with the usual vase of flowers), a sofa and armchairs. Of course, TV and other equipment. AND book shelves. True, some have them at the top, while others don’t have them at all. But the walls of many Dutch houses are decorated with paintings. Their authors are often the residents themselves or one of their relatives and friends. Let me make this generalization: while Russians love and appreciate literature and express themselves primarily in the art of words, for the Dutch this sphere is painting. I am not a professional connoisseur, but some works by amateur artists seem to me to be real masterpieces. I’m interested: “Have you exhibited?” "No, why?" Sometimes I risk asking: “Maybe you’ll sell it?” "What do you?! This is a family treasure!”
The windows facing the street are large and often without curtains. Therefore, walking around the evening city, you can see a lot of interesting things. The kitchen is also on the ground floor; in new houses it is not separate room, and part of the living room. From the kitchen or living room there is access to the garden, its size varies from several square meters up to a hectare or more. Meticulously groomed flower beds require a lot of effort and time. You can’t leave things to chance - the garden will be overgrown with giant weeds. That's why some people simply mercilessly pour concrete into the ground.
Who lives in such a house? A logical answer suggests itself: family, i.e. mom, dad and children. This is often true. Then one, two or three bedrooms are children's, each child usually has his own room. But children grow up and leave, and the “old people” are left alone in big house. Some people prefer to sell it and move into an apartment. Others, tied to their long-term home, remain in it until the end of their days.
However, a two- or three-story house can be purchased not only by a family with children, but also by a childless couple. Or even one person. In this case, one of the bedrooms becomes, for example, an office, the other - a library. Linen is hung and ironed in the attic. No one will judge the owner big house living there alone. Why not - if he has the desire and means? By the way, houses (like apartments) are not necessarily property; they can also be municipal. The rent, however, is high, comparable to monthly mortgage payments. But low-income renters are eligible for government subsidies.
That's all about houses for now, next up is a Dutch apartment. However, its description will only take a few lines. The living room and several bedrooms are located on the same level. And sometimes there are two, such apartments are called ‘maisonettes’. Instead of a garden there is a balcony or loggia. There are usually three or four rooms in total, very rarely two. And extremely rarely - alone. Apartments in new buildings can look very luxurious. Recently I was in one, the living room area was 80 square meters. meters. A gigantic, beautifully furnished square.
If apartments in new buildings can be so interesting, then houses from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries are even more so. Not suitable for everyone standard description: salon-staircase-bedrooms-attic. There are buildings with many levels and sublevels, and, accordingly, several staircases - small and large. It happens that there are a lot of rooms on the ground floor - previously there was obviously a workshop or shop there. Or there was a servant living there. IN village houses special attention deserve special built-in wardrobes: from the Middle Ages until the beginning of the 20th century, they served as bedrooms, about the benefits fresh air We didn’t think so then.
One house in the center of Leiden particularly struck me. The living room, as usual, is downstairs. And the kitchen and dining room rise above it, like a gallery above the stage. Maybe there used to be a small theater there?
How to see all this? To do this, you don’t have to live in Holland and visit often. On the second weekend of September, a day is held throughout the country open doors. You can freely enter buildings that are architectural monuments and at the same time ordinary residential buildings. This day is popular not only among tourists, but also among the local population. Sometimes in your own city and even on the next street you can find a house full of wonders. The small country - at first impressions, calm and predictable - never ceases to amaze.
