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KNITTING
story
Before moving to Asia a decade ago, we lived in this small apartment in the heart of the Amsterdam canal area. It is located in a converted warehouse that used to be a printing business and is more than a century old. The building still has a lot of
its original features such as the wooden beams that support the walls and the ceiling, which gives the apartment a very robust look and feel. After we left Amsterdam, we have kept it as a place for our family to return and spend the holidays, especially during the winter school breaks. When it was just my husband and I, the space was certainly big enough, but with the arrival of our two boys we had to make a few adjustments to optimize the layout and functionality, while maintaining a contemporary design.
This meant getting rid of as many walls and doors as possible, creating an open space and using natural light to make the apartment look bigger and brighter. Tucked away in a narrow cross street, our old home is an oasis to muse about various walks of life and make new plans. When inside it feels as if you are closed off from the busy city life, and you have entered a totally different world.
The entire space doubles as our personal museum where we collect all sorts of vintage finds that we picked up roaming the globe, rarely buying anything new. As I like serene, uncluttered spaces and smooth coated floors, there is always a risk that rooms feel like you've just wandered into an operating theatre, which can feel a bit too clinical, so that is something to watch out for when you get carried away in minimalistic styling. Never overdo it — at a minimum, you need furniture to sit on! But I've found that what works best for me is to start with a very empty space and gradually introduce warm and soft tones, especially using yarn accessories.
Yarns are great to achieve the right interior balance and can be the signature pieces of your home — even better, you can make them yourself and be the envy of your friends. If you are new to yarn crafting, pick some basic patterns to get going. Nothing is more discouraging than getting stuck in the maze of a complicated pattern and having to unravel your project. Believe me, I know what I am talking about – I also have a secret drawer with some unfinished yarn business.
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It really is all about the details and the color palette — they determine the character of a room