DREAM HOME
CALM NEUTRALS, VINTAGE FINDS AND MODERN ONE-OFF PIECES HAVE TURNED MARISKA OLDENBURG’S CITY-CENTRE TOWNHOUSE INTO A CHARACTERFUL HAVEN
Dining room
Sitting one level above the kitchen area, the dining room looks onto double-height windows. Mariska’s striking vintage lighting draws the eye to the ceiling’s height.
BUY THE KEY PIECES
Concrete table, price on request, Bymaezdezign. Rattan dining chairs, approx £399 each, Aime Te Studio
Dining room
The slender, black lines of the shelf unit make a bold contrast against an off-white wall. Items on display range from handmade ceramics to African and Asian sculptures.
BUY THE KEY PIECES
Black shelf unit with extension, approx £1,900, Furnified
A housemove was not on the agenda for Mariska Oldenburg and her boyfriend Ricardo, but everything changed when they spotted this elegant period property in the heart of their hometown of Rotterdam and fell instantly in love with it.
‘When we first walked in, the sun was shining through the windows and highlighting all the beautiful, original features,’ says Mariska. ‘We weren’t really looking for a new home, but it felt as if the house had found us. We knew this was our dream property.’
The house is over 100 years old, and its high ceilings, decorative plasterwork, stained glass windows and black marble fireplaces enchanted the pair. It also held a hidden gem – despite its city location, it has a large, secluded garden. ‘Out in the garden, you wouldn’t know you’re in the middle of a bustling city,’ says Mariska. ‘All you can hear is birdsong.’
Living room
‘I lived in Paris for a while, and the parquet floors remind me of that time,’ says Mariska. ‘This house definitely has a touch of French glamour.’ The bouclestyle fabric sofa adds a textural layer to the neutral scheme.
BUY THE KEY PIECES
Model 03 sofa, £3,130, Swyft, is a match. Aged Oak chevron flooring, £93sq m, Broadleaf Timber, is similar
PICTURE PERFECT
Group co-ordinating modern art prints for a cohesive statement
Dining room
The doorway between the living and dining zones is one of the property’s most imposing original features. An all-black finish lets the eclectic accessories on the open shelves stand out.
BUY THE KEY PIECES
For similar painttry Pitch Black modern eggshell, £81 for 2.5ltr, Farrow & Ball
FLOW ON
Chevron parquet flooring links the two contrasting spaces
Kitchen
Wraparound wooden work surfaces lift the understated cabinetry and give it a sleek feel. The wall ti
