The search for a new home is rarely trouble free, and for Carla and Ronald, who needed more space for their business – which had grown from antiques shop and tearoom to making artisanal jams and chutneys – the hunt for a new house turned into a frantic race against the clock.
‘We’ve always liked the flexibility of renting and being able to leave at short notice,’ Carla explains. ‘But this time it was difficult; we’d ended our lease, but we couldn’t find what
we wanted: an old school, a church, a castle... anything, as long as it wasn’t ordinary!’
Having searched locally without much luck, they contacted Geldersch Landschap – the Dutch equivalent of the National Trust – who offered them a property on an old agricultural estate. On the other side of the country, close to the German border, in a village they’d never heard of, it sounded intriguing enough to warrant a visit. And as they drove along country lanes, through meadows and woodlands filled with centuries-old oak trees, they felt excited about what lay ahead.
‘It was autumn and the colours were wonderful,’ recalls Carla. ‘It was so beautiful – nature unspoilt!’ Safe to say, the sight of an unattractive house on muddy ground was a disappointing end to their long drive. As was the viewing that followed. Entering through the scullery, they wandered through a series of gloomy rooms filled with dark brown woodwork.
You might also like A 19th-century farmhouse in Broekhuizenvorst
The house had last been decorated in the 1970s and, although Geldersch Landschap had stepped in to update the electricity and plumbing, and replace some of the floors and the windows, nothing else had been touched. There was ‘no cosiness’, says Carla, yet she remembers it having ‘a certain charm’, and despite the lack of ambience, they warmed to the place.
They could see how the small rooms would be perfect for displaying their collections, but their friends were not so sure. ‘Seeing the house on a bare piece of ground, no one could understand why we wanted to live here,’ says Carla.
large enough to house the couple’s huge collection of blue-and-white porcelain and other ceramics. The interior was painted blue to echo the blue cabinet on the other side of the room. The ‘wallpaper’ was created from napkins by Carla. - Ton Bouwer/CocoFeatures.com -
One of the key conditions for being allowed to take on the lease was being able to return the property to some kind of agricultural use. ‘Our business fitted in perfectly,’ Carla says, and the more they thought about it the more they felt sure they could make the place work. Transforming the barn to create space for production and a shop was the top priority, and once that was up and running, they could focus on the house.
It was built in 1938, and Carla and Ronald were keen to restore its 1930s character as far as possible. They had some lucky finds along the way, from original panelled doors stashed in the attic to a beautiful tiled floor in the dining room, which had been covered with carpet. ‘I’ve had each and every tile in my hands at least three times to clean them!’ Carla laughs.
You might also like This converted 1850s farmhouse near Germany’s North Sea coast is filled with Gustavian antiques to buy
The couple have replaced the gloomy decor with richly patterned wallpapers and brightly painted woodwork, which provide a cheerful backdrop for their extensive ceramics collection. Everywhere one looks there are groups of pots, plates, jugs and tiles; earthenware vessels, fine porcelain, naive spongeware and all manner of antiques, flea-market finds and curiosities.
‘Old things really make us happy,’ says Carla. ‘Who did they belong to, what is their story? That’s what makes them beautiful to us.’ Fortunately, Carla and Ronald have similar taste. ‘What you see is a mixture of everything that we like.’
Carla admits that she is probably more into brocantes, while Ronald is keener on ‘the real antiques’. He’s the expert, she says. ‘He’s also a bit more of a romantic soul, and can easily dream away at an idyllic scene painted on an antique English platter, whereas I prefer a simpler look – country crockery, with deep plates made for enjoying food.’
Despite having more than enough plates and serving dishes, the couple still love visiting
flea markets, and one of their favourites is De Zandfeesten in Bruges, Belgium. ‘We can be there all day to return home with just one tiny little piece!’ says Carla, explaining that it’s the fun of the hunt that counts; ‘the pleasure of hunting for a hidden gem’.
You might also like A vintage-filled farmhouse restoration in Finland
And more often than not, the discovery of some exciting new ‘gem’ will become the start of a makeover for a room, as was the case with the 12 small display cabinets in the living room. ‘Before their arrival, the wall was covered with religious prints,’ says Carla. ‘When we installed the cabinets, we filled them with vintage books and pretty little things, and then added the table and stools underneath. Half the room got a complete new look.’
After years of running their antiques business and tea room, they’ve switched careers and now make and sell cushions. Ronald has taken up his art again, they write books and enjoy spending time in their garden and orchard, now with an abundance of flowers, fruit and vegetables. Will they ever switch houses again? Never say never, is this couple’s motto, but it seems unlikely that they will leave this piece of paradise.