A home where Scandi and new-build combine effortlessly

With its irresistibly cosy, comfortable living spaces both inside and out, Alexandra’s home is the ultimate year-round retreat

Buying new-build property has its pros and cons. For the van Rennes family, it meant gaining big, practical, open-plan living spaces and a great location near a park. It also meant having a home without the natural character that period houses have in abundance. However, since moving here in 2005, Alexandra has developed a look that elevates the simple interior by combining a tough, industrial-inspired aesthetic with warm, natural colours and soft, rugged textures.

Home is a new-build five-bedroom home in the Dutch town of Heemskerk, which Alexandre shares with her husband Dennis, their two boys, Matthijs and Mees, and their daughter Lotte.

Alexandra says she’s gone through many different interior styles over the years; “From grand and romantic to brightly coloured and bold,” she explains. “A person changes through life and so does the house they live in. Every style has matched a period in my life. I’m pretty relaxed these days, so that’s the feeling I want in my home as well. It’s sober, tough-looking and industrial, but warm and comfortable – which is important in a family home.”

The key component of every room scheme in Alexandra’s home is texture. In the living room, Dennis made the the wooden panelling on the chimney breast, as well as the pallet coffee table on wheels and the simple kitchen bench.”I’ve also developed a passion for sheepskins,” Alexandra explains. “I have so many! I also love piles of cushions, table lamps and wooden stools for giving a room warmth and a welcoming feeling.”

The look she developed over time has been achieved without spending a fortune. “I also exchange furniture with friends,” she says. “I got the living-room sofa from a friend, as well as the piano. Nobody plays it, but I like the way it looks! I don’t really mind that things are scratched and dented; a house has to be lived in.”

Alexandra has used a lot of dark tints. “These work because of the large windows, which brighten the room nicely,” says Alexandra. “This a great space for all of us. Mees (who is eight) and his friends really love the hanging chair!”

The kitchen contrasts dark cabinets with Caesarstone worktops. “The panelling above the stove makes the room warmer and the three pendant lamps give a fun look.”

Alexandra loves to sit at the kitchen table: “I often sit there with a cup of coffee and just look around me. When I think of a new idea to try in the house, I can’t wait to start and usually go to buy a pot of paint the same day.”

Sectioned off from the open-plan living space, is a desk space, which the whole family uses. A triple-width cupboard, decorated with large photographs of the children, provides the perfect screen.

“Although the dark walls and carpet already mean our bedroom is warm and cosy, I add soft blankets, cushions and bedding from IKEA to get into my winter mood,” says Alexandra. A vintage rug and French shutters add texture, too.

Mellow, moody colours keep Mees’ bedroom feeling calm and restful. Dennis made the giraffe wall decal from MDF and Alexandra painted it with chalk paint.

The garden room is the house’s hidden treasure. When you walk into the open-plan living area, you see that it as a wall of glazing that gives a great panoramic view of the garden. What you don’t immediately notice is the space adjoining it, which seems like a fully furnished interior space but is actually open to the garden. To make the room feel cosier, she has painted its ceiling black to match the tiled flooring.

“It’s a great living area during the summer months,” says Alexandra. “Dennis loves to sit out there after dinner and enjoy the evening sun and the kids love to hang out in there with their friends.

When it comes to downtime for Alexandra, she loves to change things around at home. “It’s how I relax. Not only inside the house, but outdoors as well. I think this process is why our home has such a personal and unique look.”

Words, styling & photography: Jeltje Janmaat/House of Pictures.