Wednesday 4 February 2015

Real Estate Voyeurism in Amsterdam

I went to Amsterdam for a few days last week.
While I went for cultural pursuits of museums, exhibitions, and visiting towns there is a segment of tourists who go for other pursuits.
While I am too laissez-faire to judge, 
there was a part of me that internally thought myself 
a morally upright European citizen because 
I was not interested in peeping through 
the windows of the red light district.

But then I scrolled through my pictures
I took and it turns out that I am a peeping tom of a different sort...

Luckily the Dutch don't attach much importance to window treatments!
The first thing I noticed the time I visited in my teens was that I could look inside people's houses.
That was more mind blowing than the legalized prostitution and cannabis.

They are so open and tolerant of most things.

I asked why people didn't use curtains and my Dutch friend said it's because they had nothing to hide and people are just living. 

Then it seemed like I was the odd one out.

While I enjoyed peering in...
 I enjoyed peering out from the inside.


 I enjoyed being inside having a proper look around the homes.


I love the look of a historic Dutch kitchen.
 
But I loved exploring the canal houses built by wealthy merchants from the Dutch Golden Age.
 

There were homes on the scales of grand country estates but in the center of the city with gardens and coach houses at the rear.



I peered over homes of all types of decor and eras such as this Victorian salon.

And also the homes of the 1700's style.

Sometimes it wasn't only the style but the actual textiles and 
wall coverings that dated back to the 1700's 
such as the ones in the room below.
Textiles from the looms of Nimes
 And 300 year old Delft tiles almost became the norm for me for those few days.
 
 
 The original glaze survives on the edges of the room.
 


It is no coincidence that the Dutch Masters such as Vermeer mastered the science of light.







Blue and white and toile du jouy was au fait and executed without duress.




I can't wait to go on another trip to Holland but focusing on their gardens such as Het Loo and Keukenhof. But in the meantime I was so inspired by the Dutch interiors and the less than clement weather was worth enduring!

34 comments:

  1. I love being able to see through people's interiors... There are some wonderful ideas... The pictures are all really interesting. We are close to the Netherlands, but get there rarely...

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    1. It's only an hour away and yet I rarely go either! For some reason it still takes half a day though to travel somehow but next year I'd love to visit the gardens.

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  2. I am contemplating Amsterdam as a possible stop this fall. I have been to the Arnhem area and the Dutch are, as far as I am concerned, the best gardeners I have ever seen - just exquisite, and so friendly. One of the nicest decorating shops I was ever in was in a small town in Holten - just exquisite! You are whetting my appetite! I just finished reading the Miniaturist, which take place in the era you describe above and it was quite bewitching!

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    1. The Nordics have the design reputation but I find the Dutch have both the decor dab hand and green thumbs. You really need to put it on your itinerary!!!

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  3. Oh, I do this, too, the peering, I mean, not the gardening. My particular weakness is kitchens, and Himself has had to drag me out of big ole kitchens with fireplaces and spits.

    I love your pics, as usual, and as a New Yorker I must admit that I was wowed by how clean the windows are!

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    1. Best peering ever in Amsterdam!!! Too security conscious in London that I freak out when people just look down my street! But yes come to think of it the windows were clean and I noticed the homes were very neat!

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  4. Any hotel recommendations for Amsterdam? Lovely pics! :-) Emily

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    1. I stayed at the grand Amrath(sp?) which was a shipping office and was perfect for me bc I wanted a pool but there was a special plus a discount for a three night stay and I got neatly half price! But I checked out the Dylan and there was a mouse and the waiter didn't even look shocked.

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  5. The paintings have beautiful restrained light.

    Did you eat frites met fritesaus, that is the question

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    1. Everyday I went for my fix!! Plus I added curry sauce...

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  6. Thank you for a fabulous tour around some intriguing interiors. I did not tour any homes while in Amsterdam (outside of Anne Frank's of course), so appreciated viewing these lovely pictures.

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    1. I went to Anne's house that turned out to be at a special anniversary. The homes were fabulous and had a style very much it's own and found it not as publicised for some reason. But glad you enjoyed the tour.

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  7. Every millimetre is noteworthy.
    I'm partial to a parterre.
    And that kitchen looks so gorgeous.
    It's one big interior-design-fest!

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    1. I didn't expect so much and didn't plan it too well but fell I love with the canal houses. It's the perfect balance of the amenities of a country estate and yet in the middle of the city. Just perfect!

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  8. Hello Naomi,

    We made our first visit to the Netherlands last Spring and we cannot wait to return. It is a country of amazing contrasts, we found, with so much to see and do. We shall certainly follow in your Amsterdam footsteps.

    The interiors you show here are delightful. As we found, there are so many different styles in both architecture and interior design that one finds oneself absolutely consumed by it all.

    We did not get to Amsterdam and spent most of our time in Rotterdam. That we can wholeheartedly recommend for a return visit. In addition, Dordrecht and Delft are not far away and are very different in atmosphere and style. And, the Dutch speak English so perfectly......very impressive!

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  9. Amsterdam eagerly awaits you! I made a side trip to Delft which is the most charming little town that no adjectives suffice. I wanted to go to Rotterdam as I know there's a lot of modern architecture going on. But my main focus was the museums which have to be the top 5 in the world. I ran out of time in fact. I hope you go as I love seeing what others see that I have most likely missed!

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  10. I once had a design lecture where the lecturer talked about the dutch and the display of life through the windows. It was pretty interesting, as we tend to hide behind curtains/ walls etc here. I loved living in London for the same reason. My favourite thing was walking through the streets at dusk and looking in everyone's front windows as their beautiful homes in Chelsea/ Belgravia etc.
    Looks like a wonderful trip xx

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    1. I just love their openness! I sometimes get tourists having s wander peering in and I know it's something I do but I feel I'm disappointing them! But I wish there were more books on dutch interiors that seem underrated. But it was a very inspiring trip for sure xx

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  11. How timely! I only have two days to spend in Amsterdam. What would be a do-able and time-effective itinerary? Thank you so much! Emily

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    1. Are you into art? If so rijksmuseum and Van Gogh are next to each other. Both are superb world class mind blowing. The hermitage has the most amazing exhibit of russian porcelain by used by the tsars. I have pics of it on my Instagram. Plus the canal with the historic homes is spelled herengracht. But it doesn't sound as it is spelled!! You will have so much fun!

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    2. Love art . . . not a connoisseur by any means, but love it! There is something prickly spiritual about it. Thanks so much, really helpful! :-) Emily

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  12. I love that the Dutch are so open. Not what I would have expected. Lovely interiors. I love to go for a walk in the dark so I can see how people decorate their homes. Always disappointed when the drapes are drawn! Husband drags me along since we are supposed to be "walking" but I do get a good look or two.

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  13. So how long did you spend on that street with the pink (red) lights Naomi..........before you ventured to a more conservative area ha ha. Oh I do this all the time: peering through the windows of people's homes, it's the only positive thing of sitting in traffic on the A roads, you can just look through the windows of the people living on that road. If they still have net curtains (like my mum used to) it's great, but the blinds block out everything unfortunately. I love looking at lights - chandeliers, lamps and spot lights xx

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    1. The Dutch had great chandeliers and great style. The red light district seems smaller than I remember but I think it's become a walking route for all now!

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  14. Love these pics and those Delft tiles on the stairs Everything looks so charmingly neat and orderly.

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    1. If I had delft tiles I would never refurbish again!

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  15. Love your photos! I'm crazy about Dutch style, the homes, the history and everything! Something about their country and the people is so attractive and compelling. How fun you got to see inside the homes too. I love that they don't care about window coverings!! Beautiful light there and you can see why Vermeer's paintings are so magical and shadowy. Have you seen that movie. "Girl With a Pearl Earring?" I think we've talked about this before, but is so captures that moody light! Thanks for sharing Naomi!!

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    1. I went to some historic homes that are now smaller museums and worth a look me t time you visit. I love everything there too and my only complaint is the food!

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  16. I spent a few weeks in the Netherlands a number of years ago and just loved everything about it.

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  17. What gorgeous houses and photos thereof. Luscious.

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  18. Totally inspiring. I am with the Dutch on the subject of curtains. I have them but only use them in winter to keep the house a bit warmer.

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  19. Such beautiful photos! I just love these historic cities. Though I've been to Delft, Haarlem, and Maastricht, I didn't make it to Amsterdam. Thanks for this preview!!

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