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The view from the primary suite offers a distinctly different perspective over the treetops compared to the ground floor spaces. The lower ceilings in the more private wing of the home are another contrast with the grand scale of the living areas, creating a cozier, more secluded feeling.

“I wanted to have an office that was connected to my bedroom,” says Michael of the expansive primary suite. “It was important to me to be able to have guests, yet I could close off my own personal space when people were here.”

Custom Marvin Ultimate windows are seamlessly integrated into the home’s architecture above a built-in window seat designed by Michael as an homage to Donald Judd and a contemplative spot for morning coffee.

Floor plan of Casa Narra by NODO Arquitectura + Naturaleza

Objects collected over the couple’s travels are displayed across the book-lined shelves.

“The morning light is amazing. From our kitchen window we can see the sun rising over the poplars along the Amsterdam-Rijnkanaal,” says architect and resident Farah Agarwal.

A drop ceiling was removed to expose the home’s crooked, hundred-year-old haris, or beams, like the one over the dining area. The table and chairs, the articulated linear pendant, and the trio of ink-blackened walnut pendants were all designed by the couple and, like many other furnishings in the home, built by +Veve, a local woodcraft studio. It was partly the tight cooperation with +Veve that led Chris and Junko to establish Craftsman Collective, a project that connects talented international designers with traditional craft workshops.

There’s no deck or patio at the back of the house—nature begins directly at the doorstep. "Our home steals as little space as possible from the setting. It is almost traversed by the forest,” adds David.