When a young family of four decided to move to the Dutch countryside from their city apartment in Amsterdam, they envisioned a light-filled, open-plan space with a strong connection to the outdoors. The house they bought in Bentveld, a village between Haarlem and the North Sea, however, was dark and compartmental, reflecting the way people lived in 1932, when it was built. So, they enlisted Dutch architecture studio Atelier van Wengerden to transform the house into the contemporary light-filled home of their dreams.

“The house they bought had a steep, angled roof, and the spaces on the upper floor were quite small,” says architect Jacco van Wengerden. “It was the same issue with spaces on the ground floor—it was a really boxy layout. It needed a lot of work to bring it up to today’s standards and the clients’ wishes.”

The clients wanted the living room to open up and extend into the large rear garden in spring and summer, however the rear facade of the building was closed off, obstructing any connection between the interior and the exterior.

“We took out most of the non-supporting partition walls on the ground floor, creating a more open plan for the living and dining areas,” says van Wengerden. “Then, we extended the living room into the back garden with a concrete extension that married into the roof itself, so it seems as if the roof continues out to the terrain.” This modern extension cleverly forms a patio that leads into the garden and features glass sliding doors that flood the living space with natural light.

“It is important to find a balance in these kinds of projects—it must be clear what is new and what is old, but there shouldn’t be conflict,” says van Wengerden. “The existing house is made from brickwork, and the extension is splayed concrete, another solid material. These two meet and it is very clear they are old and new—but at the same time, they are very similar.”

This solid materiality is continued inside, with the polished concrete floor extending from the patio into the living space. Here, the design team focused on creating a light and contemporary interior with a cohesive material palette realized in bright white finishes. “From the outside, it is really apparent what is original and what is new, but on the inside it feels like one environment,” says van Wengerden.

The home is divided into open-plan living spaces on the first floor, and more private spaces, such as bedrooms and a rumpus room, on the second floor. A master bedroom, en suite bathroom, and wardrobe lie on the third floor in the attic space.

A hanging fireplace in the living room—one of the architect’s favorite features—creates a focal point for family life while maintaining an open floor plan. Natural light penetrates the entire home through new skylights at the attic level and a window at the top of a new oak staircase, which functions as the home’s “backbone.” Spaces that don’t need natural light—such as a bathroom and bookshelves—are clustered together in a central core around which the living space wraps.

One of the biggest challenges of the project was working with the existing structure, and overcoming unexpected issues—such as rotten timberwork—that came to light only once demolition began. This also presented a challenge when it came to meeting the €275,000 budget—which was exceeded by €24,000 due to unforeseen circumstances and additional wishes from the client.

“The design process with the clients is always interesting, but I also find it rewarding to work with the building and construction teams,” says van Wengerden. “In this project, for example, the extension is made of a splayed concrete material that is usually used for renovating infrastructure projects, like tunnels and bridges. When you ask people to do something different than they usually do with their product, they become more enthusiastic—and it is fun to create something new together.”

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Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Atelier van Wengerden / @ateliervanwengerden

Builder: H&B Bouw

Structural Engineer: Ingenieursbureau Man

Interior Design: Atelier van Wengerden

Cabinetry Design: Thomas Meubels

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A Clever Renovation Turns a Dark Dutch House Into a Light-Filled Family Home