Recently, I wrote about De Beukenhof, a lovely antique shop/home in the Netherlands.
I received an email from Monica, a lovely woman whose home was pictured in the post. I was very excited to show more of Monica's gorgeous home and she graciously agreed. 
Beautiful Monica
. The entrance to Monica's home. The urns hold moss balls, part of her large and intriguing collection of spheres.
Monica lives with her husband and three children in Utrecht, the Netherlands, about 24 miles south of Amsterdam. Their home is new, built in 1999, yet looks charmingly old due to Monica's creativity, selectivity of materials and exquisite taste. Monica, like most of us (if you are reading this!) is obsessed with interior design and enjoys antiquing as there are many shops and fairs throughout the area. Her design reflects the French- Flemish aesthetic which embraces a no-frills look while imparting a quiet beauty through carefully selected organic materials. The design style is similar in many ways to Belgian design.
Monica describes the entrance to a house as its business card and wanted hers to be fun. I love the unframed portraits of her three children, Symen, Kay, and Zoya.
A weathered rack with rusted hooks for hanging coats. Take note throughout the house of the use of lime paint on the walls which imparts the house with immediate character.
Monica is especially skilled at creating interesting vignettes.
I love the cheerful checkerboard floor. Monica designed and had the closet custom made. The knobs are untreated wood.
The wreath is made from hazel branches and twigs with berries.
The wood floor is edged with beautiful cement tiles with an antique motif. You may recall this photo from my post on De Beaukenhof. I adore the vintage pink refrigerator- such a fun touch!
The light is fashioned from an old industrial broiler lamp. It is all that Monica loves- rusty and rugged.
The new farm sink and faucet mix well with Monica's collection of old bread boards and pottery.
Monica does not mind dark days when the house is cozy.
A crocodile print leather-like wallpaper on the kitchen walls adds texture.
The door into the living room. The mood of the room is inviting with its quiet, subdued warmth.
The fireplace wall is made from old wood for a rugged look.
The weathered brick fireplace is wood-burning. The rusted candlesticks Monica got from a friend who was tossing them out! The fire hob, also completely rusted, is of Diana, goddess of the hunt.
The living room's beautiful limed walls.
Monica has changed the seat fabric on the chairs for the fourth and last time. Now a beautiful anthracite, her upholsterer has informed her the wood has no more "meat" to nail. Ah, a woman after my own heart!!
The antiqued jar lamp is huge and almost too heavy to lift. The table was originally a dining table but the legs were shortened. It was stripped and lightly painted and finished with a white chalk wax.
I love Monica's use of organic materials throughout the house.
The coffee table is custom made but she feels still not big enough! The antique dish was once used for serving couscous.
Ram horns and wooden balls.
A stone ram.
A stormy gray sofa with color jumping from two bright pillows divides the living room from the dining room.The floor is oak and was sanded to remove the shine and then whitewashed and waxed. Monica admits she does not follow the suggested maintenance schedule but rather likes the resulting signs of wear- I agree!
A crusty urn keeps company with an antique beam.
An antique stool picked up at a local antique fair.
Monica uses garden branches to great effect.
Looking from the dining room into the living room.
The dining room floor is a beautiful brick chosen especially for its coarse appearance to further the look of time.
The cabinet belonged to Monica's grandmother. She removed the glass replacing it with rust painted chicken wire, painting it first white (during her "white" period) and now black.
The antique beams were installed to add atmosphere.
The antique dining chairs are sporting their third fabric treatment, this time in black.
The children are free to paint or color on the dining table as after a scrubbing the patina becomes even more beautiful.
Monica made the lamp from pieces of driftwood and added a cowhide shade.
The iron vases hold concrete balls.
The bedrooms are on the second floor.
The two boys, Symen and Kay, share a bedroom and bunk beds made of two old bedsteads. The bedroom is done in a charming nautical theme.
Monica made the lamp from a tree trunk found in the Lage Vuursche Forest. The trunk was too long to fit completely in her car, but through sheer determination she held onto it on the ride home. Her father put the wiring in and poured the concrete base. What a cute idea! The chest was her grandmother's who had it as a child.
The lamp is from Ikea. The porthole mirror is a whimsical touch so fitting for a young boys room.
Zoya's darling bedroom has a gypsy wagon bed made of scaffolding wood which contrasts sweetly with the pink theme.
The fabrics and wallpaper are Designer Guild.
What a clever way to display Zoya's first clothes!
The Master Bedroom
Monica plans to replace the wallpaper with lime paint. Her father made the headboard. The pillows and bedding are linen.
Monica loves old cabinets and uses them extensively throughout her home.
Old bakery baskets perch upon a large cabinet painted an olive green.
Outside the kitchen door an antique bench holds concrete finials and spheres.
The garden table has a heavy stone top and rusted iron base. The large sandstone pot holds an agapanthus.
A jasmine plant blooms in a pedestal vase.
I hope you have enjoyed your tour of Monica's gorgeous home! I have included more of her beautiful vignettes which I found so lovely.
A huge thank you to Monica!!
See here for more of Monica's wonderful blog, "Het Moon Huis"
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