An unfortunate event and life-changing trip led this young family to reassess and move into a houseboat. We step on board and check out their bohemian style
Inside the little houseboat filled with bohemian style
Bregje Geurtsen, co-owner of a vintage shop-come-health cafe, Nick van der Schalie, consultant, and Fee, 6, plus cats Nanna and Lotje
Sometimes tough breaks can lead to exciting adventures – when her partner, Nick, lost his job, designer Bregje Geurtsen realised she wasn’t too keen on her work either. Instead of continuing to scrape by in their tiny 40-square-metre apartment in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam, the pair decided to take their three-year-old daughter, Fee, on a big adventure around southeast Asia.
“We decided it was the perfect timing for a trip to Asia because Fee was not yet at school,” says Bregje. “I quit my job, we gave notice at our apartment, and off we went to China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bali. We had a wonderful journey that lasted six months. It really gave me the inspiration to find new goals in my life.”
With their horizons newly expanded and priorities rearranged, the family returned home and pondered their next step. “While searching for somewhere to live, we stumbled on this houseboat on the edge of a lake in Den Bosch [in the southern Netherlands]. I’d always dreamed of a farm-like home and this came very close: the natural surroundings, the water, the fact we could have a little vegetable garden, and there was enough space for the three of us. We didn’t think twice,” says Bregje.
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The gangway leads to a cheery entrance decked with Chinese lanterns and an orange Balinese tray.
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As a result of making the bold choice to quit city life and see the world, this little family set themselves on a path to a richer kind of compact living, one that’s in touch with nature and filled with the textures of the outdoors.
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Bregje’s macramé decorates the main living area, along with vintage furniture and mementos from her travels.
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Bregje’s favourite spot in her home is this sofa, which is adorned with secondhand rugs, throws and pillows.
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The compact, 80-square-metre home is a haven of ‘mid-century modern’ style.
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Bregje’s expert eye for vintage furniture and objects has seen their home evolve into an oasis of natural fibres and warm wood.
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“Most of our furniture is vintage or handmade. I don’t think anything in our house was bought new; everything is secondhand”.
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Decorating her new home allowed Bregje to realise her love of interiors and passion for the design of the 1960s and ’70s.
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This dramatic rattan peacock chair is Bregje’s favourite vintage find.
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Small items collected in Bali, China, Malaysia and Vietnam are peppered throughout the house.
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Nine wooden pallets were used to construct a rustic bed, with fluffy woollen rugs and pots of greenery adding textural contrast and warmth to the space.
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Fee’s homework space.
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Bregje’s bags of rope for her macramé projects.
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An old crate housing plants plucked from the lake.
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Bregje’s desk and workspace.
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Fee’s bedroom, which is also a haven of vintage finds and little touches of nature.
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Their lakeside mooring doubles as a wild back garden where the family can relax, play and forage for flowers and plants to decorate their floating home.
Words by: Mieke Vendel. Photography by: Peggy Janssen.
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