De Letterzetterij

Residents Fons & Katja: "In June 2017, our real estate agent told us about De Letterzetterij. We fell in love with it immediately. We had been wanting to move back to the city center from the south for some time. We were looking forward to the dynamism of the city center. The metropolitan life, the diversity of culture, restaurants, cafes, and markets within walking distance. We had already seen many properties on the canals and in the city, but the right one hadn't come along. De Letterzetterij was a property that immediately appealed to our imagination. A building with a completely unique identity. Industrial, wide, high, lots of light, and a Roof terrace. We also Immediately with the residents. The search was over.

We approached our friend and architect Jaap Dijkman. Dijkman is known for his work on restaurants such as Toscanini, Dudok Rotterdam, and In De Waag Amsterdam. He had previously helped us convert a church into a home and studio, and later our office in an old garage. Both were unusual, industrial, and creative buildings where Jaap surprised us time and again with special spatial interventions and the use of timeless materials. Historical research and the structure of the building, combined with our input, formed the basis for a design assignment.  The love of cooking and being together had to be given an important place. And the choice of materials had to give a warm and soft touch to the industrial character.

The interior has been carefully curated. It is the result of years of collecting and commissioning furniture. Most of the furniture is mid-century design from the same period as the construction of De Letterzetterij. The house is filled with design classics such as the Arne Norelli lounge chair and Ottoman from 1966, Hans Wegner Sawbuck Chairs from 1951, and a leather sofa by Arne Vodder for Ivan Slechter from 1953.  We have combined these with a collection of industrial furniture and lamps from France, vintage stools, and carpets and leather cushions from Marrakesh. The interior is further complemented by custom-made furniture and lamps and contemporary design classics.
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