The Stained Glass in This Historic Apartment in the Hague Is Stunning
Adrienne Breaux
·11-min read
When home hunting, creative project manager and photographerJim Wilson "set aside a budget, developed a rough time plan of when I wanted to look and where, and also a list of key real estate contacts to help me get there." This 764-square-foot apartment in the Hague ended up being the perfect fit. Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
"I love the high ceilings and also the natural light, which floods the space in the mornings and afternoons," Jim describes of his home. Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
"The ceiling is original and adds a really nice element of character, while the stained glass windows are probably the thing that I fell in love with the most." Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
Jim loves the sliding doors in the space, too. "On a practical note, I like the hidden cupboards [on] either side of the doors, as they’re great for hiding all the shoes, laundry, and DIY materials you don’t need to see on the day to day." Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
Jim says he's also "tried to also channel my inner Marie Kondo in the process of moving house and adding new pieces to the apartment, focusing on those which truly spark joy and add a bit of fun to the space. It’s nice to be surrounded by things that I’ve collected over the years which genuinely make me feel more positive than negative I think." Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
Jim says that his apartment has no outdoor space and that the bedroom "is a bit small for what I’d love," but it's not a forever home. Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
"It has tons of character, is on a quiet street, and the location close to the beach and transport links to Amsterdam for work is great, which more than makes up for the compromises," Jim writes about his home's location. Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
Jim says the bedroom "originally had a vinyl floor," so he "found a section of carpet on sale in a store nearby and decided to upgrade that for warmer feet in the mornings." Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
Jim says he's tried to "channel" his "inner Marie Kondo in the process of moving house and adding new pieces to the apartment, focusing on those which truly spark joy and add a bit of fun to the space." Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
"It’s nice to be surrounded by things that I’ve collected over the years which genuinely make me feel more positive than negative I think." Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
"Moving into the apartment was the first time I had moved somewhere without having just a suitcase for company, so having some actual furniture to fill the space this time around, instead of a standard trip to IKEA to buy a budget sofa and bed, was a bonus this time around. It also immediately made the apartment feel a bit more lived-in for once!" Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
Jim says his favorite parts of the apartment are the "sliding doors between the main living areas." Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
"The stained glass is beautiful and I’ve also tried to use the colors in the accessories, too." Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
"The doors also help to separate the different areas while also allowing light to pass through. They’re also a fun talking point for visitors as well." Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
Jim removed the lighting from the living room ceiling to use floor and table lamps instead. "The ceilings were originally designed to be lit via gas chandeliers, so I’ve had to work around a defunct gas pipe and find suitable modern solutions. Reddit has helped a lot with understanding how to navigate that challenge in particular," he writes. Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
Regarding the home's decor, Jim says that he loves "how the apartment features some really nice period elements so I have tried to combine those with more modern touches to make it feel a bit more like me." Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
Jim says that he's had to "sacrifice on space" in homes that he's rented before, "so having a separate study for working and an actual dining table has also been a big win!" Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
After adding carpet in the bedroom, Jim says he was "so focused on getting a good price and ensuring that it would be enough to cover my room, that I didn’t factor in the leftovers. So I had enough to also cover the study area too, which will help make it a bit more cozy for the winter Zoom calls." Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
Jim says that when it came to renovating, the biggest things he changed so far are electrical and plumbing updates. "The electric fuse box was almost vintage so I had it upgraded to cope with modern-day life." Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
"I also installed a Tado smart thermostat and radiator knobs to manage any increases in heating bills. I did this more for peace of mind to know that at least the basics are safe and secure for the months ahead." Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
"It’s been about 4k to upgrade electrics and plumbing so far. Aside from juggling that upgrade, the biggest challenge for me has been the lighting for the space, in particular the ceiling lamps," Jim writes. Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
"Due to the ceiling decor and the thickness of plaster, I’ve had to search for a few different solutions for the space." Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
"The Regentessekwartier area was built in the early 1900s and I love the architecture of the surrounding streets. The apartment itself reminds me a lot of the houses I’ve lived in previously. It combines elements of my childhood home in Ireland as well apartments I have rented in Glasgow and London, which is a really nice mix of memories for me," Jim writes. Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
“When I accepted the job offer to work in Amsterdam, I thought that at least if the job itself didn’t work out, I could at least take photos of pretty canals, nice food places, and of course bikes outside of work,” Jim begins. “But it didn’t take long to settle in to the city and I started to really love it! The Dutch work/life balance was a total upgrade from London, and I’ve met some really great friends along the way, too.”
"I really love the dining table and chairs," Jim says of his best purchase. "And I’m quite proud of the cost saving to get them too. They were purchased in the outlet section of a local furniture store in Zaandam (Loods5). I had searched for the table for months online and it was a bit of a gamble as I ordered it before actually moving in, but it all worked out okay. The Zuiver Storm table usually retails for €1000 and the Dutchbone Westlake chairs at around €250 each so I had originally budgeted a chunk of cash for that as part of the move. But I managed to find them in the Loods5 Garage outlet store with massive discounts. The table has a few large scratches on the top so was reduced to €125, while the chairs were €110 each. So for just above the original cost of the table, I managed to get a full set of chairs, too. I was super happy with that and it also allowed me to allocate the remaining money to upgrading the plumbing and electric in the weeks that followed." Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
“However, like many of the world’s cities, Amsterdam’s house prices have also rocketed in recent years with competition for even the smallest of apartments at at all-time high. Over time, I was also beginning to feel a bit stuck in my life. The city was becoming smaller and I needed to shake the snow globe a bit again to keep things fresh,” Jim continues.
"My favorite part is the dining table and just actually having space for one is a huge deal for me," Jim writes of his favorite things to do in his home. "I really enjoy cooking for friends and have collected a lot of cookery books over the years which I had aimed to use for cooking for friends around my future dining table. It sounds so silly, but having a dedicated space to dine with more than one other person will hopefully make it a lot more of a social space for me in the future." Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
“After eight years of renting in Amsterdam (and finally paying off my 20s), I decided to start looking for a place of my own. My search also coincided with meeting my partner, and after a year of juggling train timetables between cities to meet up, I decided to move a bit closer to him in the Hague.”
Jim says he had to "be slightly creative when it comes to clothes storage, as the bedroom is small. As a workaround, I brought my IKEA Platsa closets from my previous apartment and have placed those in the dining room instead. It’s not a long-term solution, and I’d love to get proper built-ins installed soon, but at least it gives space for my clothes while also not cluttering the bedroom."
Jim explains that the Hague is “a really nice mix of historical architecture, and an eclectic mix of shops, bars, and restaurants while also enjoying good travel connections to Schiphol Airport for trips home and 40 minutes to Amsterdam by train for work. It’s also about 30% cheaper to buy here, and the choice of housing stock and less competition for housing compared to Amsterdam made it a pretty appealing option, too.”
"For the dining room I had originally ordered the Factor Linear light from Hay; however, the electrician advised against installing due to the sensitive nature of the plasterwork. As an alternative, my partner found a really nice Sputnik light on an online marketplace and I’m hoping to get that installed soon," Jim writes. Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
“Aside from love, the biggest draw for me was the Hague’s close proximity to the beach. Growing up on Ireland’s dramatic Causeway Coast, I’ve always hoped that a home by the coast would be possible one day.”
“I’ve sacrificed a lot to live in big, cosmopolitan cities close to my work, so the Hague now thankfully offers me a really nice balance. The apartment is around a 15-minute bike ride away from the coast — something I never dreamed of being able to achieve in the U.K. or London, given my tight budget, so it makes it super special actually.”
"Having a separate space for working has also made it easier to switch off after a day on the computer. I can separate the work from the chill time a bit. My previous apartment didn't have space for a separate study area so that will make a big difference in the months ahead I think," Jim writes. Credit: Lula PoggiCredit: Lula Poggi
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