MANSION FLAT
AMSTERDAM
Located adjacent to the Amstel River in Amsterdam, everything about the bones of this 1885 apartment were great: tall ceilings and equally tall windows billowing natural light in from all directions; interior chimney details trims; original built-in bookshelves; and the most beautiful oversized wood doors, both sliding and swing . It’s no wonder as the building architect was Adolf Leonard van Gendt, who was designing the famed Amsterdam Concert Hall at the same time.
JMS was commissioned to do initial concept and moods, a full interior architectural drawing and detail set, material & finishes selection, furniture, fixtures, artwork, and styling.
The interior had dated over time, and it was evident which past owner installed what. We looked past all of this with the simple aim to celebrate all of these existing architectural and period details, with a restorative and detailed approach. Everything was stripped back to the plaster, woodwork sanded and restored, sliding door tracks reconfigured, and existing hardware completely restored.
Within this restored architectural shell were some amazing modern and monolithic moments including a bespoke kitchen with Carrara slab marble integrated perfectly with the solid iron cabinetry. A bathroom gutted and re-surfaced entirely in microcement: from wall, ceilings to floors. Drapery pockets with dimmable LEDs were added full-height in the rooms, accentuating the 3.35m (11 foot) ceiling heights.
Contemporary and collected are words to describe the furniture and décor, which is an equal mix between new, vintage, and custom-built. We engaged with Zackery Tyler and Todd Germann, both NYC-based artists, for custom paintings while also curating with some of the owner’s favorite pieces including bronze cow bells from India.
