Amsterdam
Apartment Sold in Heart of Amsterdam
Written by Carmen Andrews
We sold our home. Yup, are in France…
Due to professional changes we have to say good-bye to Amsterdam and, unfortunately, as well to our lovely home; an apartment situated right next to the Leidseplein, the heart of Amsterdam.
We (Frank, researcher, specializing in glass, Carmen, ‘homemade’ artist and language freak and Felicity, our nearly 8 year old bundle of joy and Useless, our very ‘useful’ doggie) loved to live here.
Why?
We are smack bottom at the centre of anything happening. Museums, cinemas, restaurants, pubs, clubs, local swimming pool, schools, playgrounds, galleries and a mere 5-minute walk to the Vondelpark, come ‘free’ with our lovely flat.
No matter what you like to plan for the day, it is right there.
The flat is on the top floor (4th) of the building ‘Leidse Veste’, measures 130 square meters with a roof terrace of about 15 square meters giving a view of the rooftops of Amsterdam.
Where shall I start? Well at the beginning I suppose….
When we purchased the flat in 1999, we bought it off ‘the paper’, meaning that the entire building was still a construction site and we saw the flat as a design on paper. A few months later we had the chance to get a first glance at our home-to-be. The walls that should create the various rooms were outlined, but not built yet, neither was the ceiling. When we entered the flat it was like going into a one of those French barns, as all the beams and pillars supporting the roof were exposed. The sense of space was breathtaking. Some weeks later, we again had a glimpse at the ongoing work. We entered the flat and nearly dropped dead. What on earth had the builders done with our flat? Not only were they busily constructing a wall that extended the hall (now about 5 meters long) into infinity, well add another 3 or so meters, making this space appear like a path in a maze, but they also had sheltered off all the lovely beams with plasterboard and put in a ceiling at a height of about 2.20 meters. Since the ‘big room’ IS a big room (about 50 square meters) it made you involuntarily duck, because you got the feeling the ceiling squashes you any minute. Luckily, we could convince the builders to take away the hideous wall, but we were stuck with the ceiling. After the builders had completed the rest of the flat Frank spent the entire summer raising the ceiling for about 40 cm, which allowed part of the beams on the ceiling to be exposed. Then we tore down the ugly plasterboard around the vertical beams and restored them to their original beauty.
We also declined in having the bathroom finished by the builders (standard grey tiles, standard bathroom equipment) and had it done ourselves instead. Now it is tiled with marble in grey and black, holds a family-size whirlpool, a sink, a bidet, shower and our ‘special’ toilet (more to that later).
That much for the ‘alterations’ that we did ourselves. But now, back to giving you a proper tour of the ‘Leidse Veste’ and the apartment.
You open to door to get into the building and you find a spacious hall that hosts an art exhibition with photographs of artwork currently displayed at the ‘Cobra museum’ in Amstelveen. One of our neighbours (formerly working in film and photography), displays his work in the hall, just for fun. He has decorated the walls with his latest shots. Simply amazing. I spent hours with Felicity in our own hall to discuss the various photographs on the wall. You may think I am exaggerating, but there really IS an art gallery right down in the entrance hall. I simply love it….he he, well, that’s me, because I strive on artistic expressions of any kind.
Then you enter another hall to the lift. Well, not much to say about this space other that it just looks ‘smart’.
Our apartment is on the top floor and has 3 rooms, plus bathroom and open-plan kitchen. It is the biggest flat in the ‘Leidse Veste’ complex. We have really nice neighbours on our floor. Very important, as far as I am concerned. One is the guy who does the art show in the hall downstairs, the other is some sort of ‘gourmet chef’ for deserts, having turned his storage facility on the first floor into a professional ‘candy plantation’, or whatever you might want to call it. We got some ‘treats’ from his kitchen and… well, if you like chocolate or deserts, HE is your man. Regarding the other flats on the other three floors, some are rented out temporarily, some tenants are permanent, but all of them are ‘interesting’, a dancer, working for the Amsterdam Ballet for some time, but left about 1 month ago. To be replaced by… I guess, some Italians, as I pick up some vowels of this language. Well, come to the “Leidse Veste” and you meet the world.
Sorry, I got distracted. You want, of course, know something about our flat.
Well, you get out of the lift and enter a small hall, which is also decorated with city images of Amsterdam. You turn left and that is the door to our apartment. You open the door and you face a corridor about 5 meters long, 1.20 meters wide. Ample space to put a coat rack on and store shoes underneath. After these 5 meters the hall opens up and you get hit by a huge space, wooden beams, skylights, 4 (velux) windows on the slanted wall on the right. Take it from me, it is a ‘WOW’ effect. This space is huge.
We call it our ‘big room’. It measures about 50 square meters and gives you the feel of a studio. This room on it’s own would be advertised as a ‘loft’ in ‘Amsterdam terms’. As mentioned before, Frank raised the ceiling for over half a meter to enhance the feeling of space. Two huge skylights (about 1 ½ meters by 1 ½ meters) flood this room with light even on a rainy day (and there are many of those in Amsterdam J ) Wooden beams that we lovingly restored to their beauty add to the character of this room. Currently we use the ‘big’ room as living, dining, office and bedroom.
Carmen’s ‘office’: For me (Carmen is speaking now) this space is simply awesome. It feels like a little house on its own, as it is an alcove within the ‘big room’. It has enough space for my desk and some bookshelves that fit nicely under the windowsill. While I am working I can still keep an eye on the little one (Felicity), but the space is somehow secluded enough to guarantee concentrated working. Of course, the very same space could be used for a ‘recreation’ area, with a couple of armchairs or floor cushions to flake down to read books or the Sunday paper. Even a small table and chairs to have a stylish breakfast could be fitted into the space. The possibilities are endless…
On the wall opposite the alcove there are two big storage spaces. One hosts the gas heater for hot water and central heating, our washing machine and dryer and ample space to store vacuum cleaner and assorted cleaning products. The other one, we use as additional storage with shelves and a clothes rack. This space was originally designed for another toilet and – if needed – can easily be converted into one.
Then there is Frank’s office. Since Frank is a ‘hoarder and keeper’ it is stacked to the gills with everything that he needs. Well, this comprises looooooooots of things. But, surprisingly enough, it all fits into this room. There used to be a ‘funny space’, meaning a gap with strange angles that was just space and nothing but, which Frank converted into a storage area for all his tools. Depending what other people (maybe you J ) might want to do with this space it could be used for storing tools (as we are doing now) or a cupboard for books, linen, children’s toys, etc., etc.
Needless to say, this room has a telephone and DSL connection.
The other room is ‘Felicity’s kingdom’. Her room measures about 15 odd square meters and currently hosts wardrobes along one wall, her double-decker bed and (well, much to our shame) loads of boxes with art, books, and… mmmh, don’t really know… told you Frank is a ‘hoarder’.) Also in this room you have a telephone and a TV socket.
Then there is our bathroom. A huge space. It is tiled with marble and hosts our huge bathtub with whirlpool with light, on set of air and one set of water jets, AND our pride: ‘Dumpo’, as we lovingly call our toilet, as it has the shape of an elephant. There is also a sink with a mirror in a shape of a drop, a shower and a bidet. The designer radiator, which stands as a screen next to the sink, provides spaces to hang your towels to either provide you with a warm cover after a shower or to dry the towels nicely once you will have used them. Around the bathtub, we utilized the space for some slide out drawers to keep any kind of beauty item that you would want to have out of sight. Next to the radiator, there is a space for additional storage. We currently use a shelf to store towels and other bathroom utensils.
Well, what else. Yeah, kitchen, of course:
The kitchen is part of the big room, but ‘sheltered’ by the bathroom wall, so that it is actually more or less a separate room. It still has the ‘original’ features, provided by the contractors that we bought the flat from, which are not very exciting, but do the job. There is a gas stove, fridge, dishwasher, etc. Plain white, easy to clean and stores the stuff that you need for cooking. If you are into cooking, I am sure that you will be able to design this area to your heart’s content.
Regarding those two rooms (Frank’s office and Felicity’s room). Both are situated at the back of the building. Yup, not very exciting view, you may think and I agree. However, regarding the fact that our flat is in the middle of Amsterdam’s action these rooms are a haven of tranquillity as no sound from the life outside makes it into these rooms. Be it the fireworks on new-years-eve or the partying going on on ‘Queenie-day = Koniginnendag), simply close the door and you don’t hear a thing.
You might have noticed, we hate having to leave this flat, as it is… well, perfect really, but since our working situation has changed we simply have to take this step and say ‘good bye’.
We also hope to sell it to people that will enjoy this fabulous setting, the views over the roof tops, the closeness to all hustle and bustle, yet at the same time the possibility to shut out noise, in the middle of our beloved Amsterdam.
Well, what more can I say other than that I envy anybody who will get this place, as it is…. simply brilliant.
Happy times reside within these walls, which will flow over to the next owner, I am sure…
We sincerely hope that anybody looking at this flat, will pick up on its value, the playfulness, the fun and the quality of life that we had whilst enjoying living here.
Frank, Felicity, Carmen & Useless