Classic French Meets Contemporary Scandinavian Style in Amsterdam

Name: Sri Kettelhake
Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Size: 1,600 square feet
Years lived in: 2 years; owned

After about 2 years, Sri found some spare time and energy and started brainstorming ideas for a potential business that would allow her to follow her passion for interior design while working from home. Together with her friend Franka, she started HAUS118, where they sell mid-century vintage furniture exclusively via Instagram. HAUS118 is unique because the pieces are integrated into their homes, giving the viewers an idea of how to place the furniture. Sri notes how great it is to always get new things in her home and constantly change the layout and design. It never gets boring!

Our Style: I like to mix classic antique French elements with contemporary design and add some pieces from our own HAUS118 collection. I like to think it’s a Parisian x Scandinavian style.

Inspiration: Pinterest is a great source for inspiration, as well as good interior blogs such as the Scandinavian Emma design blog and Apartment Therapy for all tips and tricks.

I really loved the Parisian home of Gilles & Boissier and became obsessed by their exquisite taste for interior design. I took their home as a starting point.

For the nursery and kids rooms I find inspiration through Smallable, magazines such as Milk, and again Pinterest where I found beautiful pictures of the Oliver Furniture bunkbed.

I also hope that people get inspired by the pictures we take for HAUS118 on Instagram, as the core idea is to sell furniture by inspiring our customers with beautiful imagery.

Favorite Element: I love the original 1910’s French-inspired elements of the apartment such as the ornaments on the ceilings, marble fireplaces, and the beautiful doors. It makes everything inside look even nicer!

Biggest Challenge: For my HAUS118 business we store half of the furniture at my apartment and the other half is stored at my partner’s place. I sell pieces from home and because we don’t have a showroom, I try to integrate the vintage furniture that we sell within our own interior. I think it works great in our light and airy interior as the vintage items really pop out.

Another challenge is getting big sized furniture in the apartment. We live on the second and third floor and have very steep stairs and a narrow hallway, so whenever we buy big furniture the street will be closed off for the mobile elevator to reach our balcony.

What Friends Say: Most friends love our home and interior, I think because of the light colors and the natural light its very easy to like. I also had a few HAUS118 customers that thought I just moved in- I can understand that some may find the interior too minimalistic.

Biggest Embarrassment: The downstairs toilet has the original size as when the house was built in 1910 so it’s very petite. It can be quite embarrassing if you are tall like most Dutch men are and your knees touch the door while using the toilet!

Proudest DIY: I have styled each room and I’m far from finished, but so far I love the kids’ rooms the most because I can be a little bit more creative with wallpapers and the color palettes. I’m also proud of the furniture we restore and refurbish. For HAUS118, we take pieces like Danish chairs from the 50’s, choose the fabrics that fit each item, and create a new look whilst keeping the original designs.

Biggest Indulgence: We indulged ourselves when we got our wooden floor. I did a lot of research online and we both fell in love with the typical Parisian wooden floor, which is a slightly different pattern than the popular herringbone floor. The oak has been smoked twice to achieve that old look as if it originated with the house in 1910. I also love the typical Scandinavian natural wooden floor so I sort of combined the Parisian style and the Scandinavian colors.

Best Advice: Don’t follow the crowd, try to follow your own style. If you like items that are very on trend try to combine with something old that has a story behind it.

Dream Sources: In Amsterdam, I love going to Edha- they sell the most beautiful design furniture. Flexform is one of my favorite modern Italian brands which they stock, too. In London, the Conran shop is very loved by both myself as my husband. Also, The Rug Company is such a dream source- the most amazing rugs!

• Sideboard: HAUS118
• Side table with vase: Antique and The Conran Store
• Lounge chair: HAUS118
• Sofa: Flexform
• Floor lamp: HAUS118
• Coffee table: HAUS118
• French Mirror: Auction house

• Pendant light: Tom Dixon
• Dining table: Flexform
• Chairs: Hansen and Son
• Floor lamp: HAUS118

• All original cabinets
• Pendant lights: Lee Broom

• Bed: Sleeping Room Notting Hill
• Club chair: The Conran Store
• Cabinet: HAUS118
• French mirror: Auction house
• Rug: The Rug Company (Vivian Westwood)
• Vintage rattan Chair: HAUS118
• Leather pouf: HAUS118

• Bunk bed: Oliver Furniture via 4Kids at Home
• Wallpaper: ferm LIVING
• Print: Michelle Carlslund
• Teepee: GRAY LABEL
• Wall light: ferm LIVING
• Ceiling light: Alma’s Room
• Dresser: The Conran Store
• Wooden animals: Ostheimer
• Bike: Wishbone Design
• Rocking chair: Olli Ella
• Elephant: Zara Home

• Bed: Kidsmill
• Vintage rocking chair: HAUS118
• Wallpaper: Cole and Son
• Bedding: garbo&friends
• Print: Mrs. Mighetto
• Rug: Olli Ella
• Wall garland: Olli Ella
• Dresser: Auction house
• Ceiling light: Antique

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