URBAN Oasis

CALM NEUTRALS, VINTAGE FINDS AND MODERN ONE-OFF PIECES HAVE TURNED MARISKA OLDENBURG'S CITY-CENTRE TOWNHOUSE INTO A CHARACTERFUL HAVEN

- MARZIA NICOLINI/ANNABELLE GRUNDY

HOME NOTES

WHO LIVES HERE? Interior stylist and French language teacher Mariska Oldenburg and her boyfriend Ricardo.

THE PROPERTY A two-bedroom townhouse, built in 1910 in central Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Dining room

Sitting one level above the kitchen area, the dining room looks onto double-height windows. Mariska's striking vintage lighting draws the eye to the ceiling's height.

BUY THE KEY PIECES Concrete table, price on request, Bymaezdezign. Rattan dining chairs, approx £399 each, Aime Te Studio

Dining room 

The slender, black lines of the shelf unit make a bold contrast against an off-white wall. Items on display range from handmade ceramics to African and Asian sculptures.

BUY THE KEY PIECES Black shelf unit with extension, approx £1,900, Furnified 

A house move was not on the agenda for Mariska Oldenburg and her boyfriend Ricardo but everything changed when they spotted this elegant period property in the heart of their hometown of Rotterdam and fell instantly in love with it.

'When we first walked in, the sun was shining through the windows and highlighting all the beautiful, original features,' says Mariska. 'We weren't really looking for a new home, but it felt as if the house had found us. We knew this was our dream property."

The house is over 100 years old, and its high ceilings, decorative plasterwork, stained glass windows and black marble fireplaces enchanted the pair. It also held a hidden gem despite its city location, it has a large, secluded garden.

Living room