Goodbye, little home of mine
After living in my little apartment (45 m2) in Rotterdam for over 5 years, it’s time to say goodbye. In January I will be moving into a new house. I knew I had to leave one day because, well, it’s quite small if you live and work in the same place. But it is my place. When I moved in here I made it my home immediately. It was the first house I was going to live in by myself, without family, partner or room-mate. For the first time I had the chance to make it completely my home without considering other people’s opinions. I enjoyed it so much!
Stepping into the teeny-tiny hallway (seriously, if you turn around your nose is up against the wall), you immediately see the pieces of embroidery and some original pieces by fellow illustrators. The coat hanger belonged to my parents. They were about to throw it away when I said I could use it. My mum always thinks it weird that I like old stuff.
When you step into the living room, you see my table. Many years ago I had it made in Poland and nowadays it serves as my drawing table. On the photo it’s clean but right now (and always) there’s a big pile of paper, pencils, paints, all stacked up. It’s a huge mess, I promise. But it’s nice to see there’s actually a table underneath the mess! On the wall is a Tomado-shelf which I filled with old books, and some art pieces again.
I collect (original) artwork by illustrators. I don’t like having my own work on the walls. To me it would be the same as hanging photos of myself on the wall and I just don’t need to see my own face all the time. Here you see an original by Mike Lowery, Helen Dardik and Kurt Halsey. On the left you see a print by Lilli Carre. It’s nice to see those pieces. My cupboard is vintage, I think it’s from the 60’s.
I have this thing with maps. Since I was little I loved tracing my finger along all the roads on a map and sometimes I prefer a map over Google Maps. I bought this big map on the wall about 5 years ago. Mainly because I love the lettering on it. It’s screenprinted and in German, in case you’re wondering.
I bought the head-vase years ago and my boyfriend hates it with a passion. I love it. I love the little mix of the clock, the tile, the stuffed animal and the plant above it.
All the hipsters do it but that’s not why I do it: there’s a bike in my living room. That’s because my bike is vintage and I don’t dare to put it outside. It would get stolen in a heartbeat. Since I don’t have a garden, I have nowhere else to put it but in my living room. The old cabinet was a gift from a friend. It belonged to his grandmother I think, and it’s from the 30’s. I filled it with plates and cups. The print on the mantelpiece is by my friend Mara Piccione.
When you move pass the bookshelves, you walk right into my bedroom. I don’t have a door separating my living room from my bedroom. I painted the wall pink because I love colour and all the white on the walls was rather boring. My bed is one of my favourite spots. Above my head you see work by Ted Carpenter, which I bought years ago. Next to my bed is a little, old table, with an ochre-coloured lamp (bought it from a friend, it’s from the 70’s), my Stormtrooper alarm clock (by Lego) and I stuffed some books beneath it. I always have Matilda by Roald Dahl close to me. It’s pretty much my bible.
My work nook, as I call it. It’s on the opposite of my bed and I do all my computer stuff here. I spend the most time here. I filled the walls with inspiration: cards and prints of other illustrators, funny notes, letters. On the left are the doors to my little balcony, so I have lots of light here.
Just an example of stuff I put on my wall above my computer. And the right is another photo of a corner in my house and you see some original art above it, and some classics with beautiful cloth covers.
The smallest kitchen I ever had but I loved it. It doesn’t have an oven, or a dishwasher. It is so basic but it fits the house so well. In the new house I’m going to have a proper oven and a dishwasher. I feel spoiled. Although I loved my old kitchen I’m really looking forward to the dishwasher! I hate doing dishes with a passion. The new kitchen will also have an extractor, which is pretty much luxury to me. No more opening the door to let out the damps and smell!
I’m looking forward to moving because it’s time for something a bit bigger. The new house will be across a nature reserve so it will be very peaceful. Just to compare: this apartment is in the city, from the 1920’s, no isolation, no double-glazing so you hear everything. Every neighbour talking (I have neighbours beneath me, above me and on both sides next to me), you hear sirens at least 3 15 (I counted) times a day, and the streets are noisy and crowded. Maybe it’s because I’m getting older or maybe I feel homesick to the countryside but I long for a bit of peace and quiet. Of course I will have to share the new house with Bram, but I think we will manage just fine 😉
I will have a separate room to work in which is something I really long for. It’s just not comfortable any more to have work stuff lying around the whole apartment because it’s too small. My old house was my buddy for a long time but I grew out of it. I’m going to miss it and have fond memories of it though!
When the new house is finished, I’ll take pictures of it as well and show you around. Hope you enjoyed the little tour!
All text and images © Marloes De Vries
Yes I did enjoy the tour!
Leuk om te zoen waar je woonde en werkte.
Heel veel geluk samen met Bram op jullie nieuwe stek!
Dankjewel!
Lovely photos 🙂 do share how the new space looks/feels 💕
Thanks!
Hey Marloes,
Geweldig leuk om je “huisje” te zien.
Het ziet er super gezellig uit.Ik vind het erg inspirerend om te zien en te lezen dat je in zo’n kleine ruimte zo fijn kan wonen.
Zelf ga ik binnenkort verhuizen naar een plekje van 50 viekante meter en voor mij ben je een voorbeeld.Dat klinkt misschien gek maar het is echt zo.
Ik ben al een poosje dol op je tekenwerk,ik heb je tekening als achtergrond scherm op mijn telefoon en elke keer word ik er blij van 🙂 Je sfeer van inrichten is ook helemaal in mijn straatje :)Dat wilde ik je even laten weten.
Gefeliciteerd met je nieuwe huis en het lijkt me erg leuk om daar ook weer foto’s van te zien.
Ik denk dat als je het handig indeelt, dat je er veel meer kwijt kan dan je denkt. Voor ideeën vind ik de kleine kamers in de Ikea-showroom altijd inspirerend. Niet dat je per se Ikea-spullen moet kopen, maar hoe zij ruimtes indelen is erg praktisch!
Dank je wel voor je leuke berichtje en veel geluk in je nieuwe huis!
Happy to have seen your lovely home. It is charming. I expected that. As you are charming too. I remember needing a larger sized place& the excitement of it. So many “growths” led me to need more space too I wish you happiness, and joy in your new Home. 2019 will be your year of expansion and peace and change. Enjoy the ride ahead. You deserve all of this goodness. You are a very special and wonderful person. I am so glad to have found your blog and to be able to follow your lovely life again. SBS joined us and your teaching style is delightful and pure. Good to be in contact again.
What a lovely message Connie, so sweet!
Thanks for your support and all the best for 2019!
Wauw wat heb je een tof huis! Zo mooi, mag ik er wonen? haha
Veel plezier in jullie nieuwe huis, die gaat er vast net zo fijn uitzien!
Hahaha! Nou, ik ga er weg, dus hij komt vrij 😉 Ik neem wel alle spullen mee!
Thanks for the tour, I love that you have Pippi on your wall 😃 I was in awe of her unstoppable optimism and bravery when I was young growing up in Sweden from 4- 10 years of age and still am really 😅 Good luck with the move and do the dishes by hand once in a while … dishwashers are magical but make you talk less 😉
Pippi is my absolute hero! I always take a part of her with me 🙂
It was so lovely. My mom always says every little object has to be beautiful and find its very right place in a home, sure it was the case in yours. Pretty positive your new home is going to be perfect as well 🙂
I agree with your mother. If I don’t have a connection to an object, I throw it away. And thank you!
A lovely space! somehow I knew you’d be a Pippi fan! me too! still to this day! We moved from the country to living in a small town, and while I love our 150yr old home, we’ve renovated…crooked floors and all, I miss the country! and having no neighbours😝 and I kept my bicycle in our house for years, but I;m not allowed to have my motorcycle indoors🤣
I wish you well on your move, enjoy your new workspace & your door to leave it all behind! Best wishes for 2019!
We’re moving to a small city, very close to the big city. It’s only 15 minutes by subway. In all honestly I would love to move somewhere more remote. I like peace and quiet a lot. I hope I can buy a little cottage in the UK one day, in the countryside!
Thanks for your message and best to you for 2019!
Lovely tour and the old apartment has many old charms about it. Takes me back to my first apartment when I moved from Sweden (my parents house in the country) to Toronto, Canada. It was small and old, shared with my friend and we had a whole stove. But the oven had a mind of its own, so it was storage, lol.
Now my husband and I live in a house, backing out to the forest and the lake. But from our window we can see the city on the otherside of the water. I love living by trees and calm, my biggest inspiration for my own art. Best of luck with your move and happy Christmas
It sounds you live in an amazing place! I can totally imagine it! Thanks for your message and happy holidays!
Such a great place!! I would love to rent it! Hehehe
I work from home too (I have a publishing house, tiny but full of hope) and this year I managed to create an office room instead of working in my room, I feel so grown up hehe, next step will be adding a sofa there to read or just change my point of view, may I suggest to to put one at yours? 😀
Well, it’s going to be on the rent-market again soon! 😀
I didn’t have any real rooms in this apartment so I’m really looking forward to a door to close a room so you can leave it behind. I will have a sofa in the living room, not in my workspace, it wouldn’t even fit. The new house is bigger than my current one, but not that big hahaha!
Marloes,
Thank you for sharing your home with us. It was a delight! I went from sisters to roommates to being married. I find myself very envious of your own little place that you could do whatever you wanted with!
Dag Marloes,
Ik las bij toeval je verhaaltje en het is heel herkenbaar. Ik (nou ja, wij) woon ook in een jaren ‘20 huis met overal buren. En wij zijn dit huis ook ontgroeit. Niet qua ruimte (72 m2) maar wel op andere vlakken. In februari ga ik mijn fijne plek verlaten en ook de stad uit. Zelfs het land uit…! Ik wens je veel geluk en plezier in je nieuwe huis. Ook dat wordt vast en zeker weer een thuis 🙂
Hi Marloes De Vries, it was great reading your article and the clicks which are embedded in the article are really stunning. You have beautifully decorated your home and it has inspired me with some great home ideas.