Canal House
Canal House
Canal House
Canal House
When i29 arrived to transform a 17th-century canal house in Amsterdam, the property was in a state near ruin. Needless to say, the two-year makeover involved a whole lot more than just a fresh coat of paint. Yet the first thing you notice about the final outcome is its bold use of colour.
Passages framed in eye-catching hues create clear moments of transition between the home’s predominantly white rooms, dividing the property into distinct zones but maintaining a sense of connection through the use of intriguing sightlines. A stepped hallway between the dining room and sitting room is framed in grey-stained oak, while a glossy green corridor at the end of the kitchen marks the entrance to a hidden guest bedroom.
The home is filled with these kinds of delightful surprises. Another secret room, this one a guest bedroom–reading lounge painted a soothing blue, lies hidden behind the living room’s rotating book wall. In another room, this one at the front of the house, a wall darts away to form a mint-green office nook complete with a built-in desk and matching table lamp.
While each space boasts definite charm, the canal house’s true standout is its primary bedroom. To encourage especially lofty dreams, the sky-high retreat’s bed sits directly below the home’s original pitched roof. At the other end of this attic level, a serene bathing zone beckons with a freestanding Japanese bathtub and matching wood-wrapped sink. By painting the wide hallway that connects these two spaces a rich charcoal grey, i29 has created a dark, moody moment within an otherwise serene escape. Mirrored volumes on either side heighten the contrast.
In a way, this corridor is a perfect reflection of the project as a whole. Starting from a historic property, i29 has used bold hits of colour to highlight its strategic interventions, delivering a mix of different eras that encourages deeper exploration.
Starting from a historic property, i29’s Canal House has used bold hits of colour to highlight its strategic interventions.
