Familie Buitenhuys | On The Lake #20
“It was so easy to fall in love with house no. 20, one of the quirky holiday homes of Familie Buitenhuys. Mariëlle and Tobias have four holiday homes now and I would love to stay at them all, they’re all unique! I kicked off staying in house no.20 and oh, how I loved it!”
House no. 20 lies in West-Friesland in The Netherlands and the view is unbeatable: Holland in its purest form! I loved the rural scenery here. The house itself is a charming old blue house with a red roof, yet completely refurbished by the owners! It’s very cozy and atmospheric with a spacious kitchen, bathroom, three bedrooms and plenty of spots to chill. It’s perfect for a romantic stay or a trip with your bestie, yet the place is ideal for a family getaway too as the house fits four adults and two kids (and a baby!) and is very child friendly. There is a baby chair, a children’s bedroom and a stock of children’s toys. There is about 550m2 private ground surrounding the house with an outdoor playhouse, sandbox, swing and a big trampoline: fun for adults too! The place is perfect for just being with your loved ones, relaxing, charging and recovering.
As they mention themselves: do not expect a clean-cut sterile design-y resort villa, but a cottage that has a personal touch and feel to it, it has “stuff” (books, toys, vases, plants….), and yes, it has flaws. Personally, I love and prefer this “at home”-like atmosphere. The kitchen has everything you need: coffee, a dishwasher, a refrigerator with small freezer, an oven and all utilities you’ll need. The living room has big self-made wooden lounge couches and loads of pillows with toy drawers underneath them. There is a TV with a stack of old-school DVD’s and there are books and games too. I loved to just read a book in the upper corner spot of the couch. Hello cocooning!
The holiday home feels very secluded. You have a picture perfect view over the beautiful meadows from the house and terrace. There is nature everywhere and you’re able to walk for hours along the lake and through the meadows and rolling farmland. There are a few charming villages and farmhouses nearby and if you like, it’s just about a 45 minutes drive from Amsterdam! We went on a little road trip to the picturesque town Volendam as well. The many beaches on the endless Dutch coastline are within easy reach too.
Curious for more? As I’ve mentioned, Mariëlle and Tobias have four houses in total and they are still expanding! It all started with a dream and building their first house helped Mariëlle through a tough time. Her story is so inspiring! And she definitely has an eye for interior design: all of them have different quirky and creative interiors, a unique vibe and are all very child friendly. Three of their houses are situated in the meadows at the Markermeer lake in Venhuizen (North Holland) and one is in Schaijk in the south of The Netherlands! I stayed at house #7 too, which is very unique too as it has an attached greenhouse to it. Check it out here!
