Maximum living without maximum expansion: a pre-war home on Stoombootweg reinvented
Right in the rural greenery of Amsterdam, directly next to a meadow where horses graze, sits a pre-war house as one half of a twin dwelling. What was once a cramped, structurally outdated home, has been transformed by studio RIANKNOP into a spacious, comfortable, and striking residence. More square meters don't automatically mean better living quality. That's why studio RIANKNOP didn’t choose for a large extension, but for a radical revision of what already existed. The result is an expressive, spatially rich home where clever interventions allow the existing volume to reach its full potential.
We can imagine that the residents would never want to leave!
Who drives along Stoombootweg feels momentarily transported outside the city.
The former walking route lies in the middle of greenery, bordered by ditches and meadows. Horses graze right next to the house. The location was already special, but the house itself demanded a new future.
The pre-war home no longer met the residents' lifestyle requirements, and moreover, its structural condition and construction were inadequate. An extensive renovation was necessary and presented an opportunity—not just to improve what existed, but to fundamentally re-examine how the home's use and appearance could better align with new desires. How do you turn an existing house into a new home?
If virtually everything is possible within the existing contours, what do you actually want to add?
Initial research led to an extensive upper-floor extension. More volume, more square meters, more possibilities. But during the design and research process, it became clear that the extra space wasn't proportional to the additional living enjoyment. The conclusion was clear: the house didn't need to become much bigger—it needed to become smarter.
This choice formed the foundation of the final design. By strategically employing height, sight lines, custom solutions, and visual connections, studio RIANKNOP managed to give the existing square meters far greater meaning.
A floor that finally works
Part of the spatial gain lies literally between the floors. The original upper floor was low and therefore didn't feel like a proper living space. By lowering the floor level, sufficient height was created for a sleeping and work zone, while the ground floor retained its spaciousness.
The staircase was also redesigned. The former steep and narrow stairs were replaced by a more natural and full-value access to the upper floor, matching the spacious entrance hall and landing.
These seemingly simple interventions drastically change the experience of the home. Studio RIANKNOP's design strategy wasn't focused on adding as much as possible, but precisely on allowing space to emerge.
This also happens in the interior. The slim powder-coated steel of the staircase, reflective surfaces in the narrow kitchen, and walls treated not as neutral building partitions but as full interior elements all strengthen the sense of space.
Custom work as spatial architecture
In the house, custom work isn't merely about storage—it's an important part of the architecture. In the entrance hall runs a wall of cabinetry spanning the full height of the floor. The cabinet provides storage while simultaneously forming the separation from the living zone.
The kitchen and remaining cabinets were made entirely to measure. This allowed awkward corners and limited dimensions to become the starting point for the design. A semi-transparent room divider connects the cooking and dining zone with the living room while creating two clearly recognizable living areas.
The meadow as part of the living room
Perhaps the most remarkable spatial gain lies outside the facade. The view over the adjacent meadow has become a full part of the house.
Part of the deep garden is arranged as an extension of the living room. The colored, brushed concrete floor runs uninterrupted from the seating area to the covered terrace. Inside and outside thus become one continuous living zone.
Under the canopy, a sheltered seating alcove has emerged—a place that invites you to be outdoors, even on less sunny summer days. The lighting above the outdoor table is consciously matched to the indoor lighting, the connection between both spaces remains perceptible in the evening too.
Old and new side by side
Although the house was completely redesigned, its original character was preserved and restored wherever possible. The old king post on the front façade was restored. This original detail forms a subtle reminder of the house's history.
In the interior, this stands opposite a contemporary materiality where tough, robust, and warm qualities come together, combined with warm colors and reflective surfaces. In the details, unusual and sustainable solutions were sought. The tiles in the toilet are manufactured from pressed construction waste and then glazed according to a proprietary recipe and color.
A lived-in wooden dancefloor serves as a counterpoint to the new colored concrete. That concrete extends out to the terrace and thus literally becomes the connector between inside and outside. The color of the brick facade returns in the staircase and in the linoleum throughout the entire upper floor.
The basis of the color palette is recognizable throughout the house, with each room receiving its own character. In the parents' bedroom, the base is supplemented with meranti wood and warm pink. The children's room receives a tougher palette of gray and metallic blue.
A house that can grow with you
In the master bedroom, the separating cabinets of meranti form a powerful spatial element. The material continues into the access door. A built-in sliding door makes it possible to close off the workspace and transform it into an independent area. Thanks to a daybed—which also serves as a guest bed—and the view over the meadow, this space is more than just a workplace.
The children's room is also fully custom-designed. Every corner was utilized for cabinets and a bed, with the design developed in close collaboration with the young client. The room can grow with its resident and is thus designed to last for many years to come.
Furniture and lighting provide extra warmth and playfulness. Dutch and local designs were mostly chosen, along with small-scale production.
Not bigger, but better
The transformation on Steamboat Road demonstrates that spatial quality doesn't necessarily arise from adding square meters. Sometimes the greatest gain lies in re-examining what already exists. The result is not a larger house, but a house that feels bigger, functions better, and fully aligns with the residents' lives.
This new home is the result of an intensive and trusting design process between studio RIANKNOP and the client. An own home, in the middle of greenery, where space, character, and comfort come together and where many life stages can still be spent. Not by simply adding more space, but carefully examining how the existing house could function optimally, a house was created that fully meets the residents' needs.
Collaborating parties: Duyts Bouwconstructies, MGK Bouw, Breg Hanssen Kitchens, Vincent Keijzers Interior Construction, Siersema Upholsterers, Tiles Blended Materials
