Lisa Aelvoet
Look inside Robin Hill, a mid-century bungalow with a woodland garden
When Daan and Arabella came across the mid-century bungalow Robin Hill in central Limburg, they instantly fell in love. The original architectural features and green location of the modernist bungalow is exactly what they were looking for.
How did the idea for Robin Hill come about?
Arabella: “We both really like architectural houses and especially modernist bungalows from the 60s and 70s. This is because of their garden orientation: with a bungalow, nature comes into your home, so to speak. In our search for a special bungalow on Funda, we eventually stumbled upon Robin Hill. On our first visit, we were hugely impressed and completely surprised by the original state of the bungalow – which is very rare these days, after all. We live in Robin Hill part-time and share the property with like-minded people for short holidays, photo or video shoots or as a mindful event and workshop venue.”
Why the name ‘Robin Hill’?
Daan: “The previous occupant had renamed the bungalow ‘Robin Hill’ and we found this name very fitting for the little house on the hill. The oak leaf from our logo is often found in the bungalow, which is also surrounded by many oak trees. So we really wanted to keep the cool name in state.”
Where do you get inspiration for the interiors?
Daan: “We always think from the home and carry out all modifications with respect for the architecture. Here, we take into account when the bungalow was built, its location and the architect’s underlying idea. For the interior, we visited lots of vintage shops, markets, collectors’ and design fairs, but also spent many hours on Marktplaats.”
What are your favourite interior items in the bungalow?
Arabella: “The orange Artifort chair suits the bungalow well, even though it is a recent item from the early 2000s. As do the mo man tai art mirror and the rug by the seating area. The original pass-through cupboard between the dining area and kitchen is a real eye-catcher. The furniture and decoration do not all have to be from the mid-century period. Sometimes modern accessories fit in just as well. That mix keeps it interesting.”
Do you have any vintage treasure-hunting tips?
Arabella: “We are big fans of collectors’ fairs for trinkets. Furthermore, our regular addresses are Decennia Design in Tilburg and Vintage Jolie in Roermond. We also recommend the Tongeren flea market in Belgium. My parents come across many great items at their favourite address as well: De Oude Spar in Geesteren or in France at the Lille flea market. A good tip in terms of purchase price is to always keep a certain budget in mind and not to overstep your bounds. Finally, we found a lot of stuff on Marktplaats. Sometimes we put out a search and it can take several months or years before we find what we are looking for. But then the wait is always more than worth it!”
More information & bookings: www.robinhill.nl / Instagram @robin.hill.bungalow