Transformed church

When you see this building you immediately think that it an old church, and it used to be, dating back to 1928.  However, this old Dutch Reformed evangelical church in Harloo, outside Veldhoven in the Netherlands, has been transformed into a modern family home, thanks to the architects at Leijh Kappelhof Sechel van den Dobbelsteen.

 Clicking on the image below will connect you to the video that I have created and uploaded to YouTube, and which shows the transformation that has taken place.

Building exterior

It was important to both the new owners of this former church, as well as to the architects that much of what was old and unique with respect to this building should be retained.  Most of the old building was in good condition with respect to its technical construction.  Only the facade and the tower required some restauration.   

The family that bought the building was particularly taken with its size, its location in an idyllic part of the residential area in the outskirts of the town , and the great details of the woodwork in the ceiling.  The old doors and the windows with their coloured glass remained intact.  

The family also did not want to divide the space too much, to retain the unique feeling of room and space.  The church measured 1,100 m³.

By keeping as much of the rooms open, as possible, and avoiding unnecessary walls, maximized the day light that flows through the building. 

The architects describe that the concept of this project was to strip back, isolate, and furnish the place.

The result represents, in every way, the motto of the family that lives there:  "Take care of your inner child, live simply, play, explore, and always remain somewhat naughty."

Few additions were built into the big open space within the church.  It was a deliberate choice to avoid filling up the residence with rooms.

The objective was to minimize the need to live over many different rooms, but a mezzanine was built to create a more private and relaxing zone, with a sofa area, bedroom area, and bath.

The most noticeable interior detail in the big room is the unique, specially built staircase, seen below:

Staircase

The staircase is both essential and a distinguishing feaure of the house.

Not only does it function as a room divider, but it also hides a room and functions as wardrobe cabinet, cot (small storage space), and a built-in kitchen. In addition one of the walls functions as an exhibition wall, where the family can display its big collection of modern art.

The most striking aspect of this special staircase - which leads up to the mezzanine, and a little corner, where you can seek some rest and quiet, on your own - is the colour, deep red.  Deep red, is a colour often associated with sin and lust., not normally found in a church.  

The choice of colour was that of the married couple, that thought that it would be both exciting and a humourous feature of the interior.

The red colour is also found in other details of the house.  The main colour is without a doubt white, but in addition colours such as dark grey and materials like concrete and wood are used.

All materials used in the house are simple, fuctional and economic.

The floors are concrete, and original wooden boards from the church were used to cover the stairway steps.  In the kitchen a lot of stainless steel was used, and in places glass was used to maintain the flow of room andlight, but also because it fit in with the simple and tight expression desired.

There is no doubt that the project to create a residence of the church shows both humour, respect for the building, love for design, and not least creativity.

This is reflected in the name of the staircase - Starway to have fun, the swing with the print Swinging sister, and not least the Holy Shit print on the toilet (see photo below).  Note the cross on the wall, with the words Holy Shit.  These people do not take things too seriously.

Holy shit

 In the garden outside there is a gang of wooden sheep to represent the bible's "Lost Sheep".

The garden is also modern, with flower pots made of bricks, left over from the restauration of the building.

The shed is made from an old container.  It is integrated in the wooden fence, and has been given a grass-covered roof, which also can be used as a garden.