Family Villa Carice van Houten

“It’s pretty unusual that I have to be the one to tell a client to take a step back when it comes to color,” Nicole says with a beaming smile. A wide range of expressive colors is what the interior designer would call her “language of love” – whether bright or muted, none of the spaces she designs appear only in gray and beige. There is always a hint of color present.

Actress Carice van Houten wanted to go all out with the color scheme, but got lost in all the options. That’s where Atelier ND came in: they started with Kelly Wearstler’s pink polka dot wallpaper right at the entrance, followed by jewel tones of lilac, magenta and eggplant. Nicole: “The trick is to keep the overall feeling well balanced, and repetition works well for that. But before even a brush could be picked up, the entire structure of the mansion had to be renovated. They chose an open floor plan and much larger windows to allow more light to flow generously in. This canvas offered room for painterly color combinations and a mix of beloved iconic pieces by the likes of Tobia Scarpa and contemporary Dutch design by the likes of Sabine Marcelis.

The result is downright mesmerizing and truly reflects Carice’s personality. “That’s what I always hear from friends who come to visit,” jokes the artist: “And despite all the colors, it’s a real safe haven where we – the actress, her partner Guy Pearce and son Monte – can completely relax and recharge.