Raw Villa
Turning a design into a masterpiece
Osiris Hertman Studio
There are few designers in the Netherlands who turn a design into a masterpiece the way Osiris Hertman does. For a large family he realized a home in which craft and authenticity are mixed with the burgundian lifestyle of the residents. A home in which life is celebrated.
*** “The appeal of the home had to be so great that you don’t have to go to the pub or to the terrace at all to celebrate life” ***
*** “My idea is worth nothing without the love of the craftsman” ***
Attraction | Summit of burgundy life
The beautiful monument that the family bought consists of three parts: one main section and two outbuildings. Osiris connected these through corridors in a very different look and feel from the original style and also created a modern open space that has more than enough room to accommodate friends or family. To find out what his clients really need in a home, Osiris begins not with a sketch, but with extensive interviews. “I particularly want to know how they live, what kind of people they are, what they really need. Only after that comes the rest. This family turned out to be the epitome of burgundy. They are often together, friends often come over, so there had to be room for that. They love to dine with large parties. The appeal of the home had to be so great that you don’t have to go to the pub or to the terrace at all to celebrate life.”
Present and history | Respect for the property
The monument was full of authentic elements. “Wonderful to be able to work with that,” says Osiris. “What I like and what challenges me as a designer is that there are limits to working with a monumental building. You can’t just go your way; you have to treat the monument with respect. I do that by not touching it, for example by working with front walls. Playing on the boundaries of what is possible and what is allowed, that’s what I love. Because the more boundaries there are, the more creativity it takes to get a suitable interior.” Osiris made a translation to now with great respect for the rich past. As a result, the house also meets all modern requirements in terms of comfort, acoustics and climate regulation.
Craft | Beauty is in imperfection
Osiris’ approach sets him apart from other designers. His love of craft is also what appealed to his clients. Honest materials, such as leather, epoxy, natural stone, old wood, copper, and with handmade objects, such as lamps from Indonesia, wood for the ceilings from Austria, fabrics from Italy and India, rugs from Persia, tiles from Portugal and China. “Of handmade objects, there are never two the same. Something handmade is never flawless, but beauty lies precisely in imperfection. If you want everything exactly the same, you have to buy conveyor belt products from the factory. Many people think luxury is having a wine cooler full of champagne or glitter pillows and gold faucets, but real luxury is handmade stuff in which you can see the hand of the craftsman.”
The same goes for crafts from Holland. De Rooij’s craftsman-made steel doors feature a special finish devised by Osiris. Working with top suppliers is something he has done for years. Formani, Jee-o… “It’s great when clients also appreciate that craftsmanship,” says Osiris. “Clients choose a contractor with whom I sit down to talk. When the design is in place, we make a book containing all the information about the house, so you walk through the house in 3D. With this book, we, or the clients, go to the subcontractors, the professionals, so that they too see what the big picture is and what contribution they make to it. Involvement is key. We make it together. My idea is worth nothing without the love of the craftsman.”
Being at home | Being completely yourself
When designing, only three things matter: the building, daylight and the occupants. This is also evident here. The home is a place where you can be completely yourself. This manifests itself in the functions of the spaces. There is a men’s room with a fireplace where the resident can smoke a cigar and have a drink with friends, there is a round lounge sofa and the beautiful wines also get attention. The painting by Pleunie Buyink beautifies the spot above the fireplace. The kitchen, on the other hand, is again very un-kitchen-like – actually a bit like a bar from the American series Cheers. The kitchen counter has a large tray for mise-en-place, for snacks, for guests to gather around. It invites a bottle of Provence rosé on ice. What also makes this kitchen un-kitchenable are the materials: a wall with pink leather, a wall with ceramic tiles from Portugal and a large piece of art by Bram Reijnders, shaped like Mickey Mouse, made up of all little Mickey Mouses.
The living room accommodates a spacious dining table. This can seat up to fourteen people for dinner, but it also offers plenty of options. Osiris: “There is room for a large vase with branches from the forest, or a stack of coffee table books, but also someone can sit on one side with his laptop, and on the other side someone can sit and eat. That gives more living pleasure than a large sitting area; then you quickly feel lost in your own home. I always keep the sitting area small, because this is where the family comes together.” The cozy fireplace and beautiful butterfly concrete floor create a warm and inviting ambiance.
You reach the upper floors via the leather-covered steps. The leather extends into the leather-covered floor. This leather has been polished with bronze wax by an artisan. It feels comfortable and the floors are heated, making it a treat to walk on them with bare feet. Even in the wet areas, the honest materials and craftsmanship create an unparalleled sense of luxury and relaxation. The basins of petrified wood, the patterns formed by nature in the natural stone… Everything is exactly as it should be.
This post is also available in: Dutch
