Timeless Beauty and Wisdom A WORLD IN BLOOM
119
CAPTURING THE BEAUTY OF TRANSIENCE THROUGH FLOWERS 畫布上定格的霎那芳華
JAPANESE MEMORY PAPER: NEW HEIGHTS OF CONTEMPORARY BEAUTY 「和菓子」紙雕塑
DISCOVERING HIDDEN MEANING IN CLASSICAL CHINESE PAINTINGS 中國傳統畫中的自然意象
DREAM HOME IN THE WOODS 林間偶遇老木屋
ISSUE
Into the Woods
Creating a liveable oasis in the heart of the woods, designer Bertram Beerbaum has built his dream home in Holland
English text by Charlotte McManus Chinese text by Rui Chen Photos courtesy of KABAZ“Everything in a house contributes to the feeling of well-being. That’s something I want to evoke in all my projects, including my own home.”
—Bertram Beerbaum
If you know where to look, deep in the woodlands near the town of Laren in North Holland, a most unusual house can be found. Nestled in the wilderness, almost obscured by spruce, birch, and fir trees, is a one-of-a-kind forest villa. Branches and leaves cluster close to the low-rise timber building, which looks perfectly at home among the surrounding greenery—almost as though it has always been there.
The villa is the pet project of designer Bertram Beerbaum, co-owner and general manager of Dutch interior architecture firm Kabaz. When Beerbaum first came across the idyllic site, he found it well-suited as a family dwelling for himself and his teenage son.
“It’s definitely what I’d call my ‘dream home’,” Beerbaum says. “It’s set far back on the lot, so the house looks as though it has just appeared out of the woods—nature couldn’t be any closer. It’s a very pleasant place to be—you can feel it as soon as you drive through the gates.”
When Beerbaum purchased the site, he found there a thatched roof cottage that had been built in 1956. The small one-storey bungalow wasn’t quite what he had in mind for his longed-for home, so he toyed with the possibility of demolishing and starting again. In the end, he decided on an ambitious renovation— aided by his colleagues at Kabaz—that would preserve the rural spirit of the original structure.
“To me, the history of a house is a great starting point. I knew that I wanted to make the house substantially bigger and that I would have to expand a fair bit,” he says. “It took a lot of imagination.”
Letting the outside in
The result is a unique, meticulously planned home that artfully showcases the beauty of the surrounding landscape. Designed to bring in nature, the construction features vast glass walls and skylights that capture sunshine and views of the lush forest garden.
The home’s interior is set up with airy rooms and open-plan spaces. An earthy colour palette runs throughout in a wealth of natural materials, creating a sense of harmony with the villa’s forest setting. Large plants are found throughout, enhancing the indoor-outdoor feel. The effect is calming yet intimate, welcoming yet tranquil.
“I wanted to have a modest appearance and atmosphere because that’s what suits my personality. [At the same time] beautiful, luxurious materials were used to finish every detail. It’s a house where people can truly be together,” Beerbaum says.
The designer says the living room is his favourite place to relax or curl up with a book. “Because of the glass walls, you can enjoy the views of the garden side throughout the seasons,” he says.
下圖：與房屋的外牆保持一致，木屋的室內也 採用了深色木材作為裝飾主材。
「這所房子中的一切都營造出一種幸福感。這是我希望能在我 所有的項目中都實現的東西，當然也包括我自己的家。」
Bertram Beerbaum在荷蘭北部的 Laren 小鎮上，有一片茂密的林地，只有你走進 它的深處才會發現，在雲杉、白樺和冷杉的包圍之中，居然有一處 居所。這是一所經常出現在童話故事中的林中小屋，只是身為設 計師的主人大顯身手，將它進行了一番擴建。
如今這處外表看起來充滿了歲月痕跡，簡直讓人懷疑多年 未有人居住的林間別墅，成為了荷蘭室內設計公司 Kabaz 的共 同所有人兼總經理 Bertram Beerbaum 心愛的居所。事實上，當 Bertram 第一次發現這處世外桃源般的地方，便愛上了它，決定 要將這裏打造成他和他十歲兒子的家。
「這絕對就是我的『夢想之家』。」 Bertram 說：「它遠 離塵囂，看起來就像從樹林裏長出來一樣，太貼近大自然了。
這也是一個令人愉快的地方，你開車一穿過大門就能感覺到它 在等待著你。」
Bertram 買下這塊地時，樹林間便有一座建於 1956 年的茅草 屋頂的小屋。又破又小的茅屋當然不是 Bertram 想要的家的樣子， 他先是考慮把茅屋拆掉，建座新屋。但最終他決定在 Kabaz 同事 們的幫助下對小茅屋進行翻新和改建，以保留那份歷史感和地道 的鄉村風貌。
「對我來說，保留房子的歷史感是一個很好的起點。但與此 同時，我知道我想要的房子要比這大的多，所以我必須對它進行 擴建。」Bertram 說：「這可是一項很需要想象力的工作。」
融入自然中
如今來到這處林間小屋，也許從外觀上來說，你根本感覺不 到太多變化。深灰色的木材牆壁像是經受了多年的雨水沖刷，與 周圍大樹的樹皮渾然一體，屋頂似乎依然覆蓋著茅草，只是那些 新豎起的煙囪和現代的天窗能讓人感覺出這裏已經被進行過現 代化的改造。
再細看一下，發現那些木板牆並沒有完全將房間遮擋起來， 而更像一座涼亭，從外面可以將屋內的情況一目了然。這自然是 Bertram 和他的同事們為了更好的將戶外的風景引入室內，讓室 內的生活更融入周圍環境，而特別設計的大片的玻璃幕牆。
「我希望房子的外表看起來是質樸低調的，這符合我的個 性。同時需要用些高質量的材料來完成其中的每一處細節，最終 打造出一座讓家人願意在此歡聚一堂的房子。」
Bertram 說客廳是他最喜歡在那裏放鬆和窩在沙發上看書
的地方。「因為那裏有大片的玻璃牆，你可以一年四季都欣賞 到外面花園中的景色。」當然還有環繞在周圍，那些鬱鬱蔥蔥 的樹林。
精心打造細節
Bertram 將自己多年積累的專業經驗和知識運用到了自己 「夢想家園」的打造上。他在空間中運用了許多專門訂製的特 殊裝飾，例如：臥室和浴室的壁櫃，壁櫃的面板由許多細窄的 木條拼接組合而成，每根木條表面都包裹上了絨面皮革，還搭 配了牛角的把手，看上去正如房子的外觀，在質樸自然中流露 著精緻低調的奢華。
「我喜歡在家中放置那些能製造出話題的元素。」 Bertram 說：「整座房子隨處都可以找到這樣令人感到驚奇的小細節， 尤其是在一些工藝和設計上的小心思。比如：有一臺可以沉入 到家具中的電視，還有一個好像 007 電影中那樣的機關，轉動 一個帶鏡子邊桌，你就可以打開進入房子擴建部分的門。」 Bertram 也選用了他喜歡的意大利家具品牌 Flexform 來妝 點他的家。例如：客廳中擺放著 Flexform 旗下由意大利建築師 Antonio Citterio 設計的 Lifesteel 沙發和 Tessa 扶手椅，還有一對 用特別柔軟的皮革包裹起來的 Boss 扶手椅，放置在一面巨大的 窗戶旁， Bertram 可以舒服地坐在上面讀他喜歡的書，也可以 面對窗外大自然享受一段獨處的安寧時光。 「這所房子中的一切都營造出一種幸福感。這是我希望能在 我所有的項目中都實現的東西，當然也包括我自己的家。」 如今坐在家中回憶起對這座房子進行翻新改建的全過 程，Bertram 很是感慨。「我是最難搞的客戶，相信我公司中的每 個人都會讚同這一點。」他用打造自己新居的經歷證明，幸福從 來不是唾手可得的。「我過程中一直在尋找自身的獨特性，將我 的想法完全變成這座現實中的房子是一個巨大的挑戰，打造自己 的家並不像看上去那麼容易。」
無論如何最終的結果還是好的，如今 Bertram 已經和他的兒 子在這處林中別墅中安家落戶。他們邀請朋友來這裏看電影，在 開放式的廚房裏享用晚餐，當然還有窗外那一年四季都在直播的 自然風光。「不管甚麼時候，當你向外望去，都會發現自己正置身 於一幅令人讚歎的自然之手的畫作中。」也許這正是生活在這所 房子中的人幸福感的最大的來源。
木屋高挑的屋頂和巨大的落地窗令室內空間更加敞亮，也更融入戶外自然環境。室內的家具和裝飾品也多選用紅棕大地色調，好似屋外泥土地的延伸。
“I’m always looking for my own identity, and it was a huge challenge to fully translate my vision into this house. Making choices for your own home isn’t always as easy as it seems.”—Bertram Beerbaum
Craft details
Beerbaum drew on his expert knowledge of the design sphere to furnish the villa. This involved the commission of a significant number of pieces, including the cupboard walls in the bedroom and bathroom, of which he is particularly proud. The walls are crafted from an intricate assembly of narrow wood strips, with each strip covered in suede and set off by horn cabinet handles.
“I like to have elements in my home that create conversation,” Beerbaum says. “Surprising details can be found all over the house, especially when it comes to technology and gadgets. There’s a television that sinks into the furniture, and also a James Bond-like door. By turning the side table with mirror, you gain access to the villa extension.”
Italian-made furniture specialist Flexform provided a Lifesteel sofa and Tessa armchairs for the living room, both designed by Italian architect Antonio Citterio. A pair of soft leather Boss armchairs are placed next to one of the expansive windows, creating a comfortable environment for contemplating nature.
“Everything in a house contributes to the feeling of wellbeing,” says Beerbaum. “That’s something I want to evoke in all my projects, including my own home.”
That said, there can be drawbacks involved in the process of creating this ideal home—something that Beerbaum readily admits.
“I was the toughest customer—and I’m convinced that everyone in my company would agree,” he says. “I’m always looking for my own identity, and it was a huge challenge to fully translate my vision into this house. Making choices for your own home isn’t always as easy as it seems.”
Despite the lengthy process, the renovation is now complete, and Beerbaum and his son are happy and settled at the forest villa. Highlights of their new lifestyle include cozy movie sessions and enjoying supper with friends in the open-plan kitchen—although it’s the gorgeous natural views that continue to capture the designer’s imagination.
“When you look outside, it’s as if you find yourself in a breathtaking painting,” Beerbaum says.
