Welkom bij Botermarkt 10a
The Beauty of the Botermarkt
The best view in Haarlem!!
After 10 years of living in various houses in the Netherlands, one of my main gripes about historic houses is the lack of light and the lack of a view, especially in the old Centrum areas of the cities.
I mean, everyone loves a charming old house or apartment full of history. But, more often than, the dream does not meet the reality.
This is where my Botermarkt apartment is different.
By facing an open market square with established plane trees and ever-changing street life below, the space is light, airy and intensely private due to being elevated about all the activity.
If you want to live slap bang in the middle of Haarlem – in a listed monument building – but have all the luxuries of modern design then this space could be for you.
Why am I selling?
I bought the apartment to serve as a pied a terre but also as a ‘room of my own’ (aka Virginia Woolf).
As a writer, I sought an escape from the world outside, but not completely.
I’m no hermit so I also wanted to see out to the world, just not all the time.
The apartment has provided all of this and more.
I am selling reluctantly as, with my other half, we are moving to Italy. A new big adventure but I’m sure I will always feel a bit/ lot Dutchie at heart.
I truly hope I can pass this apartment to someone who will fully appreciate its design.
I’m open to talking with the new owner about whether it is sold furnished or not.
The curtains are from De Mooiste Muren (local shop), the table is Austrian label Dreikant.at and the sofa is Bolia (pure wool).
Groetjes, Fiona
About Botermarkt 10A
The apartment was overhauled in 2020 by a well known female Dutch designer. I’d love to name her as she deserves the public credit but I’ve not asked her so best to be discreet.
That said, her style and ingenuity is everywhere. The apartment shows off design that is compact but totally unique.
This is an Ikea free zone!
The untreated wood central box that houses the kitchen and bathroom/ laundry and which acts as the divider between the rooms is an especially clever one-off.
The front room is open plan with a rough, exposed brick wall. This gives the apartment an industrial warehouse feel.
The raw brick is the perfect surround for my rather big (but never out of place) flat screen wall TV. That’s another favourite thing of mine, watching the TV glowing out of the brick. My eyes never tire of tracing the detail of the wall.
Another feature worth mentioning is the reclaimed timber floor and the unique green colour the said designer painted it. If you look closely you see that certain boards are imprinted with printed words: like a type-setter has come through engraving secret messages … it is such a special detail.
The bedroom is at the rear and it’s been a peaceful, zone-out room.
With a high ceiling and cornice, I love that it’s private, cosy and atmospheric as the dappled light from the Botermarkt fairy lights comes through.
The Famous Haarlem Botermarkt
My 1st Floor Apartment
What I love
I love the windows and the way the apartment looks down on the market square and the cafes. You can have your own coffee break upstairs at home but still feel connected to the street life of Vijfhoek in Haarlem. Strangely, people rarely look up. Wierd hey.
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Open Plan Kitchen _ Dining
Open Plan Dining – Living Room
This apartment is 38 square metres but the huge windows both sides make it spacious, light and free.
Rear Bedroom
Bathroom / Laundry
Want to know more?
My wonderfully friendly makelaar is Floris van Kuijeren who can be found at VK Makelaars (his own agency).
Floris speaks perfect English (and presumably Dutch LOL but as I only made it to the humble inburgering B1 level I’m likely not the best person to ask). In any case, he is on 06 4747 0404 or Info@vkmakelaars.nl
If you want to know anything more about the space, you are welcome to contact me, Fiona, via Floris 🙂
The official listing is on Funda.nl (of course) at:
https://www.funda.nl/detail/koop/haarlem/appartement-botermarkt-10-a/89568260/
Culture in Haarlem
Brilliant cinemas such as Schuur & de Koepel
Concert halls such as Phil. Haarlem
Museums such as Teylers & Frans Hals
And so much more …
Getting Around
Haarlem is a short 2 train stops to Amsterdam Centraal (not that you need to got to Amsterdam when you live in the heart of beautiful Haarlem) and the apartment is a 10 minute walk to Haarlem Station.
The No. 300 Schiphol Airport bus drops you at the Botermarkt.
Covered, secure bike parking for locals is provided free at a number of locations nearby.
Our friend Fiona is the current owner. She kindly offered the apartment to us last Christmas and it was pure magic: so pretty and atmospheric. What’s not to love about Haarlem? It is the Netherland’s best kept secret: a medieval pedestrian city with nooks and crannies at every turn. If you love tiny walking streets that weave around and back, bespoke stores that are one of a kind, tiny bars and cafes with candles in the windows, a huge famous church with a carillon that is music (in the fullest sense of the word), then this apartment and Haarlem is for you.