An apartment in a 19th century Amsterdam townhouse, reinvigorated by an American expat

The apartment unfolds around two generous rooms connected by tall glazed pocket doors, each with a distinct character. On one side, the kitchen and dining area feel fresh and crisp, with blue cabinetry, a chequerboard floor and a central island. On the other, the living room’s predominantly white palette is softer and more subdued. Balconies at either end bring light through the length of the flat, with the kitchen opening directly over the canal, a rarity in Amsterdam. ‘There’s no street beneath us or even a walkway,’ says Juliet. ‘This is one of the few areas in the city where the buildings back up onto the water. It makes the balcony feel incredibly private.’

The decoration grew from Juliet’s desire to reconcile her roots with the character of the Amsterdam townhouse. ‘I wanted it to feel authentically Dutch, combined with a little bit of American country and something more modern.’ Interior designer Kina Sagild helped translate this mix into a light, youthful backdrop, pairing the original cornicing and classical chandeliers with vintage and contemporary designs. Crucially, the scheme was never intended to feel finished. ‘Kina was adamant that we create a strong base that I could add to over time,’ says Juliet. ‘We started quite light, knowing that I would continue to bring in more art and pieces I found on my travels.’

In the living room, a vase by Waves of Stone (Juliet's sister's pottery business), sits on a side table.

Isabel Bronts

With the canvas set, Juliet began to make the flat increasingly her own. Her close friend Hayley Daen, who has ‘an incredible knack for antique scouting’, joined her in hunting down pieces, among them an 18th-century Swedish Gustavian daybed that had to be manoeuvred through a window by piano movers. Her sister, ceramicist Morgan Mullins, is another constant presence, both in the lamps, bowls and vases dotted around the flat and as a long-distance sounding board for almost every decorating decision.

Family history runs through the art, too. An enlarged photograph by her father, Tom Mullins, of children mutton-busting in Texas, hangs on one wall, while a Lichtenstein exhibition poster from Leo Castelli Gallery, once in her mother’s law firm in DC, is a reminder of her New York roots. Perhaps most personal are two Miró lithographs her parents bought at auction in the 1990s. ‘When they divorced, they each took one,’ says Juliet. ‘I basically tricked them into giving me both so they could be reunited.’

Balconies at either end of the living space bring light through the length of the flat.

Isabel Bronts

Sentimental pieces extend beyond those inherited from her family. An Edo-period woodblock found on a trip to Tokyo hangs in the bedroom, while in the bathroom, a much-loved 17th-century Delft tile panel sits above an unexpected feature: a fireplace repurposed as a vanity, whose survival still delights her. ‘Even though it hasn’t been a working fireplace for many years, I’m so happy that the people who lived here before me appreciated the history of the space and decided to save it,’ she says.

Entertaining is a big part of Juliet’s life as an expat, and she deliberately gave most of the flat over to the main rooms, keeping the bedroom and bathroom relatively compact. Her 19th-century dining table extends to seat as many as 18, while friends often stay overnight on the oversized sofa. ‘I love having people over. To me, that’s the purpose of having the apartment designed the way it is,’ she says. Amsterdam may not necessarily be forever, but the flat is another matter. After eight years in the city, it has become a place where family, friendships and the life she has built abroad come together, and one she hopes will always be part of her life.