English-Speaking Interior Designer in the Netherlands: A Guide for Expats and International Professionals
Moving to a new country involves hundreds of decisions. Furnishing your home shouldn't be another source of stress. This guide explains how interior design works in the Netherlands, what newcomers often find surprising about Dutch homes, and how to find an English-speaking service that can help you settle in.
How furnishing a home in the Netherlands differs from what you may expect
If you have recently relocated to the Netherlands, the Dutch rental market may have already surprised you. Understanding it is the first step to furnishing your home effectively.
Most rentals are unfurnished — and "unfurnished" means something specific here
In the Netherlands, rental properties are typically advertised in one of three states:
Kaal (bare): The most stripped-back option — often no flooring, no window coverings, sometimes no light fittings. You provide almost everything.
Gestoffeerd (upholstered): Flooring and window coverings are included, and sometimes kitchen appliances. Furniture is not. This is roughly equivalent to what many countries call "unfurnished."
Gemeubileerd (furnished): Move-in ready with furniture and appliances included. More common in short-term and expat-targeted rentals, and typically more expensive.
Many long-term rentals are gestoffeerd or kaal. If you are staying for more than a year, you will most likely need to furnish the space yourself — which can involve more than you expect, including flooring, curtains, lighting and all furniture.
Setting up a long-term rental can easily cost several thousand euros once flooring, window coverings, lighting and furniture are taken into account.
Dutch homes are compact — and proportioned differently
Dutch apartments and terraced houses (rijtjeshuizen) are known for their tall, narrow proportions. This affects furnishing in practical ways:
Rooms are often smaller than equivalents in other countries
Staircases are typically steep and narrow — sometimes extremely so in older canal houses
Apartment lifts, where they exist, are often small
Ceiling heights can be high, which affects curtain sizing and lighting
Furniture that worked well in a previous home may not fit here — either because the room is too small, or because it cannot physically be brought up the stairs. This is not a minor inconvenience: it is one of the most common costly mistakes newcomers make, and it can be avoided with a proper room plan before purchasing.
Dutch interiors are designed differently
Dutch homes often place a strong emphasis on practical layouts, natural light and efficient use of space. Rather than filling rooms with furniture, the aim is usually to create calm, functional interiors that feel open and comfortable. Many contemporary Dutch interiors favour restrained colour palettes, multifunctional furniture and thoughtful lighting, although styles naturally vary from home to home. Understanding these design preferences can help newcomers create a home that feels both personal and suited to its surroundings.
You may not know where to buy
IKEA is familiar. But the Dutch market has a range of retailers that newcomers often don't know:
Leen Bakker — affordable sofas, beds and storage
JYSK — Scandinavian-style furniture and textiles
Woonexpress — mid-range furniture, wide range
Goossens — quality furniture, includes an interior advice service
Kave Home — design-led furniture at mid-range prices
Westwing — online, curated design pieces
FonQ — online, strong on lighting and accessories
Kwantum — affordable curtains, flooring and home textiles
BCC / MediaMarkt — appliances if your rental doesn't include them
Knowing which retailers suit your style and budget saves considerable time — and helps ensure that the products recommended in your design are actually deliverable to your address.
Why newcomers often choose online interior design
Online interior design is particularly well suited to people who have recently relocated. Common reasons include:
You are still settling in. Starting a new job, navigating a new city and arranging utilities leaves little time for furniture shopping decisions. Online design gives you a clear brief to work from, so that when you do have time to buy, you know exactly what to get.
You may not be permanently based yet. If you are in temporary accommodation or not sure how long you will stay, online advice can help you furnish efficiently without over-investing in pieces that may not suit a future home.
You don't need multiple appointments. Online design works from photographs and measurements you provide. There is no need to arrange a home visit, which is practical when your schedule is unpredictable.
You don't know local suppliers yet. A good service will recommend products from retailers that deliver reliably within the Netherlands — saving you the research of finding suitable sources yourself.
You want the process in English. Not because Dutch designers don't speak English — many do — but because having every document, recommendation and shopping list prepared in English removes a layer of friction when you are already navigating a new language environment.
What to look for in an English-speaking interior design service
Not every service works equally well for newcomers. When comparing options, ask:
Is everything communicated in English?
Not just the website — the intake questionnaire, the design document, the shopping list and any follow-up communication. Misunderstandings in design briefs are common even in one's first language; they are more likely across languages.
Does the designer understand the Dutch market?
A service that recommends products from retailers that don't ship to the Netherlands, or that doesn't account for Dutch room proportions and staircase access, creates more problems than it solves.
Does the designer prioritise Dutch and EU retailers?
Products from within the Netherlands or the EU can often arrive faster, are generally easier to return if something goes wrong, and involve shorter transport distances. This matters when you are trying to settle in quickly.
Is the package designed for renters as well as owners?
A good service works within the constraints of a rental property — recommending solutions that don't require landlord approval, and that can be adapted or taken with you if you move.
Does the designer work within your stated budget?
Furnishing a home after relocation is a significant expense. A design that ignores your budget isn't a design — it's a wish list.
What is the delivery time?
When you are living with minimal furniture, a fast turnaround matters.
Renting in the Netherlands: what this means for your interior
Many newcomers are renting, which introduces specific constraints that a good interior designer should understand.
Landlord permissions. Most Dutch rental contracts require landlord approval for decoration changes — painting walls, drilling holes, fitting shelves. A good design works within these constraints by default rather than assuming you can alter the space.
Landlord-friendly solutions. There are many ways to improve a rental without permanent changes: freestanding shelving, removable adhesive hooks, temporary wallpaper, area rugs over existing flooring, curtains hung from tension rods. These options should be part of any design aimed at renters.
Portable investments. When you move on, you want to take your furnishings with you. A design that prioritises freestanding, moveable pieces over fixed installations makes your investment more durable across multiple homes.
Not over-investing. If you are uncertain how long you will stay, a good service helps you make considered choices rather than impulse purchases — buying what you need, at a quality level that suits your timeline.
Delivery and access: a practical consideration
Before buying any large furniture in the Netherlands, measure your access points.
Dutch staircases — particularly in older buildings and canal houses — can be extremely narrow and steep. Many apartments also have small lifts or no lift at all. Furniture that looks perfectly sized for a room may be impossible to bring through the front door, up the stairs or into the lift.
Before purchasing:
Measure the staircase width and height clearance
Measure any lift if you have one
Measure doorways on every floor the furniture must pass through
Check whether the building has a stairwell window that can be opened for hoisting (common in Dutch canal houses)
A good design service will flag this. If yours doesn't mention it, ask.
What a complete online design package includes
A comprehensive single-room design package typically provides:
A to-scale 2D furniture layout showing placement and circulation
Colour direction with a moodboard
Realistic 3D visualisations of the finished room
A shopping list with products sourced from retailers that deliver within the Netherlands
Paint colour recommendations with exact codes where relevant
This gives you a complete brief to work from — so that purchasing decisions are guided rather than guessed.
Why many newcomers start with one room
After relocating, furnishing an entire home at once can feel overwhelming — particularly when you are also starting a new job, learning a new city and managing the practical demands of settling in. Many international professionals begin with the living room or bedroom, creating one comfortable space before gradually completing the rest of the home as time and budget allow.
This approach reduces the financial pressure of furnishing everything at once, lets you test what works in your new space before committing to larger purchases, and gives you somewhere that feels like home while the rest comes together. A single well-designed room makes a disproportionate difference to how settled you feel.
Room & Reset
Room & Reset is a fully online interior studio that redesigns one room at a time for clients across the Netherlands. All communication, design documents and shopping lists are prepared in English.
The Room Reset Design Package includes a to-scale 2D furniture layout, colour direction with a moodboard, realistic 3D visualisations, a shopping list matched to the budget you set, and one revision round. Wherever practical, products are selected from Dutch and European retailers — to keep delivery times short, simplify returns and reduce transport distances.
The current introductory price is €199 — a deliberately accessible starting rate for the studio's first clients, which will rise as the studio grows.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to speak Dutch to use your service?
No. The entire process — intake questionnaire, design document, shopping list and communication — is in English.
I'm renting. Can you still help?
Yes. Room & Reset designs within the constraints of rental properties by default — recommending landlord-friendly solutions and freestanding furniture that you can take with you when you move.
I don't know Dutch retailers. Will the shopping list make sense to me?
Yes. The shopping list includes product links to retailers that deliver within the Netherlands, with notes where helpful. You don't need prior knowledge of Dutch shops.
I've just moved in and the apartment feels very bare. Where do I start?
Start with the room you spend the most time in — usually the living room. A single well-designed room makes a disproportionate difference to how settled you feel. You can add other rooms later.
Can you work within a tight budget?
Yes. The shopping list is designed around the furnishing budget you specify in the intake. If you have a fixed amount to spend, state it clearly and the design will work within it.
I'm not sure how long I'll be in the Netherlands. Does that affect what you recommend?
It can, and it's worth mentioning in your intake. If you are here for one to two years, the advice on investment levels and portability of pieces will be different from a longer-term stay.
What if a product on the shopping list goes out of stock?
All products are verified as available at the time the report is issued. Stock availability can change after delivery — the sooner you act on the recommendations, the more likely everything will still be available. If something is no longer in stock, use the product details (dimensions, style, price range) as a reference to find a similar alternative from the same or another retailer.