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Carved in Wood: The Bespoke Home of a Self-Taught Carpenter and an Interior Designer

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Kitchen ShelvingIssue 17 — Spring Awakening

Carved in Wood: The Bespoke Home of a Self-Taught Carpenter and an Interior Designer

April 9, 2021

We’re longtime admirers of Woodchuck, a small studio in the Netherlands that produces minimalist, artful handcrafted wood furniture—so much so that when we wrote about the brand (see that story here), we asked its founders, Tinta and Rutger Luhrman, if they would be interested in a home tour for this site. Tinta graciously declined back then, saying that their house wasn’t quite photo-ready yet.

That was three years ago. Recently, we reached out again—and this time they agreed, though Tinta was quick to clarify, “Our home is still not ready, but that will never be, I think.” But therein lies the charm of their home. The couple (she’s an interior designer and he’s a self-taught carpenter) are constantly designing and building new products for Woodchuck, and their home has become their laboratory, a space to experiment and try new things and switch things up. (Tinta’s loyal Instagram followers are familiar with the frequent moving-around of furniture and art in their home.)

This fearlessness is what led them to start Woodchuck in the first place. “We came up with the idea on our way to Paris on the train,” recalls Tinta. “We decided to put all our savings into our first product, the Aki. We couldn’t afford a sanding machine at the time, so we sanded everything by hand. We made 300 Akis and sold out in two months. Then we bought a sanding machine, and after that, Woodchuck was a fact! We never had a plan really; we just started. We still follow our hearts in everything we do. Sometimes we fail, but that’s okay.”

As far as we’re concerned, their lovely, work-in-progress home, in the small town of Monster (near the Hague), is error-free. Join us for a tour.

Photography by Tinta Luhrman.

the couple moved to monster to escape hectic city life. &#8\2\20;it was a t 17
Above: The couple moved to Monster to escape hectic city life. “It was a test to see if we wouldn’t mind living in a small village,” says Tinta. Their compact three-story house is near the beach. A Woodchuck bench is placed near the entry. The floors throughout are painted a light gray.
a galley esque kitchen is just off the entry. their haru stool sits under wall 18
Above: A galley-esque kitchen is just off the entry. Their Haru Stool sits under wall shelving by String.
the couple crafted the built in kitchen shelving and counter themselves. on the 19
Above: The couple crafted the built-in kitchen shelving and counter themselves. On the right is the Hokata Step Stool and Yori Shelf, both by Woodchuck. Tinta and Rutger like to give their products Japanese names. “We have a great love for Japan,” says Tinta. “We don’t see our products as ‘things’ but more as an experience. It’s also like this in Japan. Things in life create their own character and they deserve a name.”
confirmation of their admiration for japanese design: an impressive collection 20
Above: Confirmation of their admiration for Japanese design: an impressive collection of brass Futagami objects. The couple also collect Japanese ceramics. The cone pendant lights are by Schneid Studio.
open shelving in the kitchen (even their flatware is on a shelf and not in a dr 21
Above: Open shelving in the kitchen (even their flatware is on a shelf and not in a drawer) means they have to be mindful of keeping clutter at bay. A sisal rug in the kitchen makes for an extra-cozy vibe.
a feature we especially love: the wooden countertop pockets along the wall for 22
Above: A feature we especially love: the wooden countertop pockets along the wall for storing plates and cooking tools.
the kitchen is open to the dining area and living room (right). the flowerpot l 23
Above: The kitchen is open to the dining area and living room (right). The Flowerpot Lamp is from &Tradition.
the dining room is anchored by a long table made by the couple. &#8\2\20;it 24
Above: The dining room is anchored by a long table made by the couple. “It’s my favorite piece of furniture because so much happens at this table,” says Tinta. The pendant light is by Ay Illuminate.
the living room starts on the other side of the wood beams. the cabinet is a wo 25
Above: The living room starts on the other side of the wood beams. The cabinet is a Woodchuck creation. “Mostly we use Russian birch wood, but we also work with oak, pine, and walnut. All of the wood we use is FSC-certified, which means it comes from responsibly managed forests.”
their dog, paxi, lounges in a stream of sunshine. the wooden mobile is by bookh 26
Above: Their dog, Paxi, lounges in a stream of sunshine. The wooden mobile is by Bookhou.
tinta&#8\2\17;s instagram bio reads: &#8\2\20;i love brown colors from 27
Above: Tinta’s Instagram bio reads: “I love brown colors from the moment I came to this world.” Indeed, brown tones, as well as creams and grays, can be found in every room of the home. “I don’t follow too many trends. We use lots of wood and natural materials. My friends call it the ‘Tinta style.’ “
on the second floor is a bathroom and their 9 year old daughter&#8\2\17;s r 28
Above: On the second floor is a bathroom and their 9-year-old daughter’s room, which has a king-sized bed for whenever she wants her parents to co-sleep with her. The bed is by Loof; the Taika 2/3 Shelf (above the bed) is by Woodchuck.
on the third floor of the home is the couple&#8\2\17;s bedroom. woodchuck&a 29
Above: On the third floor of the home is the couple’s bedroom. Woodchuck’s wall-mounted Yori Shelf hangs in the hallway outside their room.

For more Scandinavian inspiration, see:

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