Studio Wijsman designs "elemental and intimate" interior for converted Amsterdam apartment

Berlin-based Studio Wijsman has updated an apartment housed in a former sugar refinery in Amsterdam, using materials including stone and stainless steel to complement the building's industrial heritage.

The two-storey apartment is situated within a canal-side refinery building dating back to 1752. Studio Wijsman was tasked with modernising the interior in a way that respected the existing architectural elements.

"The goal was to make a home that felt deeply rooted in the building's history but with a tactile quality that encourages slowing down and being present," explained the studio's founder Keltie Wijsman.

The apartment originally featured an open-plan bedroom and adjacent office, which was reorganised to create a private bedroom with an en-suite bathroom and a new walk-in wardrobe.

The kitchen and mezzanine dining area were completely revamped, while a guest bathroom, sauna and WC were combined to create a single cohesive space.

The studio adopted a material-driven approach to the project, introducing contemporary details that complement original features such as the exposed ceiling beams.

"My aim was to create a sense of calm by stripping away any excess and leaving the focus on the materials, crafting an environment that felt both elemental and intimate," Wijsman told Dezeen.

"I wanted every surface, detail, and junction to contribute to a sense of timelessness – not through ornamentation – but through proportion, texture and restraint."

Early in the project, Wijsman and the client bonded over a shared love of stone, which became a defining feature of the interior. The kitchen is defined by the Red Mirage granite used to create countertops that accentuate the tones of the historic beams.

A coffee table crafted from Rosso Verona marble provides a centrepiece in the living room, while the bathtub was crafted from solid Emperador Dark marble.

Wijsman began working with stone early in her career, but said that her relationship with the material deepened when she visited a quarry in Pardais, Portugal, while working on a previous project.

"Witnessing the geological strata and the extraction process firsthand deepened my appreciation for stone not only as a structural or decorative element, but as a narrative medium; one that holds time, place, and process within its very form," she said.

"I'm inspired by its inherent permanence and its capacity to carry history."

Turkish Blue Jeans marble was used to craft a custom sink in the guest bathroom, which also features a lavatory nook clad from floor to ceiling in the blue, grey and white-veined stone.

Remnants of the slabs were used to create two credenzas positioned on either side of the stainless-steel dining table – an example of the zero-waste approach applied throughout the project.

The bathroom walls and the fireplace in the living space are clad in Moroccan zellige tiles featuring a deep-brown glaze with an iridescent quality that animates the spaces.

The other material that recurs throughout the project is steel, which was informed by a kitchen backsplash installed by the previous tenant.

Wijsman designed a dining table that was made entirely from steel by local welders, with hot-rolled legs supporting a slender tabletop.

Stainless steel pendant lights suspended above the kitchen island create a focal point within the space and cast a warm glow onto the stone surface below.

The apartment's walls are rendered with hand-applied Venetian plaster that reflects light differently throughout the day. The textured, mineral-toned surfaces are complemented by custom-made walnut and oak cabinetry, which is accented with brass hardware.

Wooden joinery adds warmth and tactility to various spaces, including the bespoke walk-in wardrobe, which also features a silk carpet and cork-panelled ceiling with a skylight.

The spaces are furnished with a curated selection of contemporary and vintage pieces. In the living room, a COR Trio sofa combines with 1970s Brazilian armchairs and a Yos and Leonard Theosabrata lounge chair.

Keltie Wijsman's interior design studio works globally on projects across the residential and commercial sectors. She aims to create timeless interiors that blend custom furniture with vintage finds and modern materials.

Other recent Amsterdam interior projects include a renovated home from the Amsterdam School period and an apartment block with cupboard bedrooms.

The photography is by Daniëlle Siobhán.

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