Looking inside in the Sixties house of Pieter-Bas: ‘I will come out of my wheelchair for this couch’

At the apartment of Pieter-Bas Graafland (28) in the Buytenwegh district, it looks like you’re like the film set of Grease or Footloose board. The red leather upholstery of the sofas and chairs hits you. Pieter-Bas sets up a fluoro pink elpee from the Dolly Dots and the tour starts.

Pieter-Bas’ both legs and left arm have been paralyzed since his birth. He lives independently in a two -room apartment on the Jam Camperthove in the Buytenwegh district. “My residential counselors call my house the museum of the apartment complex.”

Museum pieces

He does not hide his love for red leather, gothic, retro and old film music. In fact, its entire interior and appearance radiates this look. Against the wall is a jukebox, with a cowboy hat on top, with which he can turn cassette tapes. In a display cabinet in the living room is a collection of around seventy mini Volkswagen buses. “The film Herby became a fan,” says Pieter-Bas. On the walls, in both the living and the bedroom, there are various black and white photos and images of classic cars.

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Love for music

It started with his first album from The Sound of Music and soon his collection with music expanded from the 1950s. Nowadays it consists of 2200 Elpees, 1000 singles and 78 cassette tapes. “I have stored them all neatly in the living room. If I want to impress on visitors, I slide the cupboard open.” Pieter-Bas received his passion for music from his father. “We used to listen to Arrow Classic Rock and Radio Veronica,” he says. “We took turns a song and listened to each other’s choice of music.”

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Practice with old records

Pieter-Bas is preferred to listen to music from an elpea because of the clear sounds. But carefully putting the needle of the Elpee player on a plate is a big challenge for him. “I have practiced my fine motor skills for a long time by trying to set up old records. With record players and elpees of years old, you just have to handle carefully. I practiced and practice, but I didn’t succeed. Now I just look at it and I use an automatic record player. I have accepted it.”

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If I want to impress on visitors I slide the cupboard open

For this couch I get out of my chair

Pieter-Bas furniture in the style of the 1950s chose his house. ” Call Air Furniture I found my red leather dining bench and at bol.com I bought the table and dining bench, he says. “My father found the red-white couch for the living room on Marktplaats. With his adapted wheelchair bus we picked up the couch together. I will never get this away again. I never really wanted seating furniture, because I am sitting in my wheelchair all day. But for this couch I like to come out of my chair.”

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Racing chair for gaming

In addition to his collection of Volkswagen buses and pictures, Pieter-Bas also loves gaming. In his bedroom is a real racing setup with a large screen, pedals and a racing board. At his request, he had his electric chair covered with red leather, appropriate to his game room. “In addition, my wheelchair is not only better, I also look less disabled.”

You can see more photos of Pieter-Bas’ house below:

Your turn

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