Chris and Arend sell this monumental building: ‘We call it our palace’

Chris and Arend have been living with great pleasure for years in a monumental mansion from 1902, in the middle of Bergen op Zoom. They are now putting their beloved home on Antwerpsestraat up for sale. “We always call it our palace. And actually it is,” says Chris.

When they first entered the house, they were immediately sold. “We love large spaces,” says Chris. “In other houses we viewed, we would have had to demolish walls everywhere. Here we could immediately live according to our wishes. Arend felt that immediately.”

Did a lot myself
The fact that the house was barely habitable at the time did not deter them. “There was no bathroom, no shower. Everything was worn out. Seventy windows have been replaced, new slates have been laid on the roof and everything has been painted. We are quite proud that we did a lot of it ourselves.”

According to Chris and Arend, the house immediately makes an impression. “The hall and the stairs are a wow moment for many people,” says Chris. The library-like dining room, the attractive sitting room and the TV room with wooden paneling are also always popular.

Chris himself is particularly fond of the garden room, adjacent to the wellnessroom. “The view of the pond makes you feel like you are in the middle of the garden. It has become a cozy space. There used to be desks, but now it is really a place where you can relax.”

Wellness in your own home
The wellnessChris designed the space all by himself. “It used to be an office space of nine by five meters, but now it accommodates a sauna, a steam bath, a plunge pool, a hot tubseveral showers and a garden room with a view of the pond.”

They use it regularly. “Twice last week. Wonderful. Also the wellness sometimes used by acquaintances. For example, a friend came by almost every week for months because it relieved her neck complaints.”

Space for everything
With 482 square meters of living space and fourteen rooms, the mansion is more than spacious. “A family can live here fantastically, but someone with a practice at home or live-in parents also has plenty of space here.” The plot covers 336 square meters and there are several terraces and gardens. The house is for sale for 1,195,000 euros.

More often in the sun
Chris and Arend are entering a new phase in their lives and want to spend more time in the sun. What will they miss most? For Chris that is the wellnessbut for Arend there really is space. Together they agree: “The elegance. Every time we come home, we think: wow, what a house.”