Proverbs and sayings about May HORIZONTALLY: 2. May will deceive - in ... will leave.4 ....
In the ethnic version:
Imagine the greenery of gardens in the flat Dutch landscapes, and among this green splendor, whitewashed plastered facades of houses, fastened and supported by beams, posts and crossbars that have darkened with time.
Isn't it true that the picturesque works of the "small Dutch" immediately pop up in the memory, thanks to which the Dutch dwelling is so famous.
They made us see the ordinary, everyday beauty of everyday trifles that are not significant at a glance, and created such types of painting as domestic interiors and still life. Their canvases breathe comfort, and in the quiet life of things, a special meaning and simple beauty are revealed.
Interior features, decoration
Like all others, the Dutch style has a number of its own distinctive features, distinguishing it from a motley row of brothers. These characteristic features include:
- A phenomenal combination of natural (wood and stone) and man-made (tiles, ceramics, bricks), but no less natural materials.
One of the most important elements Dutch style - decorative brickwork unplastered walls. It looks great both outside and inside. interior decoration premises.
But if brick "nudity" is not to your liking, you can easily replace it with unpainted, unpasted wallpaper, wooden walls(panels), or simply paint them in shades of light ocher or pale blue.
Floor, ceiling and style furniture
Gender in dutch style, usually from natural wood or stone, although they look quite in the spirit and ceramic tile, imitating natural stone, piece parquet and even high-quality laminate.
The ceiling is whitewashed and decorated with decorative or working crossbars made of wood that has darkened with time.
To match the ceiling crossbars and furniture. Rectilinearly strict and even a little rough chairs with a massive table self made, side by side with the invention of the Dutch - a slide for dishes with glass doors separated by a grate, in the manner of classic Dutch windows “in 9 glasses”, shelves filled with a variety of blue and white dishes.
And darkened with time wooden dressers very well combined with simple forms armchairs upholstered in leather or fabric and an openwork old bronze chandelier.
Window
Of particular note is the Dutch style for its windows. As mentioned above, they are classically divided by a lattice into 9 parts, high and often up to the floor, crystal washed and completely devoid of curtains.
Although city life high density population, nevertheless made its own adjustments: in order not to embarrass the neighbors opposite the window, they began to curtain with a thin circled tulle.
Accessories
The Dutch style acquires a special chic and aroma thanks to its inherent accessories:
- the finest painting of stove tiles that adorn the center of the living room and an invariable attribute - a fireplace,
- and the massive coarseness of the table of peasant work,
- the wood of the shelves, darkened by time, and the boiling-white, lacy foam of openwork napkins on them,
- old ceramic thick dishes and burning, polished copper teapots with elegantly curved handles.
Special gourmets of antiquity, of course, will try to find in antique shops an old Dutch clock with an organ fight, old or stylized as the XVII-XVIII century geographic Maps, paintings and engravings in simple black frames or an old globe. Well, behind the transparency of the window, a flower bed with tulips of all stripes will look extraordinarily "Dutch".
One foggy evening in December 1893 in Amsterdam, 96 passers-by fell into the Amsterdam canals. The reason for this phenomenon was not only the love of the Dutch for their national drink - juniper vodka (gin) genever - but also pitch darkness on the streets of Amsterdam.
Amsterdam is still a rather dark city today. That is, it is normal in terms of street lighting European city, which after the usual in Moscow recent years light waste seems dark. In December, Amsterdam hosts the Festival of Light, and we expected it to be an enchanting spectacle when we went for a ride on the waterbus on the very first evening.
The light festival was really in full swing, but it was done in a very Dutch way. A multi-colored tulip suddenly appeared in the porthole of our boat. The light flower changed color, and soon luminous blue balls appeared on the oily black surface of the water in the channel.
The contours of some buildings along the banks of the canals are illuminated with lights: this is done quite economically, not to say sparingly - without any desire to throw the house through the window, as the Spaniards, dear to my heart, express themselves in such cases.
After some time, you begin to get used to the level of illumination of the Amsterdam streets and canals and already find your pluses in this subdued atmosphere. Because the city is beautiful, and modest lighting suits him.
We were very lucky that our first impressions of Amsterdam turned out to be water. There is hardly any other city on the planet - with the exception of Venice, of course - so heavily dependent on water and so composed of it. Like a man who is mostly water himself, Amsterdam is a dense web of canals plus the Amstel River, well, houses on their banks. And humpbacked bridges between them.
Canals occupy 25% of the entire area of the Dutch capital.
Naturally, there are new city blocks that house large office and residential buildings, you see them when you get to the center by train from Schiphol Airport, but we are not talking about them now. Historic Amsterdam, a city whose name consists of the name of the river and the word "dam", stands on the canals. Last year marked the 400th anniversary of the creation of the so-called "canal belt" - an exclusive area that was built for wealthy Amsterdammers.
All mankind was lucky that these people had good taste in the truest sense of the word, as well as a taste for architectural innovation and thrift. Thanks to the latter quality, the houses are very narrow in front and quite high for the 17th century, because taxes were paid depending on the width of the facade. Canal houses are built in such a way that thick, bearing walls- lateral, i.e. those that stand perpendicular to the water. But the facade facing the canal is relatively light, and therefore can be replaced. In other words, if you see a house of the 17th century, then this is not a fact that its facade is of the same era. However, somehow everything worked out in Amsterdam so that all the facades of the houses on the canals - both old and relatively new - look wonderful and blend very harmoniously when you admire them from below, from the side of a boat quietly sliding through the water.
It's time to say a few words about this boat and what we did on it. On the Internet you can find many advertisements for walks along the Amsterdam canals. We chose the oldest boat, it was built at the end of the century before last. Already on board, we heard confirmation of this fact from the luxurious Dutch captain. He was not young, fit and immediately inspired confidence and sympathy. According to the captain, the boat originally belonged to an Amsterdam notary who sailed it from one client to another. And when he didn’t need the boat to make deals, he rented it out to rich people who went on picnics.
Today, you can book a ticket for this ship online and sit at one of its several tables for three hours, while the boat slowly moves lace on the dark water of the channels.
In addition to the fabulous beauty of the views, you also have dinner. The size of the boat does not allow to keep a kitchen on it, so she goes twice to one of the restaurants on the shore. The time is calculated up to a minute so that hot dishes get without delay from the restaurant kitchen to your table. There are not only well-established procedures for this, but also small Dutch technological inventions that I constantly admired during the whole trip. Imagine a bookcase with compartments for a dozen plates. The captain picks her up from the restaurant messenger, and now the stewardess is carrying dishes to the tables - so hot that she takes a plate with a towel so as not to burn herself.
I had my doubts about the quality of food that such catering can offer. But I must admit that everything was on the level: well prepared from good products, beautifully served, although without any special frills.
Of course, we were constantly occupied with the views from the porthole: not only houses, but also old barges laid up along the edges of the canals. This is also at home.
Amsterdam is not the only European city whose residents prefer to live on the water. This, for example, is very fashionable in Lyon, France. But it seems that only in Amsterdam this phenomenon is so widespread.
There are two and a half thousand houseboats in the city.
It is assumed that the roots of this unusual phenomenon, in the opinion of visitors, go back to the years after the Second World War, when there were great difficulties with housing in Amsterdam. But there must be some other important reason why the Dutchman stoically endures the inconvenience of living on a cramped barge, where you have to cook on a stove from a gas cylinder, and the toilet is a ship's latrine.
According to the Amsterdam tradition, the inhabitants of houseboats do not cover their windows (portholes), so you can observe the situation and the inhabitants when you float by.
In addition, the windows in a traditional Amsterdam house are very large and high, which, as usual in this city, has not only an aesthetic component, but also a purely practical one. If anyone would like to contribute to dutch house a piano or a closet, it would be impossible to do this through the door. The stairs in the house are so steep and narrow that it is extremely difficult to drag even a suitcase up them (as we could see in our hotel). All large-sized furnishings are brought in through the window. In an Amsterdam house, window frames can be easily exposed. Under the roof of old houses on the facade, you can see a rusty hook: it allows you to lift furniture with a winch. Since the facades of Dutch houses are tilted towards the canal, there is a fairly good chance that the piano will not fly into the neighbor's window.
Dutch-style windows are non-standard and rather tall rectangular structures, divided into equal squares or rectangles. The number of such elements varies from 4 to 20, depending on the size of the window and the wishes of the customer.
To fully match the style, from the side of the facade, the windows are framed in platbands. Their design is discreet or, on the contrary, brighter and more contrasting. Previously, they were made of stone or wood, which was covered with lime or clay. Today it is polyurethane or wood composite. As a decoration, the facade is additionally decorated with stone or decorative plaster.
Dutch style window
Features of the Dutch style
This architectural style can be described in three words: simplicity, functionality and comfort. Its interiors are simple and comfortable to live in.
If speak about appearance building in the Dutch style, its facade is undoubtedly recognizable. Sharp lines, discreet finish. Windows are located symmetrically with respect to the center of the facade.
The color scheme is simple: red, gray, brown and their shades, complemented by contrasting white elements.
The main feature of the Dutch style is that in the external and interior decoration used only natural materials. If these are walls, then brick, if windows, then wood. Tiles and glass are also used.
V modern world window structures can also be made of plastic, giving it a wood design. This option also applies. But true wood has its own warmth and, most importantly, a pleasant smell.
Dutch Style Opening Window
To add contrast to the exterior of the house, window frames usually painted in White color. For complete immersion in style, you can add shutters. In our region, they are not so necessary, but they will definitely give the building an external flavor.
Dutch style windows made of solid pine
Such products are practical, beautiful and comfortable. Modern paint coatings significantly extend their service life. They perfectly withstand all the fluctuations of nature. And they require minimal maintenance in the form of wiping with soapy water if necessary.
Dutch window close up
Conclusion
The Dutch style is suitable for those who appreciate coziness and comfort, but do not tolerate excessive pathos.
The Dutch architecture of buildings once greatly impressed Peter I himself, and as a result, today this style is an integral part of our city of St. Petersburg.
You can order windows in the Dutch style by phone or by leaving a request on our website. We are waiting for you in our office.
Frames and windows of EXCELLENT quality, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY, BEAUTIFUL!!
There are no monumental palaces or ancient ruins in this city, but it still enchants. Walking along the embankments of the canals, you quickly realize that the city is beautiful because practically no house in the historical center of the city is similar to another, and large original windows are an integral part of the facades.
The entire historical center of the city is riddled with hundreds of canals. On the embankments close to each other are crowded " doll houses". All of them, as a rule, are not higher than 3-5 floors. It is not surprising that when walking along the streets of Amsterdam, fairy tales involuntarily pop up in your memory. The Snow Queen, Carloson, the Bremen Town Musicians, and the atmosphere of the city takes you back to the Middle Ages.
Urban planning projects in those years were implemented according to completely different principles than now. Looking at the houses of Amsterdam, you understand that at that time one of the main rules in the construction of houses was the aesthetic beauty of the facade of the house. Windows in it occupy at least 60%. The second rule is that facade windows should be beautiful and varied. In no case should they look like the windows of neighboring houses.
Many of us are used to the fact that in Russia all houses are typical, and the windows, of course, are also the same. The only exception is the material from which they are made. When buying windows, the question usually arises about their configuration, the method of opening, and not about what design delights will be embodied in them.
Specifics of windows in Amsterdam
What kind of windows here do not meet the human eye - and round, and rectangular, and arched. A lot of windows, framed with hand-made stucco, combined with decorations symbolizing the occupation, former owners buildings (work tools, figures of bakers, fishermen, tailors, etc.).
The specificity of the windows of Amsterdam is that in the historic center of the city all the windows are wooden. They are completely different from Russian ones, starting from sliding doors that open upwards, to windows decorated with a frequent layout. This gives the window a special elegance. By the way, the area of the windows of Amsterdam is at least 2 times larger than the Russian ones.
The windows of Amsterdam are always different…
If there are funny windows here, in funny houses. And of course modern windows, reflecting the free style of the city.
It is interesting to note that the city has unusual for us buildings on the water, the so-called "Floating Houses" with "floating windows" on the canals of Amsterdam. They can be compared to Russian dachas where the Dutch come to live for weekends and holidays. Many buildings are supported on massive wooden piles, some of them rot over time, and the houses begin to “dance”, keeping neighboring buildings from destruction.
On almost all facades you can see cross beams, and hooks sticking out.
Using a system of pulleys and ropes, these beams were used to lift cargo from the sides of riverboats directly to storage areas in the attics, and are now used to deliver furniture to homes. The windows in all the houses are huge, and the stairways are very narrow, so there is no other way to lift goods and furniture into these houses.
Real Dutch people will never cover windows.
If in the historical part of the city you can find windows with a frequent layout (in English style), then in the suburbs of Amsterdam, and indeed in Holland, the layout is not used in the windows, and it is not customary to curtain them.
Where did this habit come from? As the Dutch themselves say, earlier they also curtained the windows in the evenings, protecting their privacy from prying eyes, but everything changed in the 16th century.
In 1556, Holland was under the rule of Spain, and already 10 years later the first Bourgeois Revolution took place in this country (we remember this from the 6th grade textbooks). All the years after the revolution, the Dutch waged a stubborn struggle against the Spaniards, the apotheosis of which was the years of rule in Holland by the governor of the Spanish king, the Duke of Alba.
He began a fierce struggle with the rebels, who were called in Holland guess. Conspiracies seemed to him everywhere, and in order to prevent them, he issued an order forbidding the blinds of the windows, so that the Spanish soldiers, on guard, could see if any conspiracy was being prepared in this house. The Spaniards were expelled from Holland back in 1579, but the habit of not curtaining the windows 
remained in Holland centuries later.
Now, when you walk through the streets of Dutch cities, you involuntarily pay attention to this. Here is a grandmother sitting at the computer, here is a man watching TV, here is a family sitting at a late dinner. For the Dutch, this is the norm. You won't see this in other countries. And even in Belgium, which in those years was a single country with Holland, this habit did not take root.
Windows in the Red Light District
Speaking of the windows of Amsterdam, it is impossible not to mention the windows of the world-famous Red Light District. It's kind of a mixture of the extremely free manners of this city and the desire to flaunt oneself, as in the reality show "Behind the Glass".
Almost everything related to moral emancipation is possible in Amsterdam. Every tourist certainly goes to the Red Light District for this, where after ten in the evening an active night life. Girls of easy virtue in mini-bikinis stand in the windows-showcases and catch the glances of men passing by.
There are also a lot of coffeeshops and smartshops in this quarter. By the way, they also have huge windows in which you can see what people are doing inside. And what do they actually do?
In coffee shops they smoke marijuana (English - canabis). That's how you easily come in, buy a few grams of grass, score a joint, and smoke with a cup of coffee. At the same time, you smoke with full awareness that no matter who sees what, there will be no problems with the law. By the way, when you walk by, you can not only see it, but also feel it. The characteristic smell of marijuana spreads throughout the block.
At the Dutch flower market, a set of seeds 
cannabis “for beginners” who want to grow it at home on the window, the so-called “Starters kit”, can be bought for as little as 3 euros. But if this "souvenir" is found in Sheremetyevo, they will big problems.
In smartshops, you can taste hallucinogenic mushrooms, muffins and other Dutch culinary products. The most important thing here is not to make a mistake with the dose, otherwise European newspapers will again be full of headlines, they say, well, another tourist jumped out of the hotel window, having eaten hallucinogenic mushrooms. Just like in the novels of Carlos Castaneda.
Explore the photo gallery of Amsterdam windows
Tidy rows of neat four-story houses along numerous canals are perhaps the most common image that comes to mind when thinking about the traditional architecture of the Netherlands. Today, many Dutch cities can boast quite striking examples of modern architectural thought, interesting objects for various purposes - from theaters and elementary schools to museums and shopping centers.
The portal I'm an architect presents seven of the most impressive projects realized in the Netherlands in recent years.
1. Kaleidoscopic theater in Lelystad
Project: Theater Agora
Purpose: theater
City: Lelystad
Year of construction: 2007
The unusual building is part of the plan of the Lelystad by Adriaan Geuze program, designed to actively develop the central part of Lelystad, a city that has not yet turned 50 years old. This unique theater is the result of a professional approach and the free flight of the creative mind of architects. UN Studio. The authors of the project believe that the building of the Agora Theater is one of the most complex objects for the entire period of their work.
2. Amorphous structure in Eindhoven
Purpose: shopping center
City: Eindhoven
Year of construction: 2010
This building appeared as a result of the reconstruction of the central part of Eindhoven, which included the arrangement of a large shopping and office center, car and bicycle parking and the entrance to underground part project. Amorphous streamlined shapes of the new body shopping center with glass fragments on the facade create fascinating and dynamic spatial configurations inside the building.
3. Mirror cube in Rotterdam
Project: Atriumtower Hiphouse Zwolle
Purpose: social housing
City: Rotterdam
Year of construction: 2009
The authors of this project decided to break the stereotype that has developed in Europe that apartments for low-income segments of the population or students (social housing) should, as a rule, be cramped, dark and ugly. Therefore, they designed a multi-storey building with glass walls, which is simply flooded with natural light at any time of the day and provides its inhabitants with decent living conditions. This 23mx32mx25m glass cube was awarded several prestigious architectural awards in 2010 and 2011.
4. Gabled Municipality in The Hague
Project: The Hague Municipal Office
Purpose: office
City: The Hague
Year of construction: 2011
In this white "paper airplane" are located almost all the main social institutions and public services of The Hague: municipality, registry office, city library and information center. Lightness and swiftness, expressed in the design of the building, is continued in its interiors. The inner walls of the building are almost transparent, and all the offices open onto a glass acute-angled atrium that unites floors with different functions. Light and at the same time durable structures from thin beams and visually weightless ceilings maximize the interior space.
5. Texel Maritime Museum
Project: Maritime and Beachcombers Museum
Purpose: museum
City: Texel
Year of construction: 2011
Since ancient times, the inhabitants of Texel Island, whose life is inextricably linked with the sea and shipping, have collected pieces of wood from wrecked ships and used them in construction. It is not surprising that in our time a museum with the unusual name “Museum of the Sea and People Collecting Things thrown ashore by the sea” appeared here. The building of this institution, designed by the architectural bureau Mecanoo, is made in accordance with the old eco-tradition local construction. Recycled hardwood was used as a material for finishing the facades of the building. Its noble silver hue is the result of many years of exposure to air and moisture.
6. Wave building in Almere
Project: Block 16
Architect: René van Zuuk
Purpose: hotel + shopping center
City: Almere
Year of construction: 2005
The principle of construction of the Block 16 building is in many ways similar to the tunneling system, based on the simultaneous casting of walls and floor. Changing the length of cells adjacent to each other ultimately led to the formation of the original non-uniform shape of the facade. Although the creation of the Dutch architect René van Zuuk is called “The Wave”, because the peculiar architecture really gives the impression that the surface of the facade “flows” smoothly, there is another association - the anodized aluminum in the cladding and the curved shape of the walls resemble the scaly skin of a reptile giant.
7. Primary school in The Hague
Project: Primary School The Hague
Purpose: school
City: The Hague
Year of construction: 2011
Within the walls of the school, children should feel protected and at the same time have enough opportunities for fun communication. The authors of the building project elementary school in The Hague they decided to make it look like a "colored fairy-tale creature." The elongated structure, stretched around the green playground, is not uniform in height and width, but inside it invites young students to make a kind of journey through a light labyrinth with broken walls and unexpected turns.
