thuis

The Dutch concept of thuis — home — is unlike anywhere else. A typical Amsterdam home is vertical: three or four floors connected by stairs so steep they're practically ladders. Rooms are small but meticulously arranged. A cat invariably sits in the window.

The most distinctive feature of a Dutch thuis is the windows — large, uncurtained, and brightly lit at night. This tradition of open windows dates back to the Calvinist idea that having nothing to hide is a virtue. "Wat heb je te verbergen?" (What are you hiding?) is the implied question to anyone who closes their curtains during the day.

Dutch homes are deeply personal spaces. Shoes come off at the door. Coffee is offered immediately. The living room is arranged for gezelligheid: a circle of chairs facing each other, candles on every surface, plants in every corner.

The Dutch spend more on home furnishings per capita than almost any European country. HEMA, Ikea, and Blokker are national institutions. Making a thuis comfortable isn't vanity — it's survival. When it rains 175 days a year, your home had better be somewhere you want to be.