Koen Fraijman and Fadime Gökkaya have turned a 45 sqm (484 sqft) harbour‑front loft in Amsterdam into a showcase of inventive living, where every fixture reflects a blend of practicality and play.
From a Two‑Year Lease to a Personal Laboratory
After spending two years in the compact unit, the designer‑partner duo bought the space and set out to shape it “exactly how we’d like it,” Gökkaya says.
Their approach quickly grew beyond a single renovation. “It started with something practical, but then what happens is: if we do this, we first need to tackle this. Then we’ll need to tackle that,” she recalls, laughing at the cascade of ideas that followed a simple desire for a dishwasher.
Major updates include new kitchen cabinets, a dedicated laundry and drying zone, and a reoriented living area that faces the water. A custom bed frame incorporates an integrated mosquito‑netting system, while fresh bathroom cabinets replace the originals. Yet it is the smaller, homemade solutions that give the loft its distinctive character.
Fraijman, a designer, enjoys crafting his own fixtures. He rigged the television to a sliding rail—originally meant for doors—so the screen can disappear into a wall‑mounted artwork when not in use.
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Simple solutions matter.
A weighted pulley system lets a single remote control blinds across two storeys, offering a low‑tech answer to a modern convenience.
When the couple wanted more outdoor space, they built an extra deck section inside the living area first, then partially dismantled it to extend onto the water. The result is a floating platform that can be used for gatherings, as Fraijman notes, “Ten people downstairs and five upstairs, looking over the railing.”
Compact gatherings thrive.
The open‑plan layout easily shifts from stage to cinema to long dinner table, depending on the day’s needs.
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Fraijman prefers “big chunky light switches” that make a “CLUNK” when turned off, rejecting the trend toward app‑controlled smart lighting. He says the tactile feedback adds a moment of joy to daily routines.
Other whimsical details include a LEGO castle perched on a hanging entryway light, custom air‑vent covers punched with bell‑pepper shapes, an alphabetised spice collection, and a stained‑glass panel inspired by Tetris above the bathroom door.
Creativity thrives here.
These choices illustrate a broader trend in urban housing: as living spaces shrink, occupants increasingly become both users and makers, blurring the line between consumer and creator. This shift can empower residents to tailor their environments to personal habits, potentially increasing satisfaction and reducing waste.
Fraijman and Gökkaya see the loft as a stepping stone. “We’re excited about the next step – maybe having a family and being able to create even more together, in a new space,” Gökkaya says.
