Palace Huis Ten Bosch, The Hague

[Rudolph]

Here’s a video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJhrA2HllLk

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by Rudolph

Here’s a video

Now I have seen the video I like it better. So many more surprising details.
I like the diverse modern and classic objets d'art in all these places.
Thanks for the link!

[Stefan]

I thuink some of the rooms look quiet good like the Vestibul other not soo like the so called DNA room or the green and blue salon where the wall decoration look very busy.
As for all the changes my guess is that as long as it are nor structral changes this is ok. The same was done for example at Frederik VIII. Pavillon of Amalienborg when it was renovated for Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary

[An Ard Ri]

Loving the photos of the interior of Huis ten Bosch its one Palace than I know less about !

[loonytick]

I LOVE that they’re mixing in so many modern elements. Generation after generation of monarchs added and subtracted to the decor of royal palaces; the relatively contemporary idea of locking in a historic design scheme is so wrongheaded. It takes away the value of seeing the marks of so many generations of a family mingled together. It’s good to see the Dutch monarchs have the presence of mind to understand this era of design should have its influence and legacy included, too.

[Somebody]

Originally Posted by Marengo

I am not sure how much say the couple had over these rooms, it would mostly be the responsibility of the Rijksvastgoedbedrijf. As I said considering the horrendous job they did in the Catshuis they seem to have contained themselves here. Though compared to the restoration of Dam palace -which looks far more palatial these days- it is a big change.

The king and queen were very much involved in the process.

The monumental parts are restored: ceilings, doors, windows and the historic rooms are preserved. In other cases they had more freedom. In the -what ANP names Green- salon the change is the most dramatic. But in the end they will have replaced a historically inspired wallpaper from the 1980s with wall paintings of the present day. No structural damage was done. During a next renovation it can be removed if they so wish.

I really like the DNA-room - not so sure about the furniture but the mural is a nice modern touch based on a historical tradition.

The offices are nothing special indeed.

Edit: I think that ANP may has made a small error and the 'DNA-room' is the room that was formerly the Green Salon, as it has the same windows and the same fire place. The fire place and the proportions of the new techni-colour wall painting room seems to be the same as the Blue Salon (which btw was not blue but white/silver-ish), with a view to the Princess Garden. At least the Blue salon has some (loud) blue elements now .

That's what I gathered as well. I'm not a fan of this new 'blue salon'. Too busy imo - but on the other hand I'm no fan of the white dining room either (too clinical imo - so they have both ends of the spectrum).

[Lady Marlboro]

The video made everything look better than the pictures. Personally, I find the Blue Salon to be just a bit too blue. While I might have a dress or a blouse of that color, I don't know that I could live with it on the walls. I liked the King's office better than the Queen's. Her's seemed a bit too cluttered. (I seem to be on something of a minimalist streak of late) In looking at the pictures, not the videos, I was trying to figure out was on the walls of the DNA room. I was sure there was a translation error in the caption. Now, I am not quite sure what to make of it. I think what I envy the most were the beautiful views from the windows. It is truly a lovely place.

Edit to add: I just figured out that what I thought was the Blue Salon is apparently the Library.

[Duc_et_Pair]

Only a small part of the palace was shown. I missed salons like the one with the paintings of Van der Aa: http://images.memorix.nl/naa/thumb/1...45ee218b1a.jpg


Or the original 17th C salons, here with president Obama: https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/sites/defau...?itok=x33c5x53


Etc.

[Marengo]

A video about the woven wall coverings of the Blue Salon:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0uw2clmfPY

[Mbruno]

I have just seen a video from Rick Evers’ YouTube channel and I found the modern decoration and modern features added to the interior quite out of tune with a 17th-century Palace. Seriously, LED lamps replacing historical crystal chandeliers ? It is quite grotesque in my humble opinion.

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by Mbruno

I have just seen a video from Rick Evers’ YouTube channel and I found the modern decoration and modern features added to the interior quite out of tune with a 17th-century Palace. Seriously, LED lamps replacing historical crystal chandeliers ? It is quite grotesque in my humble opinion.

I believe the replaced wallhangings and chandeliers were "re-historic" as these were made in 1950's to replace damaged or missing items. In WWII the palace was stripped and what remained hanging was heavily damaged due to a launch site of V2 missiles in the very park of the palace: https://www.rijksvastgoedbedrijf.nl/...-v.d.werff.jpg

There is a flow in restoration circles which prefers something new than something faking originality. I presume this school has won.

The vestibule before:
http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/N...xHxpFmpsrx.jpg

The vestibule after:
https://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/binari...-ten-bosch.jpg

Green Salon before:
https://www.hethuisvanoranje.nl/18%2...20Salon-01.jpg

Green Salon after:
https://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/binari...-ten-bosch.jpg

[Lady Marlboro]

Duc_et_Pair, thanks for the comparison pictures. Personally, I think the the vestibule after is more interesting than it was before. However, while the new Green Salon is interesting, I prefer the old one.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by Lady Marlboro

Duc_et_Pair, thanks for the comparison pictures. Personally, I think the the vestibule after is more interesting than it was before. However, while the new Green Salon is interesting, I prefer the old one.

I agree i also think the Vestibule has improved from the changes. But not the Green Salon.

[Duc_et_Pair]

It is said that the state rooms and the original items were painfully precisely restored to absolute perfect state.

But where there were no historic elements, there was "nothing to restore" so to say. For an example, the green salon was just a one-in-a-dozen looking salon, as this sort of interior is standard in every grand house.

Often there are rooms with coats-of-arms of forebearers depicted. The former green salon now has the DNA of the King at one wall and the DNA of the Queen at the opposite wall, both in 3d. It was thought this was a modern version of the usual coats-of-arms on a palace- or castle wall.

The darker colour of the vestibule was one of the colours the restorators discovered under the layers of paint.

The private offices of the King and Queen, the private library and that salon with the colourful new textile wallhanging had no elements of historic significance and so personal choices could be made.

Salons and rooms with historic wallhangings, paintings, original woodwork, original chandeliers etc were meticulousky restored, with all guild looking sparkling new, all stucco looking fresh and all paintwork impeccable.

The most imporant improvements are invisible: the utilities, the installations, the new roof, the new windows, the new stairs, etc.

So nothing which was of importance has been removed with these new interiors.

[An Ard Ri]

I prefer the colour scheme in the old Vestibule and in general am not a fan of anything modern and prefer old school ,I do like the lights but they look like a Christmas decoration and don't do anything for it.

Absolutely detest the new wallpaper in the green Salon.

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by An Ard Ri

I prefer the colour scheme in the old Vestibule and in general am not a fan of anything modern and prefer old school ,I do like the lights but they look like a Christmas decoration and don't do anything for it.

Absolutely detest the new wallpaper in the green Salon.

It is no wallpaper but a 3d artwork, made of brickstones:

In overview:
https://images4.persgroep.net/rcs/ac...79&quality=0.9

In detail:
https://www.bouwformatie.nl/images/b...0interieur.jpg

[An Ard Ri]

I still think it would look better in a trendy Amsterdam bar than at the palace but that just my humble point of view!

[Lady Marlboro]

I think I like the DNA a little better now that I know it is more of an art piece than wallpaper. It isn't going to be my favorite but where there are rooms that had no original features due to war damage, it is nice to include something from a more recent time. It makes the palace seem more of a living entity than a time capsule. This is coming from someone who adores old buildings.

[Duc_et_Pair]

Some rooms are kept original because the wallhangings are original. For an example this salon with silk wallhangings: https://indebuurt.nl/denhaag/wp-cont...2157621541.jpg

But because it is original they did not experiment with this. Pity enough because I dislike the style and colour of this salon.

But nice salons or not, for a family house it is fabulous when you drive up the alley and see this in the woods:
https://indebuurt.nl/denhaag/wp-cont...2157036395.jpg

[An Ard Ri]

Originally Posted by Duc_et_Pair

Some rooms are kept original because the wallhangings are original. For an example this salon with silk wallhangings: https://indebuurt.nl/denhaag/wp-cont...2157621541.jpg

But because it is original they did not experiment with this. Pity enough because I dislike the style and colour of this salon.

Perhaps had they changed the colour of the curtains to a slightly lighter tone it wouldn't have been so over powering.