Inside the Amsterdam Home of a Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Executive

Avery Baker, President and Chief Brand Officer of Tommy Hilfiger, and Tony Kurz, CEO of BrandMark Collective, found their dream home in Amsterdam’s Oud-Zuid neighbourhood. With the help of talented designers, they transformed a 1924 yellow brick dwelling into a personalized haven filled with natural materials and a touch of luxury.

As serial renters in central Amsterdam, Avery Baker and Tony Kurz were fortunate to live in atmospheric 17th-century canal houses. However, when they decided to find a permanent home for their family, it proved to be a challenging task. “It was hard to find something that we were really excited about,” Baker recalls.

Their search finally came to an end when they stumbled upon a 1924 yellow brick house in the tranquil and family-friendly Oud-Zuid neighbourhood, conveniently located near the Museumkwartier and Vondelpark. Beyond its charming architecture, the house offered scenic views of a canal, a feature that was important to Baker and Kurz. “Seeing water was important for us,” Baker points out.

After acquiring the house, Baker and Kurz enlisted the expertise of Sjoerd Markx from local studio Atelier Markx for the interior architecture, and designer Nicoline Beerkens, based in Lisbon, to revamp the 4,000-square-foot space. “It was the first chance we had to create our own home. You dream of all these things that you want to do when you’re renting, like someday I’ll have wallpaper,” muses Baker. “But even though there are similarities between textiles, mood, and color, the timeline for interiors is so different from fashion. I kept saying to Nicoline, ‘Why does that have to take so long? What do you mean we have to wait six months to get the fabric for the couch?’ It was a big learning curve, but a fun creative experience.”

Collaborating closely with Markx and Beerkens, both Baker and Kurz had a say in the design process. Baker explains, “Sjoerd has a modernist hand, Nicoline came in with a classicist approach, and we had strong views about how we wanted to live. For me, the most rewarding aspect was truly collaborating.”

Beerkens, who was already familiar with Baker’s taste, was delighted to see it translated into the house. “The most important thing is that Avery wanted it to be personal. She didn’t want it to look too designed, like a hotel. It had to be homey and easy,” says Beerkens. “She doesn’t like bling-bling or shine. All the materials we used are natural, such as Belgian linen and seagrass wallpaper, for a bit of luxury.”

Without Beerkens’ encouragement and guidance, Baker admits they might have played it safe. Beerkens brought vibrancy to the project and pushed them to be more adventurous in their choices. Baker embarked on the renovation with a mood board featuring a captivating shade of aubergine, a color she had coveted since 1989 when she saw it in a friend’s living room. Another important aspect for Baker and Kurz was maximizing natural light. “Those houses can be a bit dark,” adds Beerkens, “and they wanted to see the green from outside with big, open windows.”

The kitchen, featuring a striking mosaic floor sourced at the last minute, provides comfortable seating for informal gatherings before transitioning to the chic, vintage-furniture-filled dining room. The house exudes a grounding elegance, extending from the statement powder room adorned with a botanical mural hand-painted by Baker’s friend, local illustrator Hanneke Jongsma, to Baker’s serene dressing area. Connected to the main bedroom, there is an intimate sitting room—a perfect corner to read a book and unwind from the day, as pointed out by Beerkens.

Balancing practicality with beauty was paramount for Baker and Kurz. They aimed to create an informal ambiance while incorporating rich details and textures that make a house feel like a home. “Every morning, I walk down to the kitchen, and I am still grateful,” says Baker, reflecting on their successful transformation.

By combining their personal style preferences with the expertise of Markx and Beerkens, Avery Baker and Tony Kurz have achieved a harmonious and inviting home in the heart of Amsterdam.