9 Things you find in a Dutch home but not in an American home

Simple things in the home can be so different between the Netherlands and the United States. In the years that I've lived in the Netherlands, I've seen things in a Dutch home that surprised me as an American. As usual, I think these items give an insight into Dutch and American culture, and tell us a little about Dutch quirks!

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I like to share my experiences of an American expat in the Netherlands. I describe both the unique and everyday aspects of Dutch culture, and life in Holland while enjoying every bit of it!

Instagram: DutchAmericano

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[tns]

You've forgotten about hallways. In the US the front door puts you right into the living room whereas most Dutch homes have a hallway where you can hang your coat and which acts as an 'airlock' keeping the heat inside in winter when you open the front door. Also pretty useful for privacy- whoever's at the door can't look straight into your living room.

[treintje]

Stairs are made as compact and space saving as possible, because Dutch houses probably are typically smaller than in America, and we want to use the valuable space in the most efficient way. In bigger, more expensive houses you will most likely also find wider and straight stairs.
The see-through curtains are called 'vitrage' or 'glasgordijnen' (glass curtains). They are kind of see-through, but not entirely clear. They make the view kind of blurry and it is difficult to actually see what is behind them. Their purpose is to let the light come in while still providing some privacy. During the day, that is. At night we close the thick curtains. Having the curtains or blinds closed during the day would make the house become very dark, and it also looks a bit awkward and unfriendly from the outside. So the glass curtains provide a good compromise for letting the light flow in while still maintaining some privacy. The toilet 'with the 'shelf' as you describe it is called a 'flat-flusher' and is indeed typical for the Dutch market, and it has pro's and con's. The normal type is called a 'deep-flusher'. Basically a flat-flusher is more comfortable, but a deep-flusher is more hygenic. There is also a broader choice in deep-flush toilets. Btw the flat-flushers are becoming less popular. The small sink in the toilet has a very distinct purpose, namely: to wash your hands when you're done! I am a bit shocked to hear that this apparently is not a common thing in America. It's all about hygene. The toilet is the best place for the birthday calender, since it is the place where you are most likely to actually look at it ;-). The 'achterom' is there for basically two reasons, and follows from the tendency to build blocks of clutered together houses (terraced houses). As you mentioned, the shed is usually at the back, so that is where you leave and enter the house when you are using your bike. When two rows of houses are build side by side, the fire dpt demands a so-called 'brandgang' (firebreak) inbetween the two rows of houses to be able to fight a possible fire at the back side of the block. This brandgang then also provides the access to the back entrance. Btw 'Achter om' literally means 'around the the back'.
The Dutch may often have more than one bike; the Americans often have more than one car lol 🙂.

[moniquevandoorn]

I always watch a British tv show called: Homes under the hammer. And in that show it happens several times that a house that is visited has stained glass windows. So this is not only a Dutch thing. It is something typical for the thirties of the twentieth century. But it is very beautiful to me. And I am one of the few people born and raised here that closes the curtains as soon as it gets dark. I just don’t feel safe and at ease when everybody can see me.

[colanitower]

The windows you can open in two ways are a German design. Older Dutch homes with windows not yet replaced often have tiny little windows that can create small openings above larger windows. The tiny ones are called "Bovenlichtjes." To ventilate the house without draught I often use only the bovenlichtjes. No powered ventilation system required. Works perfectly.

[mereyemsuzanne]

We often have 2 pairs of curtains.. the see through and a thick one !!!
But from the outside you might only see the see through one..

[nienke]

The Netherlands is a very densely populated country, so we need to use space efficiently, which, amongst other things, means not wasting space with wide and long staircases; steeper narrower staircases take up less of that precious space

[snorristurluson]

I took living in a home with stained glass for granted for years untill I realised that apperently not every home (even in the same street as I live) has them. It's so beautiful! We even have the sliding doors. My father has replaced the glass in the door to the living room also with stained glass (he made the pattern himself).

[Frahamen]

An other reason why people have multiple bikes (at least this is common in Belgium, I don't know if it's the same in the Netherlands but I suspect it does) is students have a bike in the university city and one at home at there parents because we go back and forth very often in the weekends and it's more convenient to have two bikes than transport the bike by train.

[A_Casual_NPC]

You talking about stained glass is really interesting. My parents live in a home build in 1932, it had stained windows when build it was originaly constructed, It got destroyed during the war, but my dad grew up in the village the live in now and its very connected to it. He managed to dig up some old pictures and such of the building from before the war. They're currently working to restore the original stained glass, as far as posstible at least.

[casek]

Hi Ava, nice remarks again. Dutch stairs:
According to the Dutch building rules (Bouwbesluit) in the 1980-ties and 90-ties the minimum for a staircase was horizontal part 185 mm, a foot is about 300 mm, and the riser minimum was 210 mm. So they built this minimum. Then after years of negotiation and studying they changed the Bouwbesluit the staircase measurements changed into: horizontal 210 mm, and the vertical 185 mm. This under loud protest of the building companies, it would take too much space and would be too expensive. In the latest version of some years ago, they changed it back into the original horizontal: 185 mm, vertical 210 mm. In public buildings like hospitals and townhalls you find stairs lwith steps: 300 mm / 180 mm. In common area's in appartment buildings the horizontal step must be 240 mm.
The minimum measurements of a toilet are 920x1220 mm (2x20 mm stuco). So that's what you often get.

[Kelsea-]

A small correction because I have often noticed in the Netherlands that they speak of Dutch windows.
In reality, this tilting window technology was invented in 1937 by the German Wilhelm Frank.

[Clownie_Smiles]

I don't know about the Buddha statues. They sell them at Action and stuff and people like to buy them. I don't think there is anything to it

[sanderdeboer]

Arjan Lubach made a program about the Buddha trend in Dutch houses and why this can be problematic. For most people they just like the esthetic, and because they are not religious themselves they don’t have a stance for or against it.

Buddhism in general has a positive image, because most people know very little about the religious aspects it has in many countries.

[Rob]

The "achterom" is the result of the typical housing building style which is a bit different from the US. Instead of square city blocks, or blocks are narrow and on the long sides there is a closed row of houses. The rows are separated just enough to have back gardens between them, and the "achterom" can run between that.
In the US I think it is more typical for houses to be separated from eachother so you can walk around your house to get to the back garden.
Just like the narrow and steep stairs, it can be explained by the fact that our cities are much more tightly packed, as land with building permit is (artificially) scarce and thus very expensive. You would not want (or cannot afford) to waste area with large stairs or your own private path to reach your back garden, you get small stairs and a shared path.

[Rocodil]

The windows you can open in two ways are actually even more popular in Germany. I lived there for a while and I have not seen a home without such windows.

[MotoMaus]

In the olden days, property tax was being calculated based on the width of the building. Hence the narrow stair case as it was considered waste of money to make them wider, as it would mean would mean more property taxes.

[michavandam]

1. Buddha-beeldjes
2. steile, smalle trappen
3. draai-kiepamen
4. wc's met een inspectieplateau
5. een klein wasbakje in de wc
6. de verjaardagskalender
7. glas-in-lood
8. een achteringang
9. meerdere fietsen per persoon

[TheViperMan]

I got a Budda. It was gifted by my Uncle who went to Nepal on a hike. They came back with budda's for everyone. Mine was the only one still in one piece. So its sitting here for already over 20 years.

[hamster]

Stairs take up a lot of space and building houses was way more costly here than in many other areas as we first had to “polder” the land (turn it from water / soggy land into dry land) and then make a foundation with foundation piles.
So to reduce costs and to limit the area of the house, stairs were made to take up at least space as possible.

Please note that today many houses need to have their foundation redone (funderingsherstel). For an average house consisting of a ground floor, first and second floor, the foundation repairs can come to €100, 000.
Something you won’t “see” in your house, but needed nevertheless.

[zwaantjes]

The 'see-through' curtains are called 'vitrage'. Say: Vee-trah-zjuh, in the French way. Many Dutch words are in fact French.
The 'achter-om' was (in the past) also the door for the maid, or to drop off deliveries.
I am Dutch but live in the US since 1996. i find your video fun and comical, thank you for the entertainment.