Rietveld-Schröder House: Living as a Conscious Act

Amid the dark brick, suburban homes of Utrecht, one house stands out. Characterised by geometric abstraction, a primary colour palette, and expansive windows, Rietveld-Schröder House was designed in 1924, marking a radical departure from the architectural norms of its time.

The design of the house emerged from a collaboration between Dutch architect Gerrit Rietveld and its owner, Truus Schröder-Schräder. At 35, Schröder-Schräder became a widow and sought to transform her life. She wanted to break free from the confining, heavily decorated classicist-style house she had shared with her late husband.

Her vision for the new home was clear: a space that embraced openness, simplicity, and flexibility—values that mirrored her desire for a liberated, intentional way of living. Meeting Rietveld was serendipitous, as they both shared a vision for modern life that rejected conventional domesticity in favour of progressive, functional design.

Completed in 1924, the house became more than just Schröder-Schräder’s residence; it was an architectural experiment in living consciously. On the ground floor, Rietveld and Schröder-Schräder established an office for their joint architectural practice, where they continued to explore innovative spatial solutions.

The design of the house was deeply influenced by the principles of the De Stijl movement, which emphasised asymmetry, abstraction, and the use of primary colours. This influence is immediately apparent in the exterior – white facade composed of intersecting vertical and horizontal planes, clean black lines, as well as red, blue, yellow, and grey accents.

Form truly follows function here – the house is stripped of almost all ornamentation, giving space for new, practical designs to emerge. One such feature is the vertical red girder by the entrance, a visual cue for delivery personnel to leave packages at a window. Meanwhile, a speaking tube (or “spreekbuis” in Dutch) allows for communication with someone on the first floor without going downstairs.

The ground floor space is intended for cooking and working. Upon entering the house, the kitchen opens up to the right. Every detail serves convenience here: a fold-out shelf for food deliveries, a food lift to the upper floor, and vertically painted black stripes on otherwise white doors to hide fingerprints. The kitchen’s furniture, including glass-fronted cabinets, was designed by Rietveld to seamlessly integrate with the house’s overall aesthetic.

Despite its utilitarian design and sparse decor, the ground floor feels neither cold nor uninviting. On the contrary, the minimalist approach allows meaningful details to shine. In the office, for instance, the glass ceiling light consists of three strip lights placed on top of each other. Such positioning intentionally accentuates the three-dimensionality of the space, while wooden blocks at each end introduce a natural element into the interior.

The study, located opposite the kitchen, features a soft felt carpet and fold-out tables, creating a sense of openness in a compact room. A horizontal upper window connecting the study and hallway further enhances the feeling of expansion. Meanwhile, the maid’s room—the only space without direct sunlight—is painted a warm yellow and equipped with running water, electricity, heating, and access to the garden.

Every corner of the house is designed with functionality in mind. The ground floor stairwell, for example, doubles as a quiet area for phone calls, complete with a row of drawers for notebooks and a sliding door for privacy.

Ascending to the first floor, a rectangular skylight floods the space with natural light. On clear days, the blue sky shines through the glass, complementing the primary colour palette of the spacious, open-plan area.

At first glance, the upstairs appears entirely communal. However, the flexible layout allows the space to adapt to the occupants’ needs—sliding walls transform it into separate children’s bedrooms and a living room. This design principle encourages interaction while allowing for privacy when required.

Practicality is paramount here too, with every element serving multiple purposes. In the girls’ bedroom, modular beds double as space-saving sofas, while a soft grey felt rug marks the sleeping area. Storage is kept to a minimum—only essential belongings from the family’s old home were moved, leaving the room with a single wardrobe and two small bookshelves.

The furnishings in Truus Schröder-Schräder’s bedroom are equally minimalist, but nevertheless carefully considered. A fold-out table and a narrow shelf above the bed maximise functionality without clutter, while a hidden washbasin is discreetly tucked inside the cupboard. The bedroom connects to the bathroom, where a stone slab forms both the bath and a sleek countertop around the sink.

Through its minimalist design, flexibility, and focus on functionality, the house encourages its occupants to engage with their environment mindfully and reconsider how the space can be used. It reflects Schröder-Schräder’s desire to live simply without being weighed down by excess belongings or rigid architectural structures.

Her children, however, initially struggled to adjust to the unconventional home. The eldest daughter, Hanneke, even lied at school that she didn’t live in “the crazy house.” Yet over time, the house’s design became an integral part of the family’s identity, and Hanneke herself went on to become an architect, collaborating with Rietveld in later years.

Over a century since its completion, Rietveld-Schröder House remains a striking testament to modernism’s core principles. It continues to inspire by demonstrating that living can be an intentional, active process, shaped by thoughtful design. As a pioneering example of De Stijl architecture, the house embodies the transformative power of architecture to not only influence how we inhabit spaces but also to reflect our values in everyday life.

Text author: Gabija Seiliūtė
Photos: Gabija Seiliūtė & Stijn Poelstra