Gallery | Inside the quiet ordinary of Gabriella's Amsterdam home

5 March 2026

Some homes feel like they have always been there, quietly gathering stories. Gabriella's house on a canal in the Westerpark neighbourhood is one of those places. The walls carry character, the light moves slowly through the rooms, and every piece of furniture has found its way there for a reason.

unlundi Gaby
unlundi Gaby

Gabriella came to Amsterdam from South Africa, where she grew up around Johannesburg and where she met her partner Mark, with whom she not long ago bought this house and made it theirs.

Opening their home to share her quiet, everyday ordinary felt like the most natural thing, and we're so grateful we can share it through this series.

This home already feels as though it has been theirs for years. There is a particular kind of warmth to it, and much of it comes from the kitchen. In the Netherlands, it is tradition to treat others on your own birthday. Gabriella does it differently, she bakes for the people around her, her vegan carrot cake being one of many specialties, the kind guests quietly hope to find on the table when they arrive.

The dining table, once in Cartier’s workshop, was picked by Mark, who has a particular eye for pieces with a past. It shows in every corner of the house. The dark wooden cabinet, the mirror on the mantelpiece, the steel-framed chairs with their leather backs and seats, each one chosen with that same instinct for things that carry history.

Now the table seats friends on Friday evenings, where lunch stretches into dinner and one bottle of wine becomes several. It is the place with the most life in it. Her favourite spot, without question.

unlundi Gaby home
unlundi gaby
unlundi Gaby

The ceramics on the table are made by Gabriella's friend Keri, whose work is handmade and beautiful, each piece unmistakably her own. Buying from people close to her, in ways that are good for the planet, is not something Gabriella talks about much, her generosity simply shows.

The way she cares for others, fills a room with flowers, opens her home without a second thought. Even the florist downstairs notices. After a holiday, he greets her back with a warm embrace and a fresh bouquet of lilies, her favourite flowers.

That is the kind of life Gabriella has built here.

One where the people around her feel special.

Model: Gabriella Bailey

Art Direction: Suzanne

Styling: personal items from Juliette