Looking inside Miranda and adopted child Mica: 'This house is a wink from heaven'
“In Haiti, Mica didn't have a mirror, so it hangs above her play corner. It is special for her to see herself,” says Miranda Tollenaar (49). She recently started living with her adopted daughter in a 'no longer so humble home' in Arnhem.
“I used to live in a small house. Too small for Mica and me together. My dream was to find a house for the two of us, within walking distance of Mica's school. But I never thought it would work.” The Arnhemmer searched for a long time for a suitable, larger home and out of desperation she even enlisted the help of a TV program . Miranda eventually found her place in the Spijkerkwartier.
A place of your own
"This house brought us peace after the adoption period." It lasted eleven years and gained momentum when Miranda was allowed to pick up Mica after all these years. “It gives us a fulfilled feeling that we have everything we want here. A delight!” De Arnhemmer refers to, among other things, the amount of space (76 square meters), two separate bedrooms and a garden. "I always thought that combination was not feasible, but now we both have our own place."
'Really our moment'
Although mother and daughter have their own bedroom in the new house, Mica likes to be with her, according to Miranda. “She would rather sleep with me than in her own room. When I put Mica to bed, we talk about the day and tomorrow and sing together. She then falls asleep next to me and that feels trusting. Ending the day in such a loving way is something she did not know in Haiti. There was no time for that. Going to bed is really our moment. That's why my bedroom is our favorite room in the house.”
Furnishing a house is like a puzzle that you put together.
Miranda Tollenaar
Furnish as a whole
Miranda shows the bedroom. "I've been looking for the bedspread on the bed for a long time," she says. And she didn't because the bedroom is her favorite space. No, in terms of interior, the Arnhemmer wanted to 'align everything with the living room'. ”I liked that I could furnish the house myself; like a kind of puzzle you put together. I wanted the interior to exude tranquility without stuff I don't use. Such as too many toys, cupboards or plants. That's why I wondered with everything I bought if it was all right.”
Retro details
To create peace, Miranda picked out things that she thought fit the house. ”I took over the gray pleated blinds from the previous residents and liked this color sofa. Mica's favorite color is pink, so I combined the gray with old pink and mint green accessories.” Miranda also added retro details, such as the radio and record player. "I did that because I think the windows on the front of the house are a bit retro."
Mica can participate in the decision-making process
Miranda had her daughter help her furnish it. ”I ordered a wall sticker for her room, but she said she thought it was 'for babies'. She barely spoke Dutch at the time.” Miranda let Mica think along and together they came up with the sticker of the unicorn. Her gaze also falls on the wall full of crafts. ”Mica makes a lot of drawings every day. I used to secretly throw some away every now and then, but now she can exchange old ones for new ones herself. This way she learns to select and there is no excess.”
Our character comes into its own in this house.
Miranda Tollenaar
Coziness at home
Miranda goes on to say that she and Mica are "a team together." “We live in harmony here. Our character comes into its own through this house, we both like cosiness. I finally have room to offer Mica and my guests, and Mica can sit comfortably. I therefore consciously chose not to fix her table to the wall, so that we can move it.” She points to the letter board in the living room. “We then welcome every guest, including you.”
Beautiful, unexpected things
As welcome as guests are in the Tollenaar house, the house was so welcome for Miranda and Mica. “I was very worried about whether I would ever find another home. It is a very nice feeling that it worked. It also inspires me to think that you shouldn't give up too quickly and that beautiful, unexpected things happen. The house is more than I ever dared to hope for. It's a wink from heaven."
Your turn
Do you want to show how great your home looks? Send an email to arnhem@indebuurt.nl . Maybe you live in a hip apartment in the Spijkerkwartier or you have a nice house in Schuytgraaf. Whether you live in a student room or city villa; there is something to tell about every house. And we like to hear that story. Bye?
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