If Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet gave us anything, it’s an infatuation with home swapping. Ever since I first watched The Holiday back in 2009, I’ve romanticised the idea that one day I might step outside my own routine and, however briefly, be folded into somebody else’s world.
Last month, that dream became a reality when I crossed the threshold of someone else’s second-floor apartment for the first time. I came across it on the homeswapping platform Kindred, and fell in love with its location – beside one of Amsterdam’s most famous canals.
Our story isn’t quite as romantic as the switch you see in the movie, but it’s also not far off. Kindred operates a give-to-get system, meaning that every member begins with five complimentary credits to spend on a stay somewhere in the world. Once you become a host, you earn credits to spend on future trips. Swaps can be like-for-like or, more commonly, a fellow homeswapper will stay at your place, while you go on to another home elsewhere.
Kindred
Kindred
Importantly in this sharing economy, no money is exchanged between members. Instead, the currency is mutual trust and respect, with guests only paying a fee to cover Kindred’s concierge service, which includes professional cleaning and online support during the stay.
But back to The Netherlands, and my first moments in my momentary new home. I already had a good impression of my host, Denise – our initial video call revealed a warm and vivacious nature, even through the screen. She works in fashion, loves interiors and tells me she’s a nomad at heart; splitting her time between Amsterdam and Ibiza. Once I’m in her home, in the enviable Jordaan neighbourhood, all that checks out.
I tip-toe up the steep narrow staircase (if I didn’t know I was in Amsterdam, I do now) and turn the key into her hallway. In front of me, a window overlooks a secret courtyard – an architectural treat afforded to the most fortunate of Amsterdam residents and a small preview of the hidden luxury I was about to uncover.
Inside, I feel as though I’m in a sandy cave. To my right, natural clay walls tunnel through to a bedroom, which peeks out behind a sliding walnut door. To my left, the corridor snakes through to an open plan kitchen, dining and living area, where a gallery-worthy collection of design and vintage furniture lies in wait.
