How do we balance a future-proof residential upgrade and respecting the rich past of an estate dating back to 1869? Remodelling this rare property requires thoughtful interventions, keen expertise in building regulations, and relevant design gestures. The answer came from thinking in layers, adding design elements which, in theory, after removing, would bring the estate back to its original state. The approach created the desired room for new spatial storytelling whilst keeping the characteristic architecture in place. Throughout the different spaces, contemporary design pieces and luxurious natural materials artfully blend with the authentic features of the villa, which is acknowledged as a national heritage site. The eye-catching extension is decorated with natural stone slates, a precious natural material that reappears inside the 19th-century villa. For this project, Meijers collaborated with Utrecht-based Zecc Architecten.