Picturesque country house in an ancient Twente landscape

A wonderful sense of peace and freedom

A picturesque country home set in the ancient rural landscape of Twente

Kruisseltlaan is a winding country lane that takes you through a landscape of ash trees, woods, and babbling brooks – typical for the Twente region. This landscape was sculpted many thousands of years ago by a thick ice sheet – the Twente moraine. Between Oldenzaal and the church village of De Lutte, you will find this picturesque mansion tucked away, surrounded by woods and meadows. Features like a vaulted thatched roof, shutters, paned windows, and one round window give the place a homely traditional look.

A history of improvements

This mansion is a long way removed from the modest bungalow that stood here until 1991. That was when the current residents first moved in here. They decided to swap the stress of city life for the peace and quiet of the countryside. And they discovered that they could not have wished for a more wonderful location than this one. Their son later decided to stay and live here with his family, too. Over the years, some radical renovation work has been done – an extension and several modernisations (1998 and 2006-2007). An extra floor has been added with dormer windows in the roof, for example. The whole roof was thatched, and the exterior walls plastered white. An extension was added, with a TV and lounge room – to give the growing kids some space and privacy. A bar area was also created, a great place to hang out with friends. And finally, a sauna room was built in the basement. This is a country home where you can really live in style. With plenty of space to spend time together but also space to recharge. A place where you can really get away from it all.

Details

The mansion has so many beautiful details. Many of the rooms are on different levels, lending it a playful character. And the interior designer really left a unique mark – in the form of fitted wall units, panelling and ornate frame carpentry, fixed cupboards, alcoves, and beams on the ceiling. Upstairs, there are panel doors. The entire residence is double glazed. There is sumptuous underfloor heating in the kitchen-diner, living room and bar area. And then there are a few extras, such as an integrated Bang & Olufsen entertainment system with video and audio in every room. There is also a water softener, and the generous boiler means that nobody ever has to worry about a cold shower. A special pump provides plenty of water pressure. There are heaters on the terraces. And of course – without going into too much detail – every attention has been paid to safety. There is a robust metal fence around the perimeter. The long driveway is fully illuminated and has an electric gateway which can be operated by remote control from the street. And of course, there is a professional alarm system.

Plenty of space for cars, too

At the end of the driveway, flanked by trees and shrubs, there is a ‘roundabout’ with an imposing beech tree in the middle, surrounded by a wooden bench. There are several guest parking spaces close to the residence, and a stone-style barn has been built for the cars of the residents themselves – also with a thatched roof and white exterior walls. The open section functions as a carport, with enough space for three cars. The closed section is used as storage. There is a hatch with a ladder that provides access to a spacious loft. There is a small, covered area next to the side wall for storing firewood and waste containers.

Almost one and a half hectares of land

The whole property comes with almost one and a half hectares of land. There is plenty of outdoor space, now mainly set up as a garden, which has recently been radically redesigned. There are some older fruit trees, as well as imposing beech and oak trees. There is plenty of space to add a swimming pool or an area for horse riding, for example.

Private, but part of a local community

The mansion at Kruisseltlaan 7 will certainly give you the maximum in freedom, but it is by no means a lonely place to live! There is a friendly community of local farmers and residents all around. If you move in here, you will also be invited to become a new ‘noaber’ or neighbour. It is up to you whether you accept this invitation, of course. And speaking of neighbours… the 9-hole golf course of 't Kruisselt is just around the corner.

IN THE AREA

De Lutte is a small, friendly village, part of the municipality of Losser. There is a primary school and a local pub with a good reputation. The Dutch national football team spends training weeks in the country house hotel ‘De Bloemenbeek’, which is also nearby. De Lutte has excellent connections with both the west of the Netherlands and with Germany, via the nearby A1 motorway.

Around De Lutte, you can enjoy walking, cycling, and horse riding. A few highlights: the Lutterzand nature area, the Poortbulten arboretum, and various nature reserves. The river Dinkel meanders its way through the landscape, which is adorned with the occasional farmhouse or magnificent manor house, as if they had slipped from the pages of a picture book. This historic landscape is also the scene of many ancient Twente sagas. This is the region of the Tankenberg and the Paasberg. Of traditions and community.

The nearest town of Oldenzaal (also known as the ‘Boeskoolstad’ (white cabbage city) and a truly Burgundian city) has every imaginable amenity available. A wide range of shops, secondary schools, sports facilities, but also a theatre and some friendly restaurants. Oldenzaal is famous for its colourful street parades at Carnival time. Twente's largest city, Enschede, with even more amenities, is only 16 kilometres away.

THE MANSION

THE GROUND FLOOR

Spacious kitchen-diner

Through a dedicated side entrance, you can access a hall with an area to hang coats with fitted cabinets. Then you reach the generous kitchen-diner. This U-shaped kitchen with underfloor heating is finished in a rustic style, with light-coloured units and a worktop in red-brown granite. The large work island has a hard-waring kitchen worktop made of solid wood. In the fireplace, there is a robust Viking stove with four large gas burners, a grill plate, and two ovens. Most of the built-in appliances are integrated into a large wall unit, including a steamer, an ice machine, and wine cabinet. The kitchen is also equipped with a Quooker tap and all the usual kitchen appliances. A beamed ceiling lends the whole space a rustic charm. Towards the rear, close to the double patio doors, is a long (dining) table. From here, you can see straight into the garden and across the farmland beyond. From the kitchen, you can easily step onto the partly covered patio area, which enjoys the same wonderful view. And incidentally, the large-format floor tiles in warm earth tones run through from the kitchen into the living room, TV room, bar area, and central hall.

Generous living room, wonderful TV room, and tasteful bar area

There are subtle variations on the rural theme throughout the home. The living room is spacious and fitted with comfortable underfloor heating. A large window gives unobstructed views over the surrounding countryside. The centrepiece is the fireplace with an open wood-burning fire, flanked by a custom-made wall unit. The French doors open onto the covered area of the patio that we mentioned above. Double pivoting doors (with small windows) provide access to the TV/lounge/study room, which also has beautiful wall-mounted cabinets and – just like the living room – a beamed ceiling. A little further down, through more double pivoting doors, you enter the sunken bar area from the living room. It is just like being in a real pub, with a large bar, a professional bar tap system, an ice maker, and mirror cabinets for the bottles and glasses. This is such a great place to spend time with friends. You can also open the double garden doors and step outside into the garden. From here, you only need to go up a few steps, and you are on the exceptionally spacious terrace area, which is largely covered and also has heaters. This is located high above ground level, with sumptuous views over the garden, fields, and trees. From the terrace, you can go down into the garden via a wide stone staircase.

Bedroom on the ground floor

In the spacious, light-filled central hall area, the main entrance, there is a modern toilet and cloakroom. There is a spacious bedroom which can be accessed from the hall, complete with en suite bathroom. The bathroom, with its light tones, has a bath, shower, wash basin, and toilet. This lovely bedroom is adjacent to the largely covered patio mentioned above. You can just open the patio doors and step outside. It is a perfect place for breakfast in the sunshine, with fantastic views.

UPSTAIRS

Bedrooms and bathroom

From the hall, a beautifully styled staircase (with balustrade) leads to the air-conditioned top floor, where there are three more bedrooms and a bathroom. All these rooms have beautifully curved dormer windows, creating a unique atmosphere. The first bedroom is generously proportioned, as is the second bedroom, which also has fitted wardrobes. And finally, there is the master bedroom, which is exceptionally spacious and atmospheric. It has two large walk-in closets, one for him and one for her. The two dormer windows make it a wonderfully light space. Back to the landing (with fitted closet) and then into the (second) spacious bathroom with a large jacuzzi in the corner, a spacious walk-in shower (two rain showers, glass door) and an attractive solid oak vanity unit with two integrated washbasins. The bathroom has a separate toilet. The anthracite natural stone floor and beige mixed wall tiles make a tasteful combination. Adjacent to the landing is a (second) toilet and storage room.

THE BASEMENT

Much of the residence also has a basement. This has its own outside entrance but is also accessible from the central hallway. There are several rooms in the basement. There is a storage space with a separate wine cabinet. There is also a laundry room, where the washing machine and dryer are located under a long worktop. The basement is also equipped for a spa and fitness area. There is a sauna with its own shower room and toilet. And there is also a lounge area and kitchen.

THE GUEST HOUSE

The property includes a separate guest house which is located on the driveway. It matches the style of the main manor in every way. It has a thatched roof, paned windows, and white plastered exterior walls. The guest house is compact, but there is a kitchen with a pleasant seating area, shower room and a hallway with a cloakroom. The patio doors can be opened to enjoy the green surroundings to the fullest. However, this attractive outbuilding could easily be repurposed. Maybe a home office, a practice space, a B&B, a workshop, or a chill-out room for the kids…?

And finally…

All around the mansion there is a network of brick footpaths. The extensive garden includes a large lawn area, with many trees, shrubs, perennials, and a hedge. The whole garden blends seamlessly into the rural environment that it is set in. It is a wonderful place to chill out, relax, and enjoy your peace and freedom. But not everyone will want to sit still all the time… ‘Using the ride-on lawn mower, that's how I relax. You can let your thoughts run free. And then, sometimes, the puzzle pieces can unexpectedly fall into place. That's the nice thing about living here – it’s a great place for your mind,’ says the current owner of the mansion. ‘When you're out with the dog at night, you realise how much you love it here. It’s such a great place to have fun together and enjoy each other’s company. A place you can invite friends and relatives.’