Photos by Jesse Hoorelbeke and Kayla Coté-van Rensburg
You may know Kayla Coté-van Rensburg and Piet van Rensburg from their local lifestyle brand, Dak & Co. Now you can peek inside of their Dutch-minimalist-style apartment in Downtown Fargo.
After searching for a place with lots of natural light, they found this space.
Convincing Piet
Last spring, this couple was ready to sign the lease on a different apartment. Yet, they were not in love with its north-facing windows and lack of natural light. “In the winters, I struggle with that,” Coté-van Rensburg said. She was also having trouble contacting the leasing agent. Coté-van-Rensburg then remembered that her husband had given her the contact information for an apartment south of Main, so she called to set up a showing. “If I have a feeling that something is not quite right, I like to explore other options to see if something else was meant to be,” she explained.
Even though it was unfinished when she first toured the space, Coté-van Rensburg immediately fell in love with its potential. However, “Convincing Piet was something different,” she laughed. Though the unit was in the process of being renovated, van Rensburg trusted her vision. “I trusted my wife’s eye,” he said. Of course, the unit was updated without compromising the integrity of its historic character by building owners, Joel and Christine Jagger, by the time they were ready to move in.
Dining Area
Dutch-minimalism is characterized by clean, simple lines and light wood finishes.
“I trusted my wife’s eye.” – Piet van Rensburg
Throughout their apartment, Coté-van Rensburg and van Rensburg showcase local art. For example, the ceramic pieces on their bar cart were made by Spencer R. Johannes who they met through APT, a Creative Incubator.
One of the first projects that Coté-van Rensburg and van Rensburg had on their list was to build a dining table out of reclaimed wood from her family farm to help them remember her father after his passing. The end result was a Dutch-minimalist-inspired design that represents van-Rensburg’s heritage as well.
As you can see, Cote-van Rensburg and van Rensburg are selective about what they bring into their space. Before they buy a piece of furniture, van Rensburg tries to find out if he can make it himself. Meanwhile, Kayla is excellent at finding quality thrifted items. The couple also likes to support local artists and businesses. For example, they have glass gourds from Jon Offutt on display in their living area.
Because their apartment does not come with a garage, van Rensburg built this Dutch-minimalist-inspired media console in a borrowed workshop.
Kitchen
Office Area
Van Rensburg transformed his wife’s old art desk into a home-office worthy of a small-business owner and entrepreneur. On the wall are photos from van Rensburg’s home country, South Africa.
Coté-van Rensburg and van Rensburg are now settled into their SOMA space. “We thank God every day for the skills he’s given us to take on any challenge that comes our way and turn it into something beautiful,” van Rensburg said. Each day, they enjoy each other’s company and appreciate the natural light that streams in through the large windows of their apartment. Next, the couple looks forward to entertaining friends and family in their new place.
