Valerie's house is stunning, thoughtfully designed, and very comfortable. Stylish artwork, natural light, and plants abound. Like much of the housing in Amsterdam, it is vertically oriented (48 steps top to bottom); we are convinced that, along with biking everywhere, this is how Amsterdammers stay in shape!
The living spaces on the lower two levels feature an open floor plan, and the bedrooms are on the upper two levels:
1st level: entryway with open closet for jackets and shoes, half bathroom, spacious kitchen with dining table and small sitting area, high ceiling with huge windows and doors opening to lovely little oasis of a backyard with dining table, big outdoor couch for lounging, small astroturf lawn, pretty garden beds and planters, and an in-ground trampoline.
2nd level is split: children's playroom stocked with toys and family room with cushy wrap-around couch, stocked bookshelves, a television, and again a high ceiling with a wall of windows and doors.
3rd level: primary bedroom with king bed and en suite bathroom including separate shower and deep soaking tub.
4th level: 3 bedrooms (2 twin & 1 full), hall bathroom with separate toilet room, and laundry. (I think there is also a baby's room, which we did not use.)
The neighborhood is newer with some construction still going on and includes a combination of mid-rise and larger apartment buildings with a few smaller houses in between. Basic amenities are within easy walking distance, and the riverfront park at the end of the street is a huge draw. It is packed with locals having a grand time on hot summer days and a peaceful place to stroll, watch the birds, and lounge during more typical weather. There are a number of casual but elegant restaurants around the park, a playground, and bike trails and lanes, of course. If you have the windows open, you will hear neighbors coming and going, some weekend reveling (ABBA seems to be a favorite), and the metro stopping and starting regularly. But in general, we found people to share space well and be considerate in terms of noise.
Speaking of the metro, it's amazing! It is Amsterdam's subway and above-ground city train system - separate from the trains that run to parts of the Netherlands outside of Amsterdam and those that go to other European countries. Combined with the city trams and buses, it comprises the GVB, which makes getting around Amsterdam fast and easy. It is also clean, so much cleaner than any other public transportation system I've seen! There's not much litter, but we regularly saw random people stop to pick up other people's stray trash. The metro stop at the end of the block is very convenient; 3 different lines serve it, so we never waited more than a few minutes. And it will have you to Centraal Station in about 10 minutes.
We felt so lucky to find a peaceful oasis so close to all Amsterdam has to offer for our three- week stay. Valerie kindly greeted us with hot tea and fresh flowers after our overnight flight and provided bread, cheese, other kitchen staples, and nice toiletry items in case we needed them. She was graciously responsive to questions and requests. We highly recommend Valerie's home and hope we get to return one day!