Friesensteern

Wild nature, endless beaches with powder-fine sand, salt in the air, North German serenity and, above all, one thing—endless peace and quiet. All of this can be found on the Eiderstedt peninsula, and it’s precisely this mix that won’t leave you after your first visit. Once you cross the Eider, you see nothing but green meadows, sheep and remote villages with church towers at their center. Tetenbüll is one of them, and some consider it the prettiest village on the peninsula, with its cobbled streets, beautiful old houses and its historic colonial goods shop, Haus Peters, which still looks the same as it did 180 years ago. Just outside the village is the Friesensteern. It would be hard to live truer to style on Eiderstedt than in this imposing thatched farmhouse situated on a mound. The construction, brought to the peninsula by the Dutch in the 17th century and now listed as an Eiderstedt landmark, is known as a Haubarge and is used to house not only the farming family but also all of the livestock as well. In 2017, Gerrit Siegfriedsen and Angelika Stark fell in love with the Friesensteern right away and, together with the Office for the Protection of Historical Monuments, carefully and respectfully restored and modernized it. Many details have been preserved, such as the Frisian tiles that adorn the entire walls in two rooms, or the 300-year-old alcove beds elaborately decorated with wood carvings—250 square meters shared by the past and present. The living spaces are contemporary minimalist, historical meets industrial charm; the color palette is both modern and cozy at the same time, black, grey and natural tones dominate. Only the “alcove room” stands out in terms of color with vintage chairs and velvet armchairs picking up on the intense blue and turquoise of the tiles and alcoves, and modern designer lamps creating an interesting contrast—a real show stopper! The whole house is light and bright thanks to several large windows. In the living room, your gaze wanders through large panoramic windows to the outside and then continues to wander over green, green, and more green! Well, sometimes it might catch a sheep or cow, but otherwise—open space! The large garden with old apple trees and lime trees is wonderful and can be used extensively for eating, reading, playing and lazing around. Right by the water, at the edge of the garden is a bench where you can choose to look out into the distance or watch the wind blow the clouds. Whenever you want to get up, the bench seems to call out “Sit down! Relax”—this intensive relaxation coaching comes at no extra charge—it’s all included in the price.

WHAT WE LIKE MOST:

• The fantastic building with details steeped in history—doors with inlays, alcove beds decorated with wood carvings, a house entrance with old headstones, Delft tiles with stories to tell
• The mix of old and new—vintage chairs, old farmhouse cupboards and chests of drawers stand on concrete floors, 300-year-old alcove beds are lit with unusual modern lights (a great collection!) that you flick on with retro Bakelite switches. The old built-in cupboards, which have been allowed to retain their patina, are also particularly beautiful.
• The spacious kitchen and dining area, flooded with light thanks to the panoramic windows, with adjoining terrace.
• The large garden on the mound (8,000 square meters!) with its circle of listed mature lime trees 
• A favorite spot—the bench at the water ditch with views over the pastures and on to Tetenbüll
• The secluded location with a fantastic view—yet the village of Tetenbüll is not far away with a small selection of eating options.

GOOD TO KNOW:

• The house is comfortable for barefoot living with underfloor heating over 200 square meters.
• There’s an outdoor sauna, installed in 2021. Is there anything more relaxing after a windy bike ride or a wintery walk on the beach?
• Children are welcome—two travel cots, a triptrap child seat and a highchair are available free of charge.welcome: two travel cots, a triptrap and a baby high chair are available free of charge.
• The barbecue terrace right by the canal promises pleasant barbecue evenings 
• In addition to the main attraction of St Peter-Ording with its beaches and stilt houses, the Westerhever lighthouse is well worth a visit. The 18 historic churches on Eiderstedt are also particularly beautiful (the church in Tating dates from 1103). You can also enjoy sailing along the canals of the small Dutch town of Friedrichstadt or strolling through the small shops in the harbor town of Husum. Excursions to the Halligen islands or to Pellworm are also a welcome addition to the day’s program.
• Sports fans will of course find all kinds of water sports here, such as kiting, windsurfing, paddleboarding and surfing. Or how about beach sailing? You can also explore Eiderstedt in all its glory by bike.
• There’s no shortage of culinary delights—there’s a Frisian sheep’s cheese dairy nearby (sheep’s cheese has a long history in North Frisia). There are also some nice country cafés and good restaurants on the peninsula.
• Weekend bookings are possible.
• Another beautiful holiday home is located on the same property—The Old School House.