Scheveningen’s new living room

At Haagse Schatten, we’re fans of corner buildings. And now we’ve found another lovely, open corner building where we can settle down. With large windows that let in plenty of light, a wonderfully peaceful atmosphere as you step inside, and a nice tune playing in the background.

In the Badhuisstraat, you’ll find De Zelfspot, recently dubbed the ‘living room of Scheveningen’. You can imagine it was no hardship to sit down here, take it all in, chat with owner Rens, and write this blog.

In the cozy wooden “train seats,” a boy does his homework with his father. On the big yellow couch, three friends from the neighborhood sit chatting. People work on their laptops with a nice cup of coffee in front of them, and two ladies have a meeting over a soup and a juice. While locals pop in for a chat, I can enjoy the atmosphere (and coffee!) and everyone seems to feel very comfortable here. What a nice place!

With a touch of Zelfspot

In the back of the building, you’ll find a quiet, spacious studio. Here, various courses and workshops are offered, from yoga to spoken word. And all with connection, depth, and personal development as underlying themes. That might sound a bit airy-fairy, but that’s absolutely not the atmosphere here. After all, De Zelfspot is called De Zelfspot (meaning self-mockery) for a reason!

You can also rent the studio for your own ideas, (team) sessions, and training. Just contact De Zelfspot for more information!

Playful and enthusiastic

You can subtly see Rens’ past as a gym teacher reflected in the decor of De Zelfspot: An old gym floor serves as a small stage, and even the tables are made of the distinctive wood with yellow, blue, and red details. “It had to be a playful place,” he explains. “With De Zelfspot, I wanted to connect. On one hand, by physically bringing people together here, but also by helping people feel connected to themselves by pausing and taking the time and space to do what makes them happy.” He is the walking example of this: because who doesn’t dream of opening a coffee shop combined with a living room, with art on the walls, books on the shelves, and the newspaper on the table? Where events are organized, live music plays from time to time, and the neighborhood gathers. And Rens, he did it!

The communal table

Curious about this cozy spot in the heart of Scheveningen? We highly recommend you to quickly take a seat at the communal table, a table made from a massive tree trunk. Order a cup of coffee, and open your laptop to get some work done after all the inspiration you’ve gathered. Or strike up a conversation with the other regulars, that’s also encouraged.

Don’t forget your Haagse Schatten gift card, as you can naturally redeem it here. And if you want to give someone else a moment for themselves, a bit of self-reflection, then gift them the voucher. The best part is that you can also purchase the gift card here! De Zelfspot is one of our physical sales points.