King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima now greet guests in the refurbished DNA Salon of Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague. British–Dutch artist Jacob van der Beugel has reimagined the room by transforming fragments of the royal couple’s genetic code into a stunning mosaic of 60,000 handcrafted bricks.
To protect the monarchs’ privacy, geneticist Hans Clevers collaborated on the project to ensure no sensitive medical data was exposed. Van der Beugel devoted almost three years to crafting the miniature bricks and a few weeks to their installation. The salon’s flat surfaces and horizontal lines are a subtle nod to the Dutch landscape, recalling fields of tulips stretching toward the horizon.
This restoration marries traditional royal elegance with contemporary Dutch design, reminiscent of Ootje Oxenaar’s trailblazing banknote artwork from the 1960s and 1980s. Every element reflects a balance of heritage and modernity, creating a truly distinctive reception space.
Accents of royal gold leaf shimmer against crisp white and creamy tones, while rich green chairs—hence the salon’s informal name, the Green Salon—provide a bold contrast. Visitors will also admire the custom chandelier, period furnishings, and an ornate overdoor painting crowning the entrance to this exceptional royal salon.