A Flemish Home

2 min read
June 7, 2022
dpages

STEEPED…

in history, the Flemish town of Diksmuide, site of the battle of the Yser in October 1914, is best known for its preserved trench system, museum and peace monument commemorating Belgian soldiers who perished during World War I. It is also an area of outstanding natural beauty surrounded by a mixture of marshland, open meadows and agricultural fields. Looking at the interiors of this renovated cottage, it’s easy to see that Thaïs Niville, creative director and founder of Ghent-based interiors company Ville Design, has harnessed an emotional connection with this eclectic landscape, using light as a powerful architectural tool. Focusing on the existing framework of the building, Niville has emphasized a sense of hominess and comfort that is audaciously contemporary yet elegantly sophisticated.

Sinuous forms populate the main living room, fusing a variety of textures such as linen, suede, stone and thick yarns to echo the varied pattern of this landscape. Most eye-catching, is a bespoke handwoven ‘Carved Rug’ by renowned Belgian firm JoV that recalls the geometric patchwork of the outside terrain. Like an island in the middle of this neutral-toned mosaic, you’ll see a sculptural table by Belgian architect and designer Benoit Viaene who makes beautifully textured pieces from organic materials including burnt tropical hardwood, French limestone, slate and calacatta marble. His low coffee table is composed of a carved wood base and a polished stone top to form an object of elevated beauty; one that looks at once avant-garde and sacred like an ancient relic.

CONTRAST…

is key. Sometimes it is delicately nuanced, elsewhere it is bold and powerful as demonstrated by a monolithic brown marble island equipped with a state-of-the-art Aqualex twin touchpad faucet – a statement feature that imbues the fresh and rustic atmosphere of a dining area with stolid grandeur. By comparison, the kitchen is a gentle and calm sanctuary where a reductive aesthetic works in tandem with a calibrated sense of space and light.

HERE…

simple visual contrasts – stone vs wood; modern vs antique; round vs curved – combine to create a warm material palette that appeals to the emotions. The centerpiece of this room is a true design classic: a modern Knoll reproduction of Eero Saarinen’s oval dining table, first designed in 1957. It is surrounded by equally important icons of mid-century artistry in the form of Hans J Wegner’s classic Wishbone Chairs, produced by Danish furniture brand Carl Hansen & Søn since 1949 following a painstaking 100-step process carried out by hand. In fact, a commitment to beauty and artisanal practices is felt in every corner of this home, underscoring Ville Design’s flair for harmonious and optimistic expression.

A SIMPLE…

language of minimalism extends to the bedroom and bathroom, which is dominated by a deep oval shaped bath that sends a visual message of inner recovery and restoration.