- Interior
Powerful colours dominate the luxurious interior of this recently renovated residence. Dieter Vander Velpen developed a creative and modern interior which also respects the classic elements of the house. This daring design impresses immediately.
Our partner Dieter Vander Velpen has specialised in high-end residential and hospitality projects. The Antwerp-based office strives to create designs that they themselves call “couture architecture”, which refers to elegant interiors with an eye for detail and the client’s personality. Only the best materials and exceptional craftsmanship are used. That all designs start from the client also becomes obvious when looking at the interior of this beautiful residence near Ghent. 
The authentic elements of the residence were maintained as much as possible
Villa Braeckman was built in 1903 as a summer residence for a soap merchant and has a large garden, thanks to which you do not feel as though you are close to the city centre. For the renovation, the client’s passion for gastronomy was taken into account. He loves hosting large dinner parties and therefore wanted a house that reminds of a London boutique hotel. Thanks to the colour palette and the rich materials, Vander Velpen made this wish come true. There is for instance the warm red in the library, the black in the living room (in combination with a striking yellow sofa) and the pink neonlight in the hallway, which all draw attention and ask to stand still and take a look around. The kitchen island, made from Fusion Row quartzite with blue, green and oranje tones, is a real eyecatcher as well and stands out even more because the rest of the interior has been kept simply white. Guests can enjoy an appetizer in the living room, dine in the dining room and end with a drink in the library, and will in every room be amazed by the sophisticated design. 
However, the Vander Velpen team also maintained the authentic elements of the residence as much as possible. In a first stage, the team chose to keep the fireplaces, the beautiful existing molding switches, the radiators in the living room, and the wooden floors. Elements that were added in the seventies and nineties were removed again. Very little was changed to the house’s structure and its beautiful view onto the garden. One change took place on the first floor, where we now find a large bathroom and a wonderful dressing room. Finally, the team decided to hide all modern technology, such as radiators, light, tv and sound, either in the ceiling or behind custom-made cabinets. Furthermore, crown moldings on the ceiling were added as well, for instance in the library and the kitchen, but they cannot be distinguished from the old elements of the house. 
Dieter Vander Velpen brings a perfect harmony of old and new elements to this home, while also creating a real hotel ambiance by making some bold but successful choices. In this way, the design is perfectly adapted to the client’s needs and wishes.
Photography by Patricia Goijens