- Interior
Carte blanche, two words that make any designer's heart beat faster. Our partner Daphné Callemeyn of Artique and Miguel Vantomme of Het Atelier were given the opportunity to completely customise the interior of a villa in Knokke. They were given just a few criteria: the design had to be unique and radiate a warm hotel feel. The architects succeeded brilliantly in creating a top design that reflects pure luxury.
West Flemish design studio Artique chose its name well, because the way the studio completely revives interiors is pure art. Daphné Callemeyn, the face behind the agency, is fascinated by the balance between old and new: ‘I always strive to create authentic interiors that preserve the unique soul of a property,’ she says. The modern touch that the expert incorporates into each concept is always deliberate and considered. According to her, new elements should only join a design if they make the interior more interesting or promote contemporary functionality. In doing so, Callemeyn refers to immeasurable comfort, as she believes it is important to create an environment in which the new occupant feels completely at home. 
A detailed reflection of the deepest interior desires
Customer is king and every wish counts, the designer invariably adheres to that. Moreover, it makes every project more challenging, something the interior designer really enjoys.Total renovations are her focus point: with immeasurable imagination, the creative lady transforms old houses and courtyards into warm, elegant interiors. From start to finish, she keeps a close eye on every step to ensure high-quality execution. In doing so, she relies on the experts in her own workshop and her permanent partners, whom she can always rely on. They always work with characteristic materials that respect the old architecture. In addition, she finishes each concept with unique, traditional pieces of furniture in which her weakness for rounded shapes sometimes prevails. 
Out of love grow the most beautiful things, as did this project, as Callemeyn collaborated with her life partner Miguel Vantomme, who works from his own studio called The Atelier. Since 1996, he has been creating pure interiors, focusing mainly on their design. In doing so, he always asks himself the following question: ‘How can I obtain a living environment that adapts to all the client's wishes?’. The architect therefore aims at a detailed reflection of his clients' deepest interior desires and is able to achieve this time and again thanks to his eye for detail. His projects are also manufactured in his own studio, and this involves serious craftsmanship. For his creations, he uses only the best, most durable materials.After all, the interior designer does not see sustainability as a trend, but as a concern that should always be kept in mind. He considers quality of paramount importance, together with the story behind his designs. He always finds that thread by having an inspiring conversation with the client. By making it clear from the very beginning what they want, Vantomme can respond to it. Moreover, every new wish from the client inspires him to keep raising his further projects to a higher level.
Renovating a villa takes a lot of thinking. That is why the architectural couple joined forces to take this fantastic project to the next level. While Artique made an extensive preliminary study of the property, Het Atelier executed the design down to the last detail. The extremely exclusive result made the residents' eyes twinkle. According to Vantomme, it was a real hit. This was due to their original, creative approach and the incorporation of the already existing works of art that the resident couple wanted to see return in their future interior. The duo gave the various paintings, sculptures and glass works a unique place in the house, making them look their very best. This is partly due to the main colour of the design: the creative couple pulled a warm shade of dark brown oak throughout the design, interspersed with brass elements and marble accents. They obtained the special dark brown colour of the semi-solid oak veneer by first sandblasting the material, then treating it with different patinas. They also made several fabric panels, covered with alcantara, recur several times in the design. For this project, the experts selected only the very best, bringing in unique fabrics from abroad and using innovative techniques to bring out the best in the original materials.
Want to read more about this impressive project? You can read about it in the October 2023 edition of Imagicasa Magazine.
Photography by Jan Liégeois
Text by Cara Jacobs