COUP DE COEUR
A Belgian Retreat Woven with Texture.
"Between nature and the interior, there is only one window. It feels like living outside."
"I wanted a quiet, sensual and feminine space, in contrast to the forest outside.” - Nathalie Van Reeth
Deep within Antwerp's northern woods lies an unassuming thatched-roof dwelling, a once-forgotten vacation retreat now transformed into a soulful sanctuary by Nathalie Van Reeth for her family.
Drawn from her passion for materials, visitors are immediately enveloped by a rich tapestry of textures upon arrival. Aged wenge floors in a Hungarian point pattern meet opium-coloured Japanese lacquer walls, igniting a vibrant interplay against the greenery that surrounds.
Van Reeth masterfully blends old and new, mixing her own furniture designs with a curated array of vintage finds from across the globe. African stools mingle with Belgian designer Eric Croes bronze side table in the living room, while Brazilian influences by Jean Gillon interlace with European craftsmanship. Her admiration for Brazilian design reverberates throughout the project.
"I love Brazilian architecture. Oscar Niemeyer was love at first sight, I found it so spectacular and different from what we build in Europe. This furniture, I find it modern, made of beautiful leathers, beautiful tropical woods that we don't see here. It blends with everything, be it Italian or Belgian design.”
The home breathes with a collection of post-war contemporary art, that complements the material palette throughout. Van Reeth's quest for expressive mineral patterns is evident in the choice of a monolithic Moroccan stone for the kitchen island, and the lavish cladding of onyx for the bathroom.
Her brilliance shines in her ability to create a harmonious dialogue between the interior and the surrounding nature. As seen in the textured walls that allude to the outdoors and the in door pools natural elements that blur the line between inside and out.
This residence stands as a testament to her thoughtful design ethos, which unifies texture, materiality, and global inspirations to create a refined sanctuary that not only celebrates nature's beauty, but also the art of living well.
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Photography — Matthieu Salvaing
Design — Nathalie Van Reeth
Project — Antwerp Home, Belgium
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Maximal Minimalism Collection