‘Belgique Excentrique’ is the title of a recently published book about Belgian interiors. Author Thijs Demeulemeester – Photography by Diane Hendrikx.

Cover ‘Belgique Excentrique’ by Thijs Demeulemeester & Diane Hendrikx - Luster Publishing Belgium

Belgian interiors usually evoke refined country rustic interiors with a muted and neutral color palette, with all tones of beige and greige. Spaces tending to be furnished unpretentious without clutter.

With this book, journalist Thijs Demeulemeester and photographer Diane Hendrikx, wanted to reveal other enchanting beauty behind the façades of Belgian homes.

Belgique Excentrique book spread – Photo credit Diane Hendrikx

They selected 16 flamboyant and eccentric interiors of inspirational Belgian homeowners, from antique dealers, to collectors and decorators.

All interiors are colourful and fun, showing bizarre combinations of objects with different patterns and styles. The homeowners dare to follow their passion and combine pieces that are stylistically disparate but that create an interesting dialogue. A flea-market painting can easily hang close to ‘an old master’ painting. A geometric patterned wall paper combined with a baroque chandelier. ‘Eccentric’ means : no avoiding to combine a unique piece with serial products. ‘Eccentric’ does also mean : flirting with the limits of bad taste in making very daring combinations.

Belgique Excentrique book spread – Photo credit Diane Hendrikx

A lot of the homeowners are passionate collectors and every object they acquire, has its own story. It’s not necessarily about expensive pieces but more about the creative way of arranging the rooms they live in. The interiors in this book are the opposite of the ones that are too civilized and too well thought-out. We don’t have to take the interiors too seriously.

No beige or greige to find in this book, no peaceful symmetry, no minimalism to see. No perfectly balanced or formal interiors to discover. But eclectic maximalistic interiors where objects and their combinations are continuously catching your eye. ‘Curiosity rooms or cabinets’.

The homeowners, who are often professionals in decorative business, admit the influence of flamboyant 20^th century decorators or set designers such as Tony Duquette, Billy Baldwin, Madeleine Castaing, David Hicks and Dorothy Draper.

It is a book full of flamboyance and personality, both in interiors and homeowners.

‘Belgique Excentrique’, your perfect Christmas gift.

To order the book, please click here.

My copy of the book is already completing my home library collection.   Picture by me

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All photos with permission of Thijs Demeulemeester, author of Belgique Excentrique.

As every year I’m here again with a blogpost about our home Christmas decorations.

I do not like over the top decorations and therefore I try to add in every room only some touches of Christmas decorations, except in the dining room where I put up our Christmas tree.

Candles, pine branches and cones on our living room mantel.

Our Christmas tree awaiting wrapped Christmas gifts.

Tree ornament.

Candles and tealights on the dining room table.

I love to decorate with red berries. One of my favorite Christmas decorations.

And some small touches everywhere around…

A single pine tree branch on the wall of our orangery that makes the difference…

Terrace table decoration.

Front door lantern.

Front door Christmas tree.

I hope you enjoyed this Christmas decoration post of today.

Talk to you soon!

xx

Greet

All pictures by me

Whenever I receive my copy of the latest issue of MILIEU, I can’t wait to browse the magazine! All those interesting articles to read, as again in this Winter 2015 issue !

Cover MILIEU Winter 2015

So many interesting stories to read and inspiring interior design pictures to see!

A sneak peek into this winter’s issue of MILIEU…

Choose your table!

TABLE IT (Page 62)   Rooms photographed by Nicolas Bruant

The English company Rush Matters produces traditional hand-woven matting that graces the floors of properties as diverse as New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and Frick Collection, National Trust houses throughout Engeland, and the interiors of homes designed by Michael Smith and Robert Couturier. And their log baskets are sold through Ralph Lauren stores worldwide.

RUSH MATTERS The centuries-old craft and art of making rugs, carpets, and baskets from harvested rush enduries in Felicity Irons ’s English workshop. (Page 69)    Photography by Miguel Flores-Vianna

Peter Vitale, photographer and MILIEU’s editor at large, takes us along to make the tour of his own LA residence.

DECO GOES MODERN A period apartment in Los Angeles embraces its era while reflecting the eclectic tastes of its current owners. (Page 98)   Photography by Peter Vitale

You shouldn’t miss this article about a beautiful lake house. Absolutely stunning interior design by Shannon Bowers.

INSPIRED BY NATURE Quietly refined antiques, white linen, and light-filled rooms reinvent a home by the lake. (Page 108)   Photography by Peter Vitale

  …and so much more !

MILIEU Winter 2015

To subscribe to MILIEU, please click HERE

TIP ! Make a friend happy and order a gift subscription HERE

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I feel very honored to let you know that Lefèvre Interiors is one of the 20 companies, featured in the brand new Belgian publication ‘MANUFACTUM’, a book about craftsmanship in Belgium.

The author Dirk De Moor and the photographer Philippe Debeerst depicted and wrote about the twenty surprising stories of craftsmen and women behind 20 Belgian companies who still work according to traditional methods, having a passion for their trade. About what drove them to practice a certain craft, and the skills needed, about the trade itself. But also about their materials or tools, and the years gaining knowledge and experience. They learnt that artisan crafts definitely have a place in the economy and society. With the artists' continued passion as the driving force. And they won't stop until they have reached perfection. No compromises.

20 Belgian craftsmen and women, each with their own unique specialty, made by hand.

PATRICK DAMIAENS, Wood carving; JOHAN DE PUNT, Millwrighting; STEVEN & BRECHTDUJARDYN, Artisan ironwork; FANNY JEAN, Furniture upholstery & embellishments; LUC MESTDAGH, INGRID MEYVAERT & KATRIEN MESTDAGH, Stained glass windows; ANGELBARRERO, Stucco marble & scagliola; DANIEL, ALAIN, JEAN-LUC, FABIENNE & LUDOVICMENCHIOR, Plaster ornaments; CHRIS MAENE, Piano building; JAN DENIE & GREET LEFEVRE, Solid wood panelling; YVAN MAES DE WIT, Conservation of tapestries; LUCIA DEKNUDT, Lampshades; JIMMY DE CLERCQ & DIMITRI GINSBERG, Art foundry; PAUL & JAN VAN ACHTER, Copper pots and pans; FREDERIK KNOCKAERT, Art restoration; LUT DE PAEPE & FREDERICPOPPE, Gilt leather; BERT DE VYLDER, Organ building; WALTER QUIREYNS, Sculptures & stonemasonry; NINO TONDAT, Terrazo & intarsio; DIEDERIK WILLEM VANDERHEYDEN, Fine art paintings; RALPH BAGGALEY, Leather crafts

Cover MANUFACTUM

The presentation of ‘MANUFACTUM’ took place Thursday December 11, in the unique historical building of The Royal Manufacturers De Wit in Mechelen, also featured in this book.

The Royal Manufacturers (founded in 1889) cleans, conserves and restores tapestries. Today, it is the leading tapestry restorer in the world for museums and one of the leading laboratories for private customers. Yvan Maes De Wit, the present director, represents the fourth generation of tapestry weavers and restorers.

Book presentation

Jan and me, together with the photographer Philippe De Beerst (left) and author Dirk De Moor.

A special thank you to Patrick Damiaens.

A lot of you, my readers, might have heard of and read about the beautiful work of our renowned Belgian ornamental woodcarver Patrick Damiaens, who is also the author of the blog Ornamentsnijder – Patrick Damiaens. Patrick is incredibly passionate about traditional high-quality craftsmanship and he inspired and assisted the publishers in sourcing the best craftsmen to feature in‘MANUFACTUM’ to guarantee the quality of the book. We are very thankful to Patrick for his considerable contribution to the realization of this book.

Patrick Damiaens at work   Source Blog Patrick Damiaens

 Lefèvre Interiors - One of the pages, featuring our company in ‘Manufactum’

Photographer Philippe Debeerst illustrated this book with gorgeous taken pictures of all craftsmen and women at work. Giving splendour to the book !

Here are a few photos Philippe took in our workshop.

Workshop Lefèvre Interiors   Photo credit Philippe Debeerst

Workshop Lefèvre Interiors   Photo credit Philippe Debeerst

Workshop Lefèvre Interiors   Photo credit Philippe Debeerst

Workshop Lefèvre Interiors   Photo credit Philippe Debeerst

MANUFACTUM is available in English/French and in Dutch/French.

Manufactum,20 crafts in the spotlight - 20 métiers à l'honneur  Dirk De Moor, Philippe Debeerst 

English-FrenchHardcover ISBN 978-94-6161-195-6

Manufactum,20 ambachten in de kijker - 20 métiers à l'honneur  Dirk De Moor, Philippe Debeerst

Dutch-FrenchHardcover ISBN 978-94-6161-188-8

MANUFACTUM

Snoeck Publishers Belgium

To order, please clickHERE.

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Dear readers and friends,

With this last post of this year, I absolutely want to thank each and every one of you for following my blog. For the friendship I receive from all of you, for the encouragement and support you give to me, to go on with ‘Belgian Pearls’.

I owe you my gratitude, because if you weren’t there, ‘Belgian Pearls’ wouldn’t make sense. You are the ones who give value to my blog.

You are all so very dear to me!

In the past years, so many of you have sent me wonderful emails and comments with touching and heartwarming words. This means a lot to me!

Today I posted some random chosen comments I filed over the past years. Words coming from you…

There are only a few of so many lovely comments, but I am very thankful to every one of you reading my blog and for all of your heartwarming words.

Sincerely yours,

Greet

Photo by me

Image source Pinterest

Image source Pinterest

Image source Pinterest

Image source Pinterest

I do like to end this blogpost with this beautiful quote.

Source Pinterest

I thank you all for your part in Belgian Pearls’ journey!

I hope to see you again next year!

Take care!

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Wishing all of you a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2015 !

I will be happy to see you this year !

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Dear readers,

This is actually my first blogpost of this new year and I want to wish you and your family a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2015 !

I do hope you will enjoy my future blogposts this year.

The previous days were perhaps more relaxing, but now it's time to start working on new projects.

I am preparing a library room design and wanted to share with you today some of my favorite inspirational library pictures.

All these library designs feel timeless.

Interior design by Christine Bekaert   Image sourceChristine Bekaert

Interior design by Annelle Primos   Image source Kevin Harris Architect

Image source ZsaZsa Bellagio

Interior design by Axel Vervoordt   Image source El’ Lefébien

 Interior design by Axel Vervoordt   Image source here   Photo credit Christian Sarramon

Interior design by me, realized by Lefèvre Interiors  Image source Lefèvre Interiors   Photo credit Claude Smekens

Interior design Natalie Haegeman, realized by Lefèvre Interiors   Image source Lefèvre Interiors   Photo credit Claude Smekens

My library moodboard so far.  Lefèvre Interiors 

I am off to prepare some library sketches.

Talk to you soon!

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If you would like us to design your library, feel free to contact us at info@lefevre.be .

For more Lefèvre Interiors realisations visit our website atwww.lefevre.be .

Today I would like to introduce you to one of the most renowned and talented Irish interior designers.

Miriam Peters is the owner and driving force behind the succesful Irish interior design company ‘Minnie Peters’. Along with her staff - including architects, project managers, interior and landscape designers -, Miriam provides a service from beginning through to completion for every project undertaken. Miriam supervises all projects from start to finish.

The succes of ‘Minnie Peters Interior Architecture & Design’ is due to Miriam’s capability to surround herself with the most skilled professionals, each in their field. She doesn’t shrink back to travel to the European continent and beyond to meet professionals, manufacturing companies and to visit international design related events and exhibitions.

At ‘Minnie Peters’ the greatest emphasis is placed on providing quality, skills and products for each tailor made project. And as no other Miriam knows how to mix old and new throughout her projects.

The timeless quality along with the elegant style of the bespoke interiors, are giving this Dublin based interior design company, an international profile of residential and commercial clients.

Let’s take a look at some of Minnie Peters’ delightful and elegant realisations.

The utmost in quality and elegance.

Entry hall with a bespoke iron staircase. Notice the hidden door.

How gorgeous is this kitchen corner with the French dining table, the Belgian bench and dining chairs on a Belgian blue stone floor.

Formal dining room with antique chairs and chandelier with a bespoke hand-crafted dining table.

Beautiful French painted secretaire and armchair.

Bespoke wardrobe design.

Bleached oak kitchen larder and island. Stunning!

This bespoke bathroom design, has a French commode transformed into a vanity unit.

Master bedroom with carefully chosen bed linen and exquisite night stands.

Amazingly elegant !

Whatever the client’s taste, Minnie Peters provides traditional as contemporary design.

Traditional dining room.

Contemporary designed dining room.

Living room corner in a restored Victorian home.

I had the honor to meet Miriam at her office in Dublin, November last year.

Miriam and I at her office in Dublin, discussing a project we are working on together (november 2014).

To see more of ‘MINNIE PETERS’ projects, please visit their website

http://www.minniepeters.com/

Enjoy!

Pictures source : Website and Pinterest page of Minnie Peters

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Those who are following my blog since a few years, will absolutely have read my earlier blogpost about the Belgian artisan Dirk Mortier.

Dirk designs and creates beautiful wooden rural outbuildings, home extensions, fences and accessories, all related to the traditional Flemish country outdoor living and landscape architecture.

Dirk’s father was an architect and painter and painted the idyllic landscapes and farms of the Flemish Ardennes. Due to his father’s paintings, Dirk’s passion for the traditional Flemish landscape architecture was born. He now continues his father’s work in a three-dimensional way.

Designing wooden constructions, fences, etc, Dirk opts for simple and pure concepts without useless decorations, going back to the authentic, essential use.

The construction is done with authentic tools and machines.

Behind Dirk Mortier’s realisations of scenic beauty lies a profound story of craft, practise and culture.

Dirk’s workshop is based in Everbeek-Beneden, a village in the Flemish Ardennes with its magnificent landscape. His home is only a few steps away from our home, and every time we walk around the orchards of his property, we enjoy the beautiful wooden fences, all made by Dirk.

Even though Dirk is skilled in the construction of more than only fences and gates, today I want to show you some pictures of his beautiful hand made wooden fences. To see more pictures of his wooden constructions and accessories, please visit the photo gallery on his website here.

One of Dirk Mortier’s hand made fences in the Flemish countryside.

Trees are usually cut by Dirk himself.

All designs are made by Dirk.

The finished product goes directly to the end customer.

Love this detail !

Dirk at work in his workshop, accompanied by a close friend !

Orchard fence.

Even these donkeys seem to enjoy their fences.

Fences in the snowy Belgian landscape.

Fence and gate.

Some of Dirk’s beautiful wooden fence gates.

How charming is the look of this weathered gate?

Dirk Mortier

If you would love to have your property fenced in the traditional Flemish style, please contact Dirk at info@mortier.eu 

To see more of his hand made realisations, please visit the photo gallery on Dirk’s website here. You will be charmed !

MORTIER BIJGEBOUWEN

Traditional outbuildings, fences and accessories

BREEDSTRAAT 7 • 9660 EVERBEEK-BENEDEN (BRAKEL)

BELGIUM

TEL. 0032 (0) 477 80 98 81

INFO@MORTIER.EU

WWW.MORTIER.EU

 

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend !

xx

Greet

All images Dirk Mortier website http://www.mortier.eu/

With permission of Dirk Mortier

Ingrid Segers and Annemie Coppens of the Belgian company Porte Bonheur were commissioned to design this Belgian farmhouse and to furnish all the rooms. And they did a great job. The house is furnished in a charming, casual way, peculiar to the Belgian country style.

To give the house the charming look of an old farmhouse, Ingrid and Annemie used antique materials as wooden beams, doors etc.

The house has several places where you can sit and enjoy the outside view.

The designers preferred to use natural colors as sand and terracotta, combining well with the green of the garden.

And opted for natural fabrics, such as linens and cottons.

The dining room with the view towards the living room.

Belgian linen slipcovered sofas can’t be missed.

The kitchen as a family meeting point.

From May until September the owners have the possibility to intensely enjoy outside life because of the several outbuildings as the porch and the poolhouse.

Having breakfast or lunch at the porch must be wonderful.

Absolutely gorgeous sitting area.

The poolhouse accommodates the bar. Very practical to give outside parties.

All images EL MUEBLE

More pictures of this project here.

If you are interested in my earlier blogpost about another project of Porte Bonheur, please click here.

To see more projects of Porte Bonheur , please visit their website at http://www.portebonheur.be

Happy weekend !

xx

Greet

Last Sunday ended the 15th edition of BRAFA (Brussels Antiques and Fine Art Fair), that is one of the leading European art and antiques fairs. All the work that is shown is for sale. All antique pieces and works of art are selected by their quality and authenticity. Brafa is an eclectic fair where visitors discover a variety of specialities, from antiquity to the 21st century.

Today I wanted to highlight some of the works that caught my attention and which I loved.

At HERWIG SIMONS FINE ARTS (Antwerp), I discoverd the work of Lita Cabbelut. Catalan by origin, Lita Cabbelut became inspired by famous masters in the Prado Museum. She started painting and went to the Netherlands to follow a course at the Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam. The artist remained living in the Netherlands. She became world famous by her portraits shown in several exhibitions and musea, as among them the exhibition in Paris with her series ‘Coco’, in London with ‘Frida’, in India with the series about the Dutch Golden Age entitled The Black Tulip.

I do have to admit that I was impressed by these beautiful works of art.

Booth of Herwig Simons Fine Art (Picture by me)

 Herwig Simons Fine Art, portraits of the series The Dutch Golden Age by Lita Cabbelut. (Image source Herwig Simons Fine Art FB page)

Lita Cabbelut at Herwig Simons Fine Arts (Image source Herwig Simons Fine Art FB page)

Art and antiques at the booth of AXEL VERVOORDT (Antwerp).

Axel Vervoordt booth. (Picture by me)

Beautiful wall to wall cabinet seen here as a kind of ‘cabinet de curiosités’. Booth Axel Vervoordt. (Picture by me)

One of the curiosities displayed here, caught my attention.

A sculpture in bronze from India ca 1500 BC (Indus civilization)

Image source Axel Vervoordt

I found out more about this anthropomorphic figure on the Axel Vervoordt FB page.

“Mystical and mythical testaments of early craftsmanship. This anthropomorphic figure was cast in a mould, after which the bronze was hammered. Archaeologists believe they were created by indigenous people living in the area, but since little is known about the Bronze Age in India, their precise function or meaning remains unclear.

It has been theorized that they may have been emblems of fertility - whether they are to be perceived as male or female - which were used in magical, religious or political practices.

Figures like these are found primarily in the basin of the Ganges River in modern-day India and are a part of the Indus Civilization. The development of Indus society was greatly dependent on the natural floodwater of its river systems. This abundance allowed extensive farming, leading to the creation of large cities, conceived as humanly created manifestations of nature shaped to a particular vision of a properly ordered society.”(Text FB page Axel Vervoordt)

These pair of early 19th century French ‘jardinières’ at COSTERMANS (Brussels) look absolutely stunning.

French ‘jardinières’ seen at Costermans Antiques  (Picture by Costermans)

Notice the aged patina. (Picture by Costermans)

An 18th century French Régence boiserie at STEINITZ (Paris).

Booth Steinitz(Picture by me)

  At the booth of FLORIS VAN WANROIJ FINE ART (Dommelen, The Netherlands), this painting caught my eye.

 ‘Kortegaard’ Interior with Soldiers playing Cards’ is painted by Pieter Codde (Amsterdam, 1599 – Amsterdam, 1678).

This work of Pieter Codde is definitely influenced by the Dutch painter Frans Hals (Antwerp c.1582 – Haarlem 1666).

Floris van Wanroij Fine Art - Kortegaard’ Interior with Soldiers playing Cards’ by Pieter Codde , Oil on panel. (Picture by me)

Beautiful Byzantine marble table top, Eastern Mediterranean at DE BACKKER MEDIEVAL ART (Hoogstraten, Belgium).

Byzantine marble table top at De Backker Medieval Art(Picture by me)

Absolutely decorative are these early 20th century axes, origine Papua New-Guinea. They were to admire at the booth of GALERIE SERGE SCHOFFEL (Brussels).

Collection of early 20th century axes from Papua New-Guinea at Galerie Serge Schoffel  (Picture by me)

‘We see ourselves wading through the weeds of our shallow minds’ is the title of this unique work by our Belgian artist Fred Eerdekens (°Heusden-Zolder 1951) at SAMUEL VANHOEGAERDEN GALLERY (Knokke, Belgium)

Eerdekens works with a very special matter, namely shadow. He folds brass wire to seemingly meaningless forms, but if illuminated, their shadows appear as recognizable words on the wall. Not the matter itself but its shadow contains the message. The artist combines light and language to communicate.

‘We see ourselves wading through the weeds of our shallow minds’ by FRED Eerdekens at Samuel Vanhoegaerden Gallery (Pictures by me)

Another work of art by one of my favorite artists Hans Hartung (Leipzig,1904 – Antibes,1989) at Samuel Vanhoegaerden Gallery.

Hans Hartung is one of the leading European exponents of a completely abstract style of painting. He became particularly well known for his carefully composed, almost calligraphic arrangements of black lines on coloured backgrounds. Many of his works are titled by letters and numbers.

Hans Hartung at Samuel Vanhoegaerden Gallery (Picture by me)

Finally,I wanted to take you to the booth of DIE GALERIE (Frankfurt am Main, Germany) where was shown a remarkable work of Karel Appel (Amsterdam,1921 – Zurich, 2006). This painted bronze sculpture is titled ‘Cat on the Roof’(1991).

Karel Appel ‘Cat on the Roof’ at Die Galerie (Picture by me)

If you are interested in reading more about BRAFA, please visit the website here and browse through the Brafa 2015 online catalogue here.

I hope you enjoyed my short Brafa 2015 tour !

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I was looking for inspirational images of steel doors for a new project I am working on.

Steel doors can be used in traditional as well as in contemporary interiors.

I wanted to share with you some of the images I came across today.

Vincent Van Duysen   Photography Stijn Rolies

Linie Design

Crush Cul de Sac

JJ Locations

Obumex

Pinterest

Pinterest

Sels Exclusieve Villabouw

Emily et Nous

Vlassak-Verhulst

Benoît Viaene Architectenbureau

To end this post, I want to share with you some pictures of the work of Steven and Brecht Dujardyn, the blacksmiths and owners of Belgian artisanal forge Dujardyn Art Concept. I posted earlier about their beautiful work.

Steven and Brecht Dujardyn are also featured in the book ‘MANUFACTUM’, the Belgian publication about craftsmanship, featuring 20 Belgian companies who still work according to traditional methods.

Cover ‘Manufactum’

20 Belgian companies featured in ‘Manufactum’

Dujardyn Art Concept

Dujardyn Art Concept

Dujardyn Art Concept

Notice the beautiful door handles and locks by the artisanal forge Dujardyn Art Concept.

Dujardyn Art Concept

Dujardyn Art Concept

If you want to know more about the work of Steven and Brecht Dujardyn, please read my earlier blogpost here or visit their website Dujardyn Art Concept.

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From our home to yours

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY !

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Greet

After the war, Swiss-French architect, designer and urban planner Charles Edouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier (1887-1965), was committed with the planning, the design and construction of the city of Chandigarh, the first planned city in India.

After the partition of British India into India and Pakistan in 1947, the former British province of Punjab was split between India and Pakistan. The Indian state of Punjab required a new capital city to replace Lahore, which became part of Pakistan during the partition, and so Chandigarh, the first planned city in India, was created. Chandigarh (Chandi, the Indian goddess of power – garh, meaning fortress) is known internationally for its architecture and urban design.

The construction of this new city began in 1951, to symbolise India’s entrance into the modern age (the work would last more than 10 years).

Le Corbusier appointed his cousin, the Swiss architect Pierre Jeanneret (1896 -1967) to oversee the construction sites and to design the furniture. So everything in Chandigarh was fashioned by this dynamic duo.

Chandigarh Writing chair Pierre Jeanneret

Image source 1stdibs

Le Corbusier (sitting in the ‘Committee’ chair) and Pierre Jeanneret in The Committee Room.

Image sourceChandigarh Tourism

Pierre Jeanneret designed furniture  for the various public and private buildings, using local available wood (teak or sissoo) and hiring local craftsmen, which gave his furniture its own special character, designed in the same spirit as the city, in the same school of thoughts.

Until a few years ago those most incredible Jeannerret creations were sold for a few rupees in India (if they weren’t chopped up for teak or left to rot after they broke), but nowadays they are much sought-after by furniture-lovers and collectors all over the world and have been auctioned for small fortunes.

With her 40 minutes film ‘Provenance’ (2013) the American director Amie Siegel made visible the Chandigarh furniture’s movement around the globe. The film starts with the furniture seen nowadays in residences of collectors from all over the world. Then the film moves backwards to the auction houses (where this furniture has been auctioned for record prices) and preview exhibitions,…to restoration, cargo shipping containers and Indian ports. And the film is ending finally in Chandigarh.

This kind of montage exposes the circuits of ownership and history that influence the furniture's fluctuating value.

Image source Amie Siegel 'Provenance'

Although the Chandigarh furniture collection is composed of much more than only seating furniture pieces, today I would like to introduce you to the Pierre Jeanneret chairs and seats.

Chandigarh ‘committee’ chair in the dining room of a private apartment in Paris by Joseph Dirand.

Image source Pinterest

Committee chair   Image source 1stdibs

Chandigarh ‘office’ armchair in a living room by Nicolas Schuybroek.

Image source Nicolas Schuybroek   Publication ‘Le Corbusier Pierre Jeanneret  Chandigarh, India’  Galerie Patrick Seguin   

Office chair   Image source 1stdibs

Chandigarh ‘office’ chair in a dining room by Nicolas Schuybroek.

Image source Nicolas Schuybroek

Detail Office cane armchair   Image source 1stdibs

Chandigarh caned and ebonized-teak ‘office’ chair in a dining room by Rose Tarlow.

Image source Architectural Digest   Photography by Scott Frances

A large number of the Chandigarh furniture were entered in a register kept in the secretariat of the various administrations and the inventory number was stenciled in white, preferably at the back or on one side of the furniture, allowing their location. Not all public locations furniture was marked and many have erased with time. The furniture pieces for the Chandigarh private houses were never marked.

Easy armchair 1952   Image source MDBA  Galerie Patrick Seguin and Office armchair 1959-1960   Image source Galerie Patrick Sequin

Chandigarh ‘office’ armchairs in the kitchen of a private apartment in Paris by Joseph Dirand.

Image source Yatzer   Photo © Adrien Dirand / AD France n° 119, September/October 2013

Conference chair   Image source 1stdibs

Chandigarh ‘lounge’ sofa and armchair in living room of a private apartment in Paris by Joseph Dirand.

Image source Yatzer   Photo © Adrien Dirand / AD France n° 119, September/October 2013

Hide and teak sofa ca 1955-1956   Image source Galerie Patrick Seguin

Chandigarh ‘public’ bench and low chairs in the living room of the private apartment in Paris of decorative-arts dealers Laurence and Patrick Seguin.

Image source Architectural Digest   Photography by Simon Watson

Hide and teak public bench ca 1959-1960   Image source Galerie Patrick Seguin

Chandigarh upholstered ‘easy’ chairs and ‘kangourou’ fireside chair on the cover of the book ‘Living With Light’ by Axel Vervoordt.

Image source Axel Vervoordt

Upholstered easy chair   Image source Chandigarh Design   © Photo Archive JD

Kangourou fireside chair (sissoo wood)  Image source 1stdibs

Chandigarh ‘lounge’ chair, upholstered in a unique painted canvas. Interior design by Axel Vervoordt.

Image source Lonny magazine (courtesy of Flammarion)

Lounge chair   Image source Chandigarh Design© Photo Archive JD

Chandigarh ‘armless easy’ chair in a living room by Vincent Van Duysen.

Image source Vincent Van Duysen   Photography Koen Van Damme

Armless easy chair   Image source Chandigarh Design   © Photo Archive JD

A man sat working on, and next to, an original Pierre Jeanneret teak armchair at the Forestry Department in Chandigarh, India.Image source The New York Times

“ Every working day for the past 20 years, Suresh Kanwar, a civil engineer in Chandigarh’s Forestry Department, has been sitting on the same battered wooden chair, an object he said had “no beauty” even if it was, “for office use, very comfortable.” (text source The New York Times)

As the furniture fell into disrepair, it was thrown into government storerooms and often sold for peanuts.

Years ago there definitely was a general lack of appreciation of Chandigarh’s architecture and interior design by the administration and the general public in India.

Image souce Pinterest

Image source Pinterest

Image source Pinterest

The city authorities, who are applying for Unesco World Heritage status, have ordered that no more furniture will be auctioned, and prisoners in the local jail have been commissioned to start restoring some of the broken pieces. Nowadays, Indians are aware of Chandigarh's rich cultural heritage. Since January 2011, it has been illegal to remove any furniture from the city unless the authorities and the Ministry of Culture give their permission.

Chandigarh ‘writing’ chairs at a jail in Chandigarh, after inmates had restored them.

Image source The New York Times

If you want to know more about the Chandigarh furniture, here are some interesting articles aned websites where you will find interesting information :

http://www.chandigarh-design.com

http://www.patrickseguin.com/en/designers/pierre-jeanneret/available-pieces-pierre-jeanneret

http://amiesiegel.net/project/provenance

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/19/world/asia/19chandigarh.html

http://chandigarhtourism.gov.in

Finally,I would love to share with you an interesting publication : ‘Le Corbusier–Pierre Jeanneret, Chandigarh, India’,  by Paris based art dealer Patrick Seguin, who is specialized in furniture and architecture of the 20th century.

This comprehensive work is dedicated to the massive Chandigarh project, of which the architecture and furniture are considered today as essential in the history of the 20th century.

Cover book  ‘Le Corbusier–Pierre Jeanneret, Chandigarh, India’

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I am pleased to announce that as of January 2015 our company is represented in the United Kingdom by London based art historian and interior design consultant Sabine Naghdi.

Over the past few years we received many emails and phone calls from UK residents, architects, designers and readers of my blog asking if our company was represented in the United Kingdom.

When we recently finished a project for one of my readers who was renovating her home in the Cotswolds (Lefèvre Interiors worked in collaboration with the London based architects ‘office Michaelis-Boyd Associates) we realized there is more and more demand for bespoke wood paneling, even in contemporary designed residences, and we felt the time had come to introduce our company to the UK.

Through my blog I got in touch with Sabine (who was a follower of my blog). It was such a pleasant surprise to learn that Sabine is also Belgian but she has lived for over 25 years in London. We communicated for a while via email and exchanged our thoughts about interior design and art related issues.

When we finally met face to face at the beginning of January this year, it felt as if we had known each other for years! We were talking nineteen to the dozen about our mutual interests and many passions and at the end of the day we realized we had been talking non-stop for 15 hours (yes it is possible!)

Today I am delighted to introduce you to Sabine.

Sabine was born in Belgium and grew up in Flanders. She recalls her passion for design and interiors since early childhood. When she was just ten years old she vividly recollects how fascinated she was when visiting the house of her best friend whose father was an architect and her mother an art collector. This early confrontation with beautiful architecture and Art influenced the rest of Sabine’s life as well as her choice of academic studies but instead of studying Interior Design and Architecture she choose to read History of Art at university. She obtained a M.A in “History of Art, Archaeology and Ancient Civilisations”, a B.A in ““History of Art: Byzantine Art to Modern Art” and a PhD in “Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology”. Whilst at university she travelled all over Europe, to Russia, Latin America and the Middle East where she participated in archaeological digs, she also travelled on numerous occasions through Africa in the 1980’s to conduct the necessary research for the completion of her thesis.  

Sabine Naghdi

Soon after she graduated she moved to London and was hired by Sotheby’s. Sabine became one of their international Art experts and after finishing the in-house auctioneers course she became a Sotheby’s auctioneer.

Sotheby’s London, New Bond Street   Image source Sotheby’s

At Sotheby’s she was responsible for the valuation of works of Art in the UK and Europe, producing sales catalogues, handling the departmental auctions and she represented her European clients in the USA during sales in New York.

After the birth of her two daughters she became Head of Client Development and International Sales at a renowned Contemporary Art Gallery. Later on she worked as an independent Art Consultant and completed a course in “Art Economics and Art Fund Management”.

When her eldest daughter Yasmine started training at the world-renowned Royal Ballet School at the age of 11, Sabine gave up her career in the Arts to fully devote herself to the education of her two daughters.

The Royal Ballet School - White Lodge, Richmond Park, London   Photo credit Rob Green

In 2007 she was hired as a Museum Consultant and collaborated in the creation of a unique Ballet Museum in UK : White Lodge Museum in Richmond Park, London.

White Lodge Ballet Museum   Image source The Royal Ballet School

Sabine lives in Holland Park, Kensington, with her husband and their two daughters. Her daughter Yasmine is now an accomplished Soloist with The Royal Ballet, based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. Sabine and her husband are often at the Royal Opera House attending performances by The Royal Ballet. Her youngest daughter Tatiana is still a student and her ambition is to work for one of the big London Estate Agents and to have a career in property development.

  Yasmine Naghdi as “Olga” with Matthew Ball as “Lensky” in John Cranko’s ballet “Onegin”, February 2015, The Royal Ballet, London.  

   Photo credit : Nigel Norrington

Yasmine on the cover of Harper's Bazaar UK April 2014, wearing a dress from the Ralph Lauren Summer 2014 collection.

Cover Harper’s Bazaar Uk April 2014

The Royal Opera House, Bow Street, with Plazzotta's statue “Young Dancer” in the foreground

Image source Wikipedia   Photo credit Russ London

In 2010 Sabine finally decided to do what she always loved doing most: to style and decorate interiors. She set up her own company “S&D Interiors”.

A meeting in early January 2015 with Sabine, resultated in collaborating with Lefèvre Interiors and Sabine now represents our company in the UK.

Lefèvre Interiors realisation   Photo credit : Claude Smekens Photography

Sabine is also the co-writer of “Treasures in Your Home : An Illustrated Guide to Antiques and Their Prices” and recently she was invited to write the Foreword to “Forever Africa”, by Viviana Vammalle, an Argentinian world traveller.

Cover ‘Treasures in Your Home’

Cover ‘Por siempre África’ by Viviana Vammalle

In her free time she enjoys watching World cinema, Art House movies, travelling to far away destinations (mainly Asia) and visiting Art galleries and museums; her favourite museum in London is the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Victorian & Albert Museum London   Image source Wikipedia   Photo credit David Iliff

Sharing this video Sabine wanted to show us why we all should visit the V&A museum.

Sabine is an eclectic collector of all things beautiful but she has a huge passion for Japanese baskets and pottery, South-East Asian textiles and costumes, ethnic utilitarian objects such as antique Burmese lacquer ware (see below), Contemporary art and ceramics.

Some of the objects Sabine brought back from her recent trip to Burma: (top) a Buddhist prayer book (covered in gold leaf) in Shan-Pali writing, next to calligraphy brushes brought back from Vietnam, and two ivory bracelets from Burkina Faso (Africa). Below: a red soon-oke (very rare) on the right, two betel boxes (from Shan States) with intricately carved scenes (left).

Sabine and I have so much in common, not only are we both Flemish but our taste for beautiful accessories and objects is totally shared alongside our great passion for Art and beautiful interiors.

We feel confident that our collaboration will lead to a successful introduction of Lefèvre Interiors to the UK and that Lefèvre Interiors' focus on tradition and quality will resonate well with the UK market.

We are looking forward to design and execute custom-made interiors of country houses, town houses, apartments and commercial projects in the United Kingdom.

For all your UK projects, feel free to contact Sabine

at sabine.naghdi@lefevre-interiors.co.uk

T + 44 (0) 20 7603 1777

M + 44 (0) 7858 369 621

WWW.LEFEVRE.BE

Wishing you all a wonderful day.

Greet

I hope you all have had a wonderful weekend.

To start this new week, I would love to share with you the featuring of our

company Lefèvre Interiors in the Argentine Magazine MIA.

A big thank you to Claudia Magne, editor of MIA.

Thank you Claudia, we feel very honored you made the effort to introduce Lefèvre Interiors to your readers in Argentina.

Cover MIA

Wishing you all a fresh start of this new week.

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Greet

Today I wanted to share with you a remarkable story that is absolutely worth a blogpost.

Our only full-time Flemish wood carver has been asked to create unique wooden prayer frames for a 19th-century abbey in England.

Last year robbers broke into the Benedictine Abbey of St Michael’s in Farnborough, England, entered the crypt and stole historic wooden framed prayers in French and Latin from the tomb of Prince Louis, son of Napoleon III.

Despite the efforts of local police and an international appeal among antique dealers, the prayer frames have not been retrieved, so they needed to be replaced.

The frames were made by an unknown wood carver in incredible detail. Finding someone to make exact replicas of the walnut frames was a difficult task untill Abbot Cuthbert Brogan stumbled on the website of our Belgian woodcarver Patrick Damiaens(see also my post about the book ‘MANUFACTUM’ here).

After seeing the highly detailed work of Patrick, they knew they had found the craftsman capable to carve the exact replicas. Patrick is now awarded with this job!

Patrick has photographs of the originals, from which he’ll make his own technical illustrations, which will form the basis of his carvings. And he will spend some time in museums in Paris acquainting himself more fully with original carvings done in the very ornate Napoleon III-style.

To read the full story, please click here.

Patrick Damiaens at work in his workshop   Photo source here

Congratulations Patrick, we are so proud of you! Let us know when the frames are finished, seeing these carvings of your hand is worth a visit to the Abbey in Farnborough.

To see more of Patrick’s incredible work, please visit his website here or follow his blog here.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

xx

Greet

Bring spring into your décor with blossombranches or refresh your home with simple bouquets.

Soft colors and fresh flowers can help bringing the warm weather and soothing scents of spring into your home.

My home   Photo by me

My home   Photo by me

The soft pink Magnolia blossoms will brighten any room.

Image sourcehere

Image source here

Image source here

Image source here

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Use simple greenery for your table decoration.

Image source here

Spring in every detail.

Image source here

Image source here

Get the spring feeling with a bunch of tulips.

Image source here

Even fresh green herbs bring in scents of spring into your kitchen.

Image source here

Bring in spring even into your bathroom.

Image source here

Does spring tickle your nose ?

Image source here

Decorate with what nature has to offer at this time of the year.

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Today I would love to introduce you to some of our Belgian companies, known for their beautiful and high-quality textiles.

MIRABEL SLABBINCK

‘MACA’ by Mirabel Slabbinck : table linen with a 5 mm satin stitch, colour to be chosen

‘FANNA’ by Mirabel Slabbinck : monogram in embroidery with your personal initials, colours to be chosen

‘MIMEA’ napkins by Mirabel Slabbinck

Mirabel Slabbinck has designed the MIMEA table-covers and napkins for the famous Belgian restaurant Hertog Jan, (three Michelin stars, top 100 restaurants of the World). Chef Gert de Mangeleer makes conscious use of local, seasonal and often forgotten products, which are grown in the garden of the restaurant itself. Mirabel refers to them in the set of 6 napkins on which these herbs and vegetables are embroidered : chervil, kohlrabi, cherry tomatoes, garden nasturtium, bear’s garlic and eggplant.

‘KALI’ bed linen by Mirabel Slabbinck

Discover the entire collection atMIRABEL SLABBINCK

SCAPA HOME

Sofa upholstery and cushions Scapa Home Collection Summer 2015

Table runners Scapa Home Collection Summer 2015

Table cloth and cushions Scapa Home Collection Summer 2015

Explore the entire summer 2015 collection atSCAPA WORLD

P-LO

Cushion Collection The Elements ‘Fire & Ice’ and ‘Earth & Wind’ by P-LO

Cushions Collection Basic by P-LO

 Cushion Collection The Elements ‘Fire & Ice’ by P-LO

Discover cushions and more atP-LO

JULES CLARYSSE

Towel ‘Elise’ by Olivier Strelli for Jules Clarysse

Kitchen towels Jules Clarysse

Table runners and napkins ‘Jack’ by Olivier Strelli for Jules Clarysse

Explore the entire collection at JULES CLARYSE

I do hope you will enjoy visiting the websites and webshops of these Belgian companies.

Happy weekend!

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