Earlier this week I finished decorating our home for Christmas and as every year I like to share with you a few pictures of the Christmas vignettes around our home.

Candles, pine branches, cones and red berries on the fireplace mantel in our living room.

 

This year I have chosen for a small Christmas tree, simply decorated with lights and cones.

I love to use branches with bright red berries everywhere in the home.

Small touches of decoration in the dining room.

Red berries again !

Candles and greenery in the dining room fire place.

On the kitchen table.

Kitchen cabinet shelving.

Don’t you love the colour of these pepper berries ?

Vase with papyrus branch and dish with Christmas ornaments, cones and antler.

Tea light holders grouped together on the orangery coffee table.

Pine tree branch hanging on the wall.

Front door decoration.

Lanterns found at Ikea.

All pictures by me

I am ready for Christmas. Are you ?

xx

Greet

Dear friends and readers,today I ceIebrate the 5th anniversary of Belgian Pearls. I can’t believe that I am blogging for all these years now !

Five years ago, I opened up my free blogger template and posted my first blogpost. I had no idea what this virtual world would bring me. Five years later, I learned to know so many readers and blog colleagues. The already more than 500 posts I wrote, brought me so much joy and so many friends from around the world!

I sincerely thank you for the fine comments and emails, for being there, following Belgian Pearls from behind your screen. It is because of you that my blog Belgian Pearls, means something in this big blogger world.

I do hope you will understand that I really can’t find the time to reply all the emails I receive. I wished I could, but combining blogging and a full time job is not always that evident.

Please apologize my sometimes late reply on your email. And if you have not yet received an email back, please send me your question or inquiry a second time. I will try the best I can to answer you.

Sincerely thank you to all of you !

xx

First of all I would love to thank you for all the comments and emails I received from you, on Belgian Pearls 5th Anniversary.

All those kind words and compliments mean a lot to me and motivate me to continue writing my blog.

Onward to the next five years!

Today I am pleased to tell you that our company Lefèvre Interiors is featured in the latest issue of the Belgian interior design magazine TIJDLOOS.

Cover latest issue of Belgian Magazine TIJDLOOS Aug-Sep-Okt 2014

The article tells about different kind of paneling realized by Lefèvre Interiors and is accompanied by a lot of pictures.

Here are some of the pictures seen in the magazine’s article.

Lefèvre Interiors paneling   Photo credit Photography Claude Smekens

Lefèvre Interiors paneling   Photo credit Photography Claude Smekens

Lefèvre Interiors paneling   Photo credit Photography Claude Smekens

Lefèvre Interiors paneling   Photo credit Photography Claude Smekens

To read the full article and to see more paneling realized by Lefèvre Interiors,

please click on picture here below.

Featuring pages about Lefèvre Interiors’ paneling in Magazine TIJDLOOS Aug-Sep-Okt 2014

A huge thank you to the team of the magazine for the interest in our company’s work and  a special thank you to our Belgian photographer Claude Smekens for the effort he made to take all the photo shoots.

Lefèvre Interiors’ advertising page in Magazine TIJDLOOS Aug-Sep-Okt 2014  Photo credit Photography Claude Smekens

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

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

xx

Greet

Last Friday, one of my favorite stores, the women’s boutique BOTTHY opened its doors at its new location. Since many years this store is based in the city of Geraardsbergen (Belgium).

The owners had the opportunity to purchase a beautiful property, very close to the current location of the existing store, giving their customers the opportunity to shop in a more comfortable way and in a very pleasant, urban contemporary atmosphere.

We were of course very honored when the owners enabled our company Lefèvre Interiors to participate in the  realisation of their new store’s concept.

I am very pleased to share with you today pictures of the result of this huge transformation.

BOTTHY Women new store – Geraardsbergen, Belgium

Boutique façade before & after

The owners wished to see an interior that certainly is not overloaded and wanted to retain as much as possible the authentic elements of the property. They wished to combine fair, fine materials, textures and colors, matching a contemporary store concept. Steel and wood are recurring materials, throughout the store.

All cabinetry, wooden display shelving, fitting rooms and counters are executed in the workshop of our company Lefèvre Interiors .

BOTTHY Inside store – after

Inside store – before

The before-after pictures I share with you here below, will able you to have an idea of this huge transformation.

Steel constructions were added.

The authentic beamed ceiling was completely refreshed.

A part of the authentic brick wall is kept visible.

Combination of mortex covered floor and black painted oak.

The fitting rooms are very comfortable to help you, being in a relaxed mood, choosing your new clothing.

A combination of white painted and dark stained wooden built in closet cabinets .LEFEVRE INTERIORS

Cabinetry all custom made by LEFEVRE INTERIORS.

                 Combination of steel and wood. LEFEVRE INTERIORS

Custom made wooden display shelving on steel clothing racks.

Carefully chosen vintage furniture by the owners of the store.

To follow BOTTHY on Facebook, please click HERE .

I do hope you enjoyed this Lefèvre Interiors before & after project.

If you would like our company to provide the interior arrangement of your commercial project, feel free to contact us at info@lefevre.be

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

xx

Greet

All pictures by me

Nancy Meyers is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. She is the writer, producer and director of several big-screen successes, including The Parent Trap (1998), Something's Gotta Give (2003), The Holiday (2006), and It's Complicated (2009).

Nancy Meyers

Nancy is currently working on her new movie ‘The Intern’.

Source Nancy Meyers’s Instagram page

I will come back later to Nancy’s new movie ‘The Intern’, but first I would like to tell you something more about her previous movies.

Nancy Meyers is known for her absolutely amazing filming locations. The houses in her movies all look fabulous, the kind of houses people dream about. Nancy is a director with a passion for decoration. For Nancy, the look of the movie is very important because she likes to define the characters in the movie through the places they choose to live. ‘A house tells you so much about a person.’, Nancy explains. On each set Nancy works closely with set decorators and interior designers.

When I started blogging a few years ago, I discovered, on almost every interior design blog I visited, several pictures of the interior of the beach house in the Hamptons, the filming location of the movie ‘Something’s Gotta Give’.

Many people fell in love with this beach house and became obsessed with it. They wanted to incorporate the look of this house into their own home and designers were commissioned to design and to decorate their clients’ home inspired by this ‘SGG’ house.

Almost every decorator has at least one client who wants a room straight out of a Nancy Meyers movie, whether it’s the appealing kitchen in ‘Something’s Gotta Give’ or one of the bedrooms in ‘The Holiday’.

The table that was used in the SGG bedroom was found at Rose Tarlow and a lot of people wanted that table to have in their home. It seems that they never stopped making it. It’s now called the “Something’s Gotta Give table”.

‘Something’s Gotta Give’ : The beautiful beach house in the Hamptons with its timeless and Swedish influenced living room, soft toned dining room and appealing kitchen.Pictures source Cote de Texas

Rose Tarlow “Something’s Gotta Give table”

‘The Holiday’ : California contemporary versus cozy Cotswold style.Pictures source Cote de Texas

‘It’s Complicated’ : The Santa Barbara house with its fabulous garden and cozy rooms.Pictures source Cote de Texas

One of my favorite rooms is the beautiful dressed up living room in ‘It’s Complicated’. I love the warm color palette used here. Nancy chose the color orange as an accent. I do notice several Belgian style elements here in this room, as the painted cabinet, the coffee table, the slipcovered seats and the beamed ceiling.

Living room in ‘It’s Complicated’.

If you are interested in finding out more of these 3 gorgeous movie houses, please check the informative blogposts written by my colleague blogger Joni from Cote de Texas (here, here and here).

Coming back to Nancy’s upcoming movie ‘The Intern’.

About 3 months ago Nancy started with the filming of ‘The Intern’.

‘The Intern’ is a comedy that stars Anne Hathaway as Jules Ostin, as the founder of a fashion based e-commerce company who hires Robert DeNiro's character, a 70-year old widower bored with retirement, as her intern.

Having in mind the succes of ‘Something’s Gotta Give’, ‘The Holiday’ and ‘It’s Complicated’, expectations for the upcoming movie are high. Spectators and especially interior designers (including me !) do hope to see a location to fawn over !

Two weeks ago Nancy posted this peek inside a home in the upcoming movie and captured it with the words ‘A peek inside Jules's brownstone’. If you ask me it looks very chic and beautiful ! What do you think ?

‘A peek inside Jules's brownstone’   Source Nancy Meyers’s Instagram page

Another peek inside to see on Nancy’s Instagram page, captured ‘Annie's desk in The Intern.Our first day of shooting at her startup!’. The filming location is an old factory in Brooklyn. Notice thepainted brick walls of this loft style location. This is propably the factory, where the fashion company is based. Eye-catcher is Kartell Ghost chair by Philippe Starck.

‘Annie's desk in The Intern’   Source Nancy Meyers’s Instagram page

In the nick of time, preparing this blogpost, I discovered another picture added by Nancy on her Instagram page, captured  ‘The latest kitchen appliance. The Alexa.’. Notice the children’s play corner with the lou lou ghost child chair by Philippe Starck for Kartell ! Does Jules has children? We will have to find out…

‘The latest kitchen appliance.The Alexa.’   Source Nancy Meyers’s Instagram page

Love love love the inspiration board Nancy posted on Instagram! I love her design aesthetic ! This board definitely shows the designer within her.

‘Inspiration board’   Source Nancy Meyers’s Instagram page

More ‘behind the scenes’ pictures of ‘The Intern’ on Nancy’s Instagram page, I enjoyed.

Source Nancy Meyers’s Instagram page

If you would love to see more ‘behind the scene’ pictures of ‘The Intern’, please follow Nancy’s Instagram page here.

Nancy Meyers’ Instagram page

‘The Intern’ will come out in one year. Until then we will have to keep following Nancy’s Instagram page! I will certainly do, hoping to see more peek inside pictures.

A huge thank you to Nancy for allowing me to post all these ‘behind the scene’ pictures. As one of her biggest Belgian fans, I do wish her a lot of succes with ‘The Intern’!

I will try to grab a front row seat when the movie is released in Belgian cinema.

xx

Greet

All images with permission of Nancy Meyers.

Lefèvre Interiors  designs, makes and installs bespoke classic or modern panelling. Through artisan means and with a passion for interior decorating and style.

Today I want to share with you French style panelled rooms, created by the employees and artisans working in the workshop of Lefèvre Interiors.

Bespoke French 18th century style panelling - made of French oak.   Photo credit Jo Pauwels

The French style ornaments are carved by hand.   Photo credit Jo Pauwels

The boards - still shaped like the tree - lie in the warehouse to dry. When they start an assignment, the carpenters open up the pile like a book. They can read the wood's character, the uniformity of the grain and the colour.

Boards lie in the warehouse to dry.  Photo credit Koen Snauwaert

Then, each board starts its own artisan journey, to become panelling,…

Photo credit Claude Smekens Photography

…made by the craftsmen in the Lefèvre Interiors workshop.

Photo credit Claude Smekens Photography

French 19th century style panelling - made of French oak.  Photo credit Claude Smekens Photography

French 19th century style panelling with integrated doors.   Photo credit Claude Smekens Photography 

 Detail panelling.   Photo credit Claude Smekens Photography      Detail cornice.   Photo credit Greet Lefèvre

French painted panelling.   Photo credit Koen Snauwaert

Hand carved ornament.   Photo credit Koen Snauwaert

All panelling is made in the workshop of Lefèvre Interiors in Belgium.

Photo credit Greet Lefèvre

One of our employees is scraping the wood. When you scrape the wood, instead of sanding it, you are still able to see and feel the texture.    Photo credit Greet Lefèvre

Joinery.   Photo credit Claude Smekens Photography

A Lefèvre woodcarver at work.   Photo credit Koen Snauwaert

Plaster ornament models in our workshop.   Photo credit Greet Lefèvre

All Lefèvre panelling is made of noble wood.   Photo credit Greet Lefèvre

Each and every panelling has its own specific mouldings, according to the style of the panelled room. Frequently new designed mouldings are added to our existing collection.   Photo credit Greet Lefèvre

Our employees installing the panelling in the client’s home.   Photo credit Greet Lefèvre

Whether the panelling is stained, waxed or painted, finishes and patina are brought on by hand, at the client’s site.

Stained panelling.   Photo credit Claude Smekens Photography

Hand painted patina.   Photo credit Greet Lefèvre

Panelling finishes at client’s site.   Photo credit Greet Lefèvre

French 18th century Régence style panelling with built in cabinet for flatscreen.  Photo credit Greet Lefèvre

Panelling and shutters by Lefèvre Interiors.   Photo credit Greet Lefèvre

Panelling with integrated French style door.   Photo credit Greet Lefèvre                        

Panelling details : sunk moulding panelling.   Photo credit Greet Lefèvre

My husband is minusculy taking over moulding details of an antique French panelling.   Photo credit Greet Lefèvre

Panelling with curved panels.   Photo credit Greet Lefèvre

Trumeau mirror above French marble chimney.   Photo credit Greet Lefèvre

Panelled room by Lefèvre Interiors.  Photo credit Claude Smekens Photography

Focal point in this room and starting point to design the panelling, was the French 18th century Régence walnut chimney piece.   Photo credit Claude Smekens Photography

In contrast with the panelling in the previous room, this panelling has raised mouldings.  Photo credit Claude Smekens Photography

Panelled wall with secret door towards the entry hall.  Photo credit Claude Smekens Photography

Panelling and French chest by Lefèvre Interiors   Photo credit Claude Smekens Photography

Hand painted panelling finishes by Lefèvre Interiors.   Photo credit Greet Lefèvre

Stained wood finishes for panelling by Lefèvre Interiors.  Photo credit Greet Lefèvre

Out of respect for and in memory of my father Jacques Lefèvre, not a single piece leaves the workshop without the brand of J. Lefèvre.

LEFEVRE SIGNATURE   Photo credit Claude Smekens

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

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

Leading our family-owned business, together with my husband, - and this for the 4th generation (since 1890) -, I am honoured and pleased to mention that Lefèvre Interiors will be featured in the newest Belgian book ‘MANUFACTUM’.

‘MANUFACTUM’ is the title of a new book that will be published in December 2014. The book highlights 20 Belgian high-end artisans and craftsmen.

Cover ‘Manufactum’

by Dirk De Moor (text) & Philippe Debeerst (photography) – Snoeck Publishers Belgium

‘MANUFACTUM’ is abook on 'masters in handcraft', that highlights Belgian people & companies that manufacture products where manual labor, knowledge, tradition and skills are essential. Products that by their quality, uniqueness and exclusivity only can be produced by human hands. A touch of exclusivity and tradition. Mastery after all.

The book will be available in Dutch, French and English. The presentation to the press will take place on December 11.

’Manufactum’ will be available at the bookstore next month.

I will keep you updated!

xx

Greet

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

xx

Greet

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.

xx

Greet

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!

xx

Greet

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

I will be happy to see you this year !

xx

Greet

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.

xx

Greet