Dear readers,
I want to thank you for the nice comments on my previous blogpost about the kitchen our company manufactured!
I so appreciate your thoughts about our work and projects of Lefèvre Interiors.
As I was in the UK the previous days, I found a wonderful article in the daily newspaper The Times ! I absolutely had to share this with you today!!
Scanned from The Times Tuesday May 21 2013
Isn’t that marvellous?!!!
xx
Greet
Inspiring spaces to share with you today.
Enjoy !
Michael S Smith via Mark D. Sikes
Via Linen & Lavender
Via Morning T
Happy Weekend !
xx
Greet
Hello my friends, how are you today? And how is the weather like in your country? Here in Belgium it is raining at this very moment! Summer seems to forget our small country this year! I really need some sunshine…Let’s hope summer will come along in the month of June!
Today some great ideas to change or to upgrade your rooms.
What do you think about placing a small window to peep into that other room?
Source here
Add console brackets onto the ceiling beams.
Source unknown
My friend Leslie, owner of the Houston based company Segreto Finshes, painted a client's favorite wine label in a barrel ceiling in a wine room. Isn’t this a splendid idea?
To see more of the exquisite Segreto Finishes projects, visit their website HERE. You all should start to follow Leslie’s beautiful and inspirational blog HERE. Leslie is posting a lot of her projects in progress! So interesting to see the ‘before and after’ pictures.
Segreto Finishes Source FB page Segreto Finishes
Try to bring in the fire place under the staircase of your entry hall. So inviting!
John Saladino Source here
Do you need more storage? Don’t worry! Make a drawer of every step!
Source here
Go for a a cube patterned floor. This will give your room a completely different dimension.
Lapicida Source Homes & Gardens – May 2013
Decorate a niche with a drawing.
Source here
Closet hooks that are functional and decorative at the same time.
Source unknown
Make your bathroom accessories and products invisible !
Antonio Lupi Source here
Choose some original hardware for your kitchen cabinetry.
Source unknown
Are you a dog lover ? Well then, look at these great ideas to enter the pet bowls into your kitchen !
Notice the bone shaped front opening on the drawers !!!
Source here
Great idea for the biggest of your darling ones!
Source here
I hope these ideas inspired you ?
xx
Greet
From time to time, I love to share with you a project I was working on lately.
The project isn’t completely finished yet. Lighting, furniture and window treatment will be added the following weeks.
The design is inspired by a French 18th century ‘château’ paneled room.
The previous days we finished the installation of the paneling.
Start of the project by studying French 18th century mouldings.
One of the paneled walls.
Progress in our workshop.
The wood is given an aged patina.
Montage at our client’s home.
A shuttered window.
Our artist painter at work.
We finally found this gorgeous chandelier at Lefèvre Antiquairs.
Ann & Vincent of Lefèvre Antiquairs hanging the chandelier.
Still a lot of work to decorate the room the next days !
I hope you loved this LEFEVRE INTERIORS project.
To be continued…
xx
Greet
If you would like us to help designing and manufacturing your paneling, feel free to contact us at info@lefevre.be
For more Lefèvre Interiors realisations visit our website atwww.lefevre.be
On Monday Jan and I had to go to London for business. After our meeting we only had a couple of hours left before catching the train back to Belgium. So we rushed to Pimlico Road where a lot of London’s renown antiques dealers are settled.
I absolutely wanted to visit the shop of Rose Uniacke, who is one of my favorite UK based interior designers. It was a few years ago since we visited Pimlico Road and I hadn’t seen her shop before.
Rose Uniacke, 76-78 Pimlico Road, London
Me at the shop window of Rose Uniacke.
Rose is an interior designer and antiques dealer as well. She has a passion for fine furniture and accessories and knows as no other how to combine antique and contemporay furniture in all her design work. I absolutely love her sense of style. Entering her shop, we experienced a sense of serenity created by all the white rooms. Rose displays her furniture in a way that ables every single piece to show its own beauty and individuality.
The interiors of Rose Uniacke are characterized by a neutral color scheme, accentuated with rich textures and fabrics.
Do you remember the cover of the november 2011 issue of the magazine The World of Interiors ? I was totally smitten ! The cover showed a kitchen designed by Rose Uniacke.
Cover World of Interiors - November 2011
Source website Rose Uniacke - Photography by Simon Upton
Neutral tones and rich textures. A lived-in, comfortable feeling.
I share with you some of the pieces that caught my eye visiting Rose her shop at Pimlico Road.
The drawing room sofa, with tapered mahogany legs which can be ordered in an upholstered version or graciously covered with a linen slipcover as seen on another type of sofa here below.
Various designs of sofas of the Rose Uniacke collection
English Mid-19th Century Bookcase
Pendant lantern, brass with bevelled glass – Vienna 1900-1910
To discover more of the furniture and decorative items Rose Uniacke has to offer, please visit her website at
We also visited a few other shops at Pimlico Road.
Jan at the shop of Howe, 93 Pimlico Road, London
Christopher Howe offers an unusually varied stock of rare furniture and objects dating from the 17th through to the 20th centuries. At Howe you will also find gorgeous pieces of furniture, designed by Christopher himself.
Furniture that caught my eye :
An original 19th century wrought iron trivet table
The shop of Howe at Pimlico Road is worth a visit ! To see more of their stock, please visit the Howe website at
___
Jamb., 97 Pimlico Road, London
Jamb Limited has built a reputation with the world’s leading architects and designers for dealing in the finest antique and reproduction chimneypieces, fire grates, and lighting. Will Fisher, the founder of Jamb, has painstakingly acquired one of the most extensive collections of antique chimneypieces in the country, including rare 17th century, Georgian and Regency surrounds, reflecting the architectural design and craftsmanship of William Kent, Isaac Ware, Robert Adam, Henry Cheere and Sir John Soane. (text website Jamb.)
Shop at Pimlico Road Source Remodelista
Antique and reproduction chimneypieces
At Hawker Antiques you will find the antique collection of Will Fisher.
Beautiful Hawker antique pieces that caught my eye :
A George III Mahogany and Brass Mounted Reading Chair
A 19th Century Polished Blonde Turtle Shell
A 18th Century Italian Chandelier
To discover the wide range of chimneypieces and the Hawker collection, please visit the website at :
http://www.hawkerantiques.com/
___
Arthur Brett, 103 Pimlico Road, London
Arthur Brett furniture has been exclusively made since 1860 in workshops in Norwich, England. Arthur Brett is acclaimed worldwide for setting the highest standard of authenticity, design and craftsmanship for discerning customers who seek the very best expertise in classic furniture for private homes, yachts, corporate projects and four and five star hotels. (text website Arthur Brett)
Years ago,we discovered the beautiful handcrafted, custommade fine furniture of Arthur Brett at interior design exhibitions and as being the owners of a cabinetmaking company, Jan and me do have a huge respect of the Arthur Brett craftsmen who are able to reproduce this exquisite range of fine handmade furniture.
Arthur Brett furniture that caught our eye :
Custom made bookcases in Early George III-style
Regency-style chaise longue in mahogany
To know more about the Arthur Brett fine furniture, please visit their website at
___
PAOLO MOSCHINO FOR NICOLAS HASLAM
Paolo Moschino for Nicolas Haslam, 12 – 14 Holbein Place, London
Nicolas Haslam is also one of my favorite UK based designers. A few weeks ago I received my copy of his new book ‘Folly de Grandeur’, which I absolutely would recommend if you love the English country style homes.
Cover Folly de Grandeur – Nicolas Haslam
While Nicolas Haslam is concentrating on interior design, Paolo Moschino has taken the ownership of the Nicolas Haslam shop since 1995.
The moment we entered the shop, the shop-assistant was arranging shoe boxes on which was mentionned ‘Belgian Shoes’ !!! We were of course interested in this Belgian product and the assistant told us that the shoes are exclusively available in the UK through Nicolas Haslam Ltd.
http://www.belgianshoes.co.uk/
Another ‘Belgian’ item for sale at the shop !
A late 19th century Belgian stool
To know more about the Nicolas Haslam shop in London, please visit the website at
___
The last shop we visited was the showroom of the French company ZUBER.
The Zuber factory is the last factory in the world using the 18th century method of hand printing wallpapers, fabrics and leathers with antique and traditional woodblocks.
Zuber, 42 Pimlico Road, London
We all know the images of the rooms of the Parisian hotel George V where Zuber wallpapers are used.
Source Four Seasons-George V
Or the ambassador’s room in the White House in Washington DC, where the walls are covered with the Zuber wallpaper ‘Les vues d’Amérique’.
Source Zuber
To discover the wide range of the Zuber collection of wallpapers, fabrics and leathers, please visit the website at
Link to Pimlico Road : http://www.thepimlicoroad.com/
Maybe now you will all be tempted to book your London short trip !
xx
Greet
Dear friends, I do know that you all have heard about the new interior design and lifestyle magazine MILIEU, coming out this Fall !
Earlier this year I posted about MILIEU and my contribution to the magazine HERE.
I try to help Pam Pierce, Houston based founder and editor of this new magazine, finding homes in Europe to be featured in MILIEU.
In order to introduce the magazine to potential advertisers, the team of MILIEU has produced a small issue of the magazine, the MILIEU ‘mini-mag’.
Picture source MILIEU ‘mini-mag’
Cover of the Milieu mini-mag Photography by Peter Vitale
Can you imagine how thrilled I was to meet one of the most renown American interior designers in person !?
Since I started blogging and discovered the work of Pam, she became one of my favorite designers.
Previous week Pam and her daughter Shannon, who is also an interior designer based in Dallas, came over to Belgium to attend the photoshoot of a Belgian house.
We really did have a great time together! Pam and Shannon are wonderful people! It was so nice talking to both, mother and daughter. Besides interior design, we also talked about architecture, landscaping, family and food. I even learned about Tex Mex! Which is a mix of Mexican and Spanish dishes prepared in Texas-style. I do have to try this when I visit Pam in Houston!
Pam really is dedicated to her job and she knows a lot about European style !!!
Aren’t the pictures published in the MILIEU ‘mini mag’ just gorgeous? Very promising if you ask me!
Picture source Milieu ‘mini-mag’ Photography by Peter Vitale
For those who aren’t yet familiar with the work of Pam and Shannon, I posted some pictures of their design work here.
One of my favorite rooms, designed by Pam Pierce. Sourcewebsite Pam Pierce Designs Photography by Peter Vitale
A mix of old and new in the living room of Pam’s Houston house. Source Veranda Photography by Laura Resen
To see more of Pam Pierce Design, please visit her website at http://www.ppiercedesigns.com.
Source website Shannon Bowers
Source website Shannon Bowers Photography by Stephen Karlisch
To see more of Shannon Bowers Design, please visit her website at http://www.shannonbowersdesigns.com.
Back to the photoshoot in Belgium.
Claude Smekens, which is a Belgian photographer, specialized in interior design photography, was asked to do the photoshoot of the house.
Belgian photographer Claude Smekens making his debut for MILIEU magazine.
To discover Claude’s work, please visit his website at http://www.claudesmekens.be.
When I contacted the home owners of this house, months ago, I was pleased to hear that they were so enthusiastic about having their house photographed for MILIEU!
I can’t wait to see the featuring of this house in the MILIEU magazine!
You will love the house, which is so beautifully decorated by the talented home owners.
Belgian house Mosaic pictures by me
I hope I made you curious about this new mag and hope that you all will subscribe to the quarterly print magazine MILIEU.
A huge thank you to the warm-hearted home owners for their hospitality and to Claude, who has done an amazing job by taking a wonderful photoshoot of this Belgian house to be published in one of the first issues of the brand new Magazine of Style MILIEU.
We are all looking forward to the launch of MILIEU this Fall !
For questions about advertising rates, please go HERE.
For subscriptions, please go HERE.
To visit the MILIEU Blogroll, please go HERE.
xx
Greet
The interiors of Walda Pairon, Pam Pierce and Natalie Haegeman are trademarked with their personal lamp shade design.
Paying attention to the design of lamp shades is probably a distinctive mark of female designers.
Belgian interior designer Walda Pairon loves to work with trapezium shaped lamp shades.
Walda Pairon Photo credit Claude Smekens
Walda Pairon Picture by me
Walda Pairon Picture by me
Walda Pairon Picture by me
Rectangular shades are noticed in the interiors of American designer Pam Pierce.
Pam Pierce Photo credit Peter Vitale
Pam Pierce Photo credit Peter Vitale
Pam Pierce Photo credit Peter Vitale
Pam Pierce Photo credit Peter Vitale
Pam Pierce Photo credit Laura Resen for Veranda
Pleated, handsewn lamp shades are the trademark of Belgian designer Natalie Haegeman.
What is your favorite kind of lamp shade?
Enjoy the weekend!
xx
Greet
In an earlier post I shared some pictures of a client’s living room, paneled by our company Lefèvre Interiors.
As we finished the installation and the paneling patina, we started to decorate the room.
I already posted a picture of the chandelier we found for this room. Today you will see the other lighting fixtures and the first piece of furniture, chosen to enrich this living room.
French antique chandelier and French LXV appliques.
Antique French chimney piece with the French LXV-styled appliques above.
This beautiful antique oak console table is the first furniture piece we brought into the room.
I really love the bronze picture lights above this pair of 18th century French portraits.
The piano is flanked by a pair of 18th century Italian sconces.
Antique Italian sconce.
Window shutters.
In a next post about this living room, I will post about the window treatment and about the living room furniture.
All pictures by me for Lefèvre Interiors.
To be continued…
What are your thoughts about this room so far? I would love to hear!
xx
Greet
If you would like us to help designing and manufacturing your paneling, feel free to contact us at info@lefevre.be
For more Lefèvre Interiors realisations visit our website atwww.lefevre.be
Today I would love to introduce you to 3 restaurants, of which the interior is designed by our Belgian decorator and antiques dealer Axel Vervoordt.
For these restaurant interiors Axel has chosen for an earthy tones color palette.
The first restaurant is the ‘Atelier Privé’ restaurant of the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich, Germany.
Source here
Restaurant tables with the Axel Vervoordt Home Collection ‘Gainsborough Desk Chair’ in the Atelier Privé gourmet restaurant of the Bayerischer Hof Hotel.
Notice the limewashed walls.
Source here
Linen upholstered and slipcovered dining chairs.
Source here
Slipcovered ‘Folding chairs’ from the Axel Vervoordt Home Collection.
Source here
Source here
BAYERISCHER HOF
MUNICH – GERMANY
The second restaurant is restaurant ‘The Roji’, situated in a medieval cellar, in the historical center of Antwerp, Belgium.
The Japanese word Roji means ‘garden path’.
This restaurant is recommended if you love the Japanese kitchen.
The 13th century basement is a unique location to book your dinner visiting Antwerp.
Source http://www.roji.be
Wabi Sabi inspired interior design by Axel Vervoordt.
Enjoy a drink in front of the open fire before having dinner.
Source http://www.roji.be
Source http://www.roji.be
THE ROJI
ANTWERP – BELGIUM
The third restaurantis ‘Sir Anthony Van Dyck’ in Antwerp.
The restaurant is named after the Flemish Baroque painter Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641).The building is fully restored in the 17th century spirit, by Axel Vervoordt.
Source http://www.siranthonyvandijck.be
Plastered walls and authentic floor tiles.
Source http://www.siranthonyvandijck.be
The restaurant with its warm color palette.
Source http://www.siranthonyvandijck.be
Again the slipcovered dining chairs, a trademark of Axel Vervoordt.
Last year we had our first Belgian blogger meeting in the restaurant Sir Anthony Van Dyck. Read my blogpost about this meeting here.
Picture by me
Our last year’s blogger meeting at the restaurant Sir Anthony Van Dyck.
SIR ANTHONY VAN DYCK
ANTWERP – BELGIUM
http://www.siranthonyvandijck.be
_________
Visit AXEL VERVOORDT at http://www.axel-vervoordt.com
If you ever visit one of these restaurants, please let me know your thoughts!
Wishing you a great start of this new week!
xx
Greet
Plans to move to Belgium?
I would love to share with you beautiful Belgian houses on the market, I came across lately.
The first property is located in the country side of the Belgian coastal area.
The stretched out rural surroundings will hit you, living in this vicarage house.
The house is built in a typical rural style.
Notice the window profiles.
A glimpse inside the house.
Ready to move in.
All above images Immo Dochy.
For more information about this Belgian country home, please click HERE.
The second house is a restored manor in Bruges.
This property is located in the city center of Bruges and is completely restored in 2009-2010.
Although the house is located in the city center, it has a garden and a car park.
View from the conservatory into the garden.
Some rooms still have their original murals.
All above images of the house in Bruges : Immo Dochy.
If you would love to live in the most romantic city of Belgium and would love to have more information about this house in Bruges, please click HERE.
The third house is located in the Antwerp area.
A beautiful farmhouse.
A long cobblestone driveway between old trees leads to the farmhouse.
There is a perfect harmony between the house and the surrounding garden.
The farmhouse is built with high quality materials and attention to detail.
Each room on the groundfloor is connected with the extraordinary garden.
Belgian blue stone floor.
Home office study room.
The decoration bears the signature of Axel Vervoordt.
Alle above images of the house near Antwerp : Immoweb.be.
For more information about this house near Antwerp, please click HERE.
Talk to you soon!
xx
Greet
I would love to inform you about the newest Beta-Plus publications.
There are 3 new June 2013 titles.
A thank you to the editor Wim Pauwels, who has given me his permission to show you a preview of the publications.
Cover Best of 500 Gardens & Swimming Pools
This compilation book shows the most beautiful gardens from over 150 titles: a source of inspiraton for all garden lovers.
Best of 500 Gardens & Swimming Pools Image source : preview here
Best of 500 Gardens & Swimming Pools Image source : preview here
Best of 500 Gardens & Swimming Pools Image source : preview here
Best of 500 Gardens & Swimming Pools Image source : preview here
Best of 500 Gardens & Swimming Pools Image source : preview here
_____
Cover Summer Houses
This new title showcases beautiful holiday houses all over the world: Ibiza, New Zealand, St-Barthélemy, Portugal, Italy, ...
Summer Houses Image source : preview here
Summer Houses Image source : preview here
Summer Houses Image source : preview here
Summer Houses Image source : preview here
Summer Houses Image source : preview here
_____
Cover Interior Spaces by PH Collection
PH Collection is specialized in the creation, manufacturing and distribution of home furniture. In this new monograph, they show their recent interior creations in Belgium, Switzerland and on the island of Ibiza. The spirit of PH Collection is to create space and atmosphere in search of essence and timeless emotion.
Interior Spaces by PH Collection Image source : preview here
Interior Spaces by PH Collection Image source : preview here
Interior Spaces by PH Collection Image source : preview here
Interior Spaces by PH Collection Image source : preview here
Interior Spaces by PH Collection Image source : preview here
_____
![Logo Beta-Plus[6]](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5WN7saZfGdY/UdXIDBEHqZI/AAAAAAAAXzg/x1AQdHcs58k/Logo%252520Beta-Plus%25255B6%25255D%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800 "Logo Beta-Plus[6]")
TO ORDER CLICKHERE
Stay informed about new publications. Contact Beta-Plus at info@betaplus.com.
I wish you a warm weekend !
xx
Greet
All images & text : website www.betaplus.com with the approval of Wim Pauwels.
Some of you, my dear readers, do propably know the UK’s longest running relocation show, BBC’s ‘Escape to the Country’. A series which helps prospective buyers find their dream home in the country. Escape to the Country features a team of experts who assist a couple or family in obtaining their dream country home.
The series is currently running. This programme guides the spectators along the English countryside and shows us lots of properties on the market.
The English countryside
Image 1 Cotswolds, source LocalNomad Blog - Image 2 Cotswolds, sourceLocalNomad Blog - Image 3 Wales, sourceBeautiful Britain - Image 4 Old English cottage, sourcePixdaus - Image 5 English country interior, sourceCountry Interiors by Caroline Meredith - Cotswolds interior, source The Village Pub Cirencester
At this moment I am working on a project for a client living in the Cotswolds, one of the most beautiful and most famous parts of the English countryside! This charming area really stole my heart! I posted about the Cotswolds here. As an interior designer I love all books about English country house architecture and interiors. My latest acquisition is the gorgeous book by one of my favorite English designers Nicky Haslam : ‘Folly de Grandeur : Romance and Revival in an English Country House’.
Hardcover of the book
Nicky Haslam in the garden of his English country house. Photo credit Simon Upton (Source book preview here)
To see a preview of this book, click here.
For more information about the series BBC’s ‘Escape to the Country’ and for all upcoming broadcasts, click HERE and HERE.
BBC’s ‘Escape to the Country’
Why am I telling you about BBC’s ‘Escape to the Country’ today?
I heard that the property & lifestyle programme ‘Escape to the Country’ is expanding its production by creating a new spin-off series, 'Escape to the Continent'.
The producers are now looking for British people who are thinking of embarking on a continental adventure.
When I heard this, I knew I had to blog about this and had to inform my British readers about this BBC series! I had to promote our beautiful country Belgium !
Are you one of my British readers and do you dream of a new life in Continental Europe?
Well then, ESCAPE TO BELGIUM !
Please, email your name, telephone number and a little bit about your move
to escapetoeurope@boundlessproductions.tv
or
visit the ‘Be on a show’ page for an application form : http://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows/beonashow/escape_to_the_continent
And why would you choose for a new life in Belgium?
Because, Belgium is a fantastic country to live in.
Because English is widely spoken.
Because, the Belgium countryside is gorgeous! Think about the unique hilly landscapes of the Flemish Ardennes, the extensive forests of the Belgian Ardennes, the national park of the Hoge Kempen etc.
Because of its cornucopia of culture, historic places and beautiful towns and cities.
Because of its castles and other worth seeing places and curiosities. Culture lovers will feel at home by visiting the numerous museums.
Because of its beautiful golf courses, cycling routes and the famous Tour of Flanders.
Because of its traditional and contemporary architecture.
Because of Belgian world-renowned fashion designers, interior designers and architects.
Because of the Belgian craftsmanship.
Because of the numerous restaurants where delicious Belgian food is served, because of the Belgian beer, the Belgian chocolates and so many more…
The beautiful landscape of the Flemish Ardennes Source Visit Gent
Belgian Ardennes Source Cour Rimbaud
National Park the Hoge Kempen Photo credit Marc De Vos Source Natuur en Bos
The city of Bruges, called Venice of the North Source Diamond Land
Brussels,“Capital of Europe” where the headquarters of the European Union and NATO are based
Source Holiday Lines
Aerial view of the Castle of Nokere Source unknown
Golf & Countryclub Oudenaarde Source Golf Oudenaarde
Tour of Flanders Source Bicycling
The Ghent Altarpiece (also called Adoration of the Mystic Lamb or The Lamb of God), 1432- Jan & Hubert van Eyck - Saint Bavo Cathedral Ghent Source Wikipedia
Belgian mills Source Sint Blasiushof
Belgium, renown flax producing country Source Klaverke
To read more about Belgian linen, please visit the Belgian linen website at http://www.belgianlinen.com.
Table linen ‘Flanders’ by Libeco Source Libeco Home Collection
Farmhouses with their limewashed brick façades Source Timeless Living
Oak outbuildings Source Rik Storms
Belgian farmhouse with its beautiful garden Source Immo Dochy
Beguinage Bruges Source : Eigendom van www.op-reis.com& www.arakea.com : Alle rechten voorbehouden
Since a number of years we do see evolve in Belgian architecture a new style which is inspired by the architecture of the Flemish beguinages. See my bloppost about the Belgian ‘Begijnhofstijl’ here.
Beautiful country house Source Architect François-Xavier Van Damme
Characteristics of Belgian architecture and interior design : reclaimed materials as brick floor, beamed ceiling, limewashed walls and linen upholstery. Source Lefèvre Interiors
Use of natural materials as wooden floors, Belgian linen for window treatment and upholstery.
Source Timeless Architecture and Living- Yearbook 2009 Beta-Plus Publishing
If you are interested in Belgian architecture & interior design, I would love to recommend you these Beta-Plus Publications.
Cover Exclusive Country Houses - Cover Family Houses– Cover Contemporary Living in Belgium
Source Beta-Plus Publishing
Craftsmanship of the Belgian family-owned company Lefèvre Interiors, cabinetmakers since 1890
Photo Credit Claude Smekens Source Lefèvre Interiors
Fashion design NATAN by Edouard Vermeulen Source Natan FB Page
Belgian food
Image 1 Belgian fries, Source Tumblr. – Image 2 Belgian beer, source Rough Guides - Image 3 Belgian chocolate, source Chocolaterie Belfort - Image 4 Belgian grapes, Source Streekproduct
And if you would love to see beautiful aerial views of Belgium, then I recommend you to purchase‘Belgium The Book’.
Cover ‘Belgium The Book’
In more than 250 images aerial photographer Wim Robberechts takes you along for a flight over Belgium.
The best aerial photographs of Belgium.
Please, be sure to watch these videos about Belgium.
Isn’t Belgium a fantastic country to live in?
In case you have made up your mind, and you are living in the UK, and have decided to start your new life in Belgium, please apply to the upcoming BBC programme ‘Escape to the Continent’.
Please, email your name, telephone number and a little bit about your move
to escapetoeurope@boundlessproductions.tv
or
visit the ‘Be on a show’ page for an application form : http://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows/beonashow/escape_to_the_continent
BBC’s ‘Escape to the Continent’
Writing this post makes me feel as I am representing my country as an ambassador does. Well, I am a Belgian in heart and soul and I tried to convince my British readers, who are dreaming to escape to the Continent, to start their new life in Belgium.
I do hope that Belgium may be the ‘Escape to the Continent’- country of your option!
You are most welcome!
I am looking forward to hear of anyone of you, my dear readers, who has applied to be on the show of the ‘Escape to the Continent’ series.
xx
Greet
Only one more week to go before the start of our annual holidays!
The employees of our company Lefèvre Interiors are finishing current projects.
This week they had to install a paneled living room in a city apartment.
After the renovation of the building that took almost a year, this week the apartment was finally ready to start the interior design work.
The first image here is of an oak paneled room, that inspired me to design the cabinetry and paneling of this apartment’s living room.
Inspiring image of an oak paneled room.
This is the plan with all 4 views of the living room.
Lefèvre Interiors plan. All views of the paneled room.
This picture I took a few weeks ago in our workshop. Oak cabinetry and paneling in progress.
Lefèvre Interiors workshop. Montage of the cabinetry and paneling.
Although the room isn’t finished yet, I wanted to show you before pictures and a few pictures of this week’s installation of the paneling.
Before
This week
Notice the difference of the cornice moulding before and after the renovation!
Before
After
During renovation
This week
During renovation
This week
Start of the renovation
This week’s installation
Our clients, now have to decide about the finish of the wood, hardware, lighting fixtures, window treatment,… which will all be finished after the holiday period.
To be continued…
Enjoy the weekend!
xx
Greet
If you would like us to help designing and manufacturing your paneling, feel free to contact us at info@lefevre.be
For more Lefèvre Interiors realisations visit our website atwww.lefevre.be
Nancy Fishelson is an architectural designer renowned for her renovation and design of period country houses.
I was totally smitten when I came across the pictures of her 18th century Killingworth,CT restored farm house.
Nancy Fishelson says : “I try to leave as much of the integrity of the house as possible: You can take the good bones and the good structure of the house and then find a way to bring it to the way we live now.”
In Killingworth, Nancy removed the drywall in the ceiling, and exposed original textured beams and took cramped rooms to new airy heights.
Original floors in the house were hand scraped and waxed.
The designer loves a lot of light and sun.
Visual flow was created by opening up walls between rooms.
Painting the walls in white brought more light in the house, as here in the wood-paneled dining room.
Antique furniture which are mostly lighter, painted pieces from Fishelson’s antique collection. Nancy placed an 18th century sofa in the living room.
Handcrafted special reproductions of period lighting fixtures as the pewter-finished sconces by Vermont’s Authentic Designs.
Original beams and floors.
The 19th-century wide board pine floors in the kitchen were sourced from Brooklyn Restoration Supply in Connecticut. Kitchen island with Restoration Hardware stools.
A muted palette illuminates the home.
The antique barn door opens into what is now the master bedroom.
The master suite is one great room, with a bathroom separated from the bedroom by the glass panes of carriage doors.
A Waterworks-outfitted bathroom. Nickel sconces from Hudson Valley Lighting.
The antique exterior of the house barely changed.
Nancy did an incredible job by restoring her house with a lot of respect to history!
Photography by Keith Scott Morton
Source Cottages-Gardens.com
To know more about the designer’s work, please visit her website http://nancyfishelson.com
xx
Greet
The last weeks before our annual holidays we were occupied finalizing clients’ projects. I hadn’t found time to complete the decoration of our living room! I do hope to furnish the room in one of the following weeks.
I am very happy to tell that one of the previous days, we finally were able to hang the curtains, which completely changed the look of our living room.
If you missed my earlier posts about our living room redo, please click HERE and HERE.
One of the employees of manufacturer of custom-made window treatments Patrick Ponseele Raamdecoratie at work.
My choice of fabrics.
Paneling & home made patina Lefèvre Interiors
Curtain fabric C&C Milano– Lining fabric Vano
And here is a sneak peek of the living room as it looks today.
Draperies
French bouillonné
Next time I hope to show you chosen furniture, decorative accessories and lighting fixtures.
For more information, please contact Lefèvre Interiors at http://www.lefevre.be/
or Patrick Ponseele Window Treatment at http://www.patrickponseele.be
To be continued…
Enjoy this July weekend !
xx
Greet
Yesterday, on July 21, National Day, Belgium celebrated the inauguration of the new King Philippe.
Philippe has become the seventh King of the Belgians, following the abdication of his father King Albert II after 20 years on the throne.
King Philippe of Belgium and Queen Mathilde on the balcony of the Royal Palace in Brussels.
Picture source here
xx
Greet
Hello my friends and readers! I do hope you all enjoy these Summer Days as much as I do!
I am not that much behind my pc these days! Forgive me! I need to slow down a bit.
Enjoying Summertime …
Source here
Source here
Source here
Source here
Source here
Source here
Source unknown
Source here
Source unknown
Source here
Enjoy these Summer Days!
Talk to you soon!
xx
Greet
Dear friends and readers, today I ceIebrate the 4th anniversary of Belgian Pearls. I can’t believe that I am blogging for 4 years now !
Four years ago today I started this new adventure and I had no idea that this virtual world would bring me so much joy, inspiration and so many friends from around the world! The past 4 years I have had a great time in sharing with you the things I love and that inspire me and the things I wanted you to know about Belgium.
With every post I write, I do hope to bring you something new, something that inspires you and that makes your day!
I would love to thank all of you for reading and commenting my posts, for being there, following Belgian Pearls from behind your screen.
I do receive so many emails with questions about interior design issues, about antiques dealers and places to visit in Belgium…Please forgive me I can’t find time to reply them all (wish I could) !!! I do hope you will understand.
A huge thank you to all my blogcolleagues who were so sweet to support me in several blogging issues the past 4 years!
And thank you to all my friends who invited me to come over for a visit to meet each other in person. I hope I will be able to visit some of you in one of the next years!
FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, A SINCERE THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU, BEING A LOYAL FOLLOWER OF BELGIAN PEARLS !
I AM SO VERY GRATEFUL TO ALL OF YOU.
I really do hope to keep on inspiring you with my future blogposts.
xx
Reading all your nice and sweet words on my previous post about the 4th anniversary of Belgian Pearls, really touched me! Thank you so much everyone of you !
Yesterday was the warmest Belgian summer day untill now! Jan and me spent a wonderful day together with our grandchildren Alexa (5) and Tristan (4).
August 2 – 2013
I do hope you all enjoy this wonderful time of the year and might have the opportunity to spend some quality time with your family and friends.
Summerly images for you…
Axel Vervoordt Source Spanish Magazine Habitania n°122
Victoria Hagan Source Book Victoria Hagan : Interior Portraits
Via Home Bunch
Source Belgian Magazine Juliette & Victor n°31 2012 - Photo credit Lois-Philippe Breydel
Talk to you soon !
xx
Greet
A fireplace needn’t to have a sophisticated surrounding to be beautiful.
Unframed or framed with simple materials as brick stone or undetailed natural stone or surrounded with wooden beams,… these fireplaces look very inviting to gather around !
Source unknown
via 1st Option
via Linen & Lavender
via Trouvais
via Haute Design
What are your thoughts about the idea to keep your fireplace surrounding simple ?
xx
Greet
