Located in Koksijde, Belgium, this stunning new build sits at the edge of rolling dunes and a protected nature reserve. Designed for a couple entering a new phase of life, Baro Architectural Office in Ghent translated their wishes into a home, and Architecten Vanbecelaere Hauspie oversaw the building process, creating a seamless solution where the exterior architecture and the interior fit together perfectly in every regard.
A place where people live in step with the rhythm of the seasons, the changing landscape reshapes the natural setting that stretches like a beautiful canvas outside the large windows. Christine and Paul, who's retirement marked the beginning of a new period in their life, wanted a home that would naturally compliment the surrounding nature. And they had three specific requirements: handmade Kolumba bricks from the Danish brickmaker Petersen Tegl, a concrete ceiling and flooring from Dinesen.
‘The flooring comes from the Black Forest and we could smell the scent of the forest in the factory,’ says Paul. This was after we fell in love with the same kind of floor in the Saatchi Gallery in London. The grain of the wood brings life to the otherwise white and minimalistic home.’
The end result is a home that radiates a natural feel through a blend of Italian and Scandinavian warmth. Exactly what the couple wanted to achieve.
Zanotta products in the seating area and furniture from Paola Lenti on the patio give the home its Italian feeling. The couple's love for northern Europe, picked up when travelling, is interwoven throughout the rest of the interior. Bathed in natural light with calming lines, the wood, with its beautiful natural grain brings a truly Nordic feel with much warmth and texture.
The couple spend most of their time in the open kitchen, sitting room and library. In the cosy reading corner, where the light can be dimmed a little and the classical music sounds a little louder, the books are lined up in a bespoke shelving system made of Dinesen Douglas planks.
‘We are not collectors, except when it comes to inspiration. Travelling brings new ideas, which we then translate into our own personal expression, here in Koksijde.’
From Tokyo and London to the Scottish Highlands, travelling is the common theme of this house and of their lives. But they always return home to their brand-new modernist gem in Koksijde.
