Residence DD

On Belgium’s Western Front close to the French border, lies the village of Adinkerke. Flanking the historic village and not far from the Belgian coast is a country estate; one of the last farms in the region to be walled by water.Local designer Pieter Vanrenterghem was asked to bring this former farmhouse and its cluster of outbuildings from beneath their agricultural veil and into the open as a rural retreat. Offering an antidote to fleeting trends, Pieter asserts the hallmarks of modern Belgian design; simplicity, warmth and craftsmanship, bound by natural materials. While no longer a working farm, Pieter set out to accentuate its Flemish pastoral history when transforming the main house and the adjoining four buildings. The main house spans open plan living, three bedrooms and three bathrooms, together with an additional two bedrooms with ensuites in the surrounding structures. “Two of the buildings are designed as a bed and breakfast. The program of the main house needed to be able to adjust to this same purpose, in case it became too big in the future,” Pieter says. In creating a true destination of escape, Pieter converted the fourth building into a fitness space, complete with its own indoor swimming pool, while the fifth building became a dedicated party venue; a large, lofty hall designed to host large gatherings of more than 100 people. Across all five buildings, the owners wanted to reflect the best of Belgian interior traditions. “The owners requested an easy house to live in; distinguished by warmth and tactility, shaped by natural materials,” Pieter says. He proudly lists a number of natural surfaces from the MuzillacVeine in Agripa Fine natural stone in the kitchen to the Travertine - both sourced from Belgian stone supplier Hullebusch. When asked about his favourite space within the project, Pieter says he’s drawn to the open plan living, dining and kitchen area in the main house. A cosy, contemplative place to curl up by the custom fireplace, the living space plays host to a collection of design icons.

Pieter Vanrenterghel