Belgian vacation home by Arjaan De Feyter

A work of art is already contained in the raw stone. You only have to free it from unnecessary material, Michelangelo once said about his sculptures. Belgian interior designer Arjaan De Feyter sounds similar when he talks about his work: "We don't design, we just put the pieces together." In each project, he says, the design solution is already in place according to its surroundings. For a pool house, he created a bar of red marble blocks and black oak wood with brass fixtures by Vola that almost brings the architecture to life - like a sculpture.

by Editor, Dec 17, 2019

In most cases, building or furnishing a house means making decisions for many years to come. Who, on the other hand, a vacation home afforded, can approach the choice of interior design more relaxed. Arjaan De Feyter also thought that it was possible to be more eccentric when he designed a pool house in Kasterlee, Belgium, together with architect Herman Boonen - and created an elegant balancing act of modern and timeless.

Creative freedom
To do this, however, he first had to get to grips with the tastes of his clients. "In our first presentation, I suggested a grayer natural stone to them," the Belgian planner recounts. It was only after a few conversations that it became clear that De Feyter's clients were open-minded characters to whom he could definitely submit unusual designs. "For more than ten years, I had a piece of Iranian travertine in my closet. Since then, I was always on the lookout for a suitable object to use it on. Now the time had come - and my customers were immediately in love with this material."

The next step was for them to find a suitable block of the red stone. An important decision, because it forms the heart of the house: a bar at the end of the living room, complete with back wall, shelf and sink. De Feyter combined it with a counter made of hand-brushed oak panels, which he also used to line the rest of the living space. They provide a striking counterpoint to the natural stone. On the one hand, through its horizontal patterning, which contrasts with the vertically running grain of the black-stained wood and the concrete stems of the facade. Secondly, by its bright color scheme, which contrasts against the gray micro-cement floor. To be sure, the architect eschewed any form of decorative elements and chose only smooth, geometric surfaces. The organically curved lines and irregular reddish shading in the marble give its surface a decorative function.

Honest design
In any case, it attracts attention. And if you look closely, you'll see that De Feyter's simple signature is in no way at odds with comfort, function or sophisticated craftsmanship. On the contrary, the Belgian has a particular penchant for subtle solutions. For example, he had the sockets in the bar wall made from the same red stone. This makes them invisible from a distance. Seen up close, they bear witness to great attention to detail. Furniture, accessories and lighting also follow the purist concept, but also reveal exciting shapes and high-quality materials such as fur, rattan or metal.

The faucets with the simple names 590 and 2471, which the planner chose for the bar and bathroom, were made of brass by Danish manufacturer Vola. With their warm, shiny tone, they stand out from the rest of the dark and matte surfaces, but their elegant minimalist form and the naturalness of the material make them fit in just as well with the overall concept. Designed in the sixties and seventies by architect Arne Jacobsen, they represent honest design and are simply the most beautiful taps ever made, according to the Belgian interior designer. In De Feyter's interior, they complement the consistent combination of purist forms and exquisite materials. In this way, he achieves a balance of naturalness and art - down to the last detail. The result: a homely work of art or an inhabitable sculpture.

PHOTOGRAPHY Piet-Albert Goethals
Piet-Albert Goethals

Around the world, VOLA faucets are appreciated for their timeless design. Made in Denmark from the highest quality materials, they are water-saving and cross-generational in use. Thanks to their modular system, they offer a wide range of individual applications.

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