Belgian interiors and architecture through the eyes of photographer Claude Smekens

 

Everyone who is following my blog since the start, will certainly have noticed that the Belgian photographer Claude Smekens was mentionned several times when I credited his posted pictures.

Today I want to introduce you to this photographer for 2 reasons! First of all I want you to meet Claude because he definitely is one of Belgian’s most talented and outstanding photographers. He is passionate about his work that witnesses true craftsmanship. Second reason I want you to know Claude, is, that this photographer is eager to show the world, through the lens of his camera, the architecture and interiors of our Belgian houses!

Together with his wife Magda Desmet, who is a stylist and decorator (website Magda : http://www.magdadesmet.be), he captures the soul of our Belgian interiors in a way you have never experienced before.

“We are both passionate about visualization of interiors and everything involved with. Spreading around the world, the knowledge of Belgian interior craftsmen and professionals, through magazines, is increasingly important for us.”, explains Claude.

As you all will know, introducing our Belgian interior design and craftsmanship to the world, is also one of the reasons I started my blog a few years ago.

So in one way or another, I do feel connected with this photographer.

Claude and his wife Magda work for several renowned Belgian interior design magazines.

 

Enough talk now! I want you to enjoy the gorgeous pictures of the photographer I posted here today!.They will speak much more than words!

 

  You will notice that Claude has an amazing eye for detail and for the art of photography.

 

In 2010, Claude photographed my home for an article in the Belgian Interior Design Magazine TIJDLOOS.

 

Click on cover of the Magazine to see the report of my home photographed by Claude Smekens.

 

Picture of my home by Claude Smekens for the Belgian Magazine Tijdloos.

 

Picture of my home by Claude Smekens for the Belgian Magazine Tijdloos.

 

Isn’t that a gorgeous still?

 

 

Georgeous picture of an orangerie!

 

I love that picture here! Notice the lantern. Was Claude capturing that single moment of a blowing wind coming in? Fabulous!

 

Notice the detail of the door’s profiles!

 

 

The hand of Magda, Claude’s wife and stylist is to feel in lots of compositions as you can notice here.

 

 

 

Most of you will recognize the following pictures! They are taken by Claude Smekens at the private house of our Belgian fashion designer Edouard Vermeulen.

This Belgian house is featured in many of renowned international magazines.

I have always loved this picture that Claude took at the house of our Belgian fashion designer Edouard Vermeulen. Photo credit Claude Smekens

 

And you really have to see this! A look-a-like!!!

This is the cover of the book ‘The Houses of Veranda’, in which Lisa Newsom, the founder and editor-in-chief of Veranda Magazine from 1987 to 2010, included some of the best houses featured in Veranda over the past 25 years.

Cover of the new book of Veranda Magazine. Photo credit Francis Amiand

 

 

 

 

 

 

To see more of the work of this Belgian photographer, please visit Claude Smekens Fotografie HERE.

More of Claude and Magda’s work, you will find at the website of Magda : Magda De Smet Interior Styling HERE.

 

 

To any editor-in-chief of interior design & lifestyle magazines reading this post, and who might be interested in featuring Belgian interior design and architecture, contact Claude Smekens to get your password to browse into his gorgeous gallery of photoshoots of Belgian houses. (Photographer’s gallery : here).

 

www.claudesmekens.be

 Veldstraat 35

8500  Kortrijk

Belgium

fotografie@claudesmekens.be

 

A couple of days ago Claude and Magda have finished a photoshoot of my sister’s home, which will be featured in the next issue of the Belgian Interior Design Magazine TIJDLOOS. And you will love it!! I will post about it within a few days!

My sister’s house. Picture by me!

I decided to renew the website of our company www.lefevre.be in the next coming weeks and so I asked Claude to take several new pictures !

What do you think? Did I made the right choice by asking this Belgian photographer for the next photoshoot?

Greet

 

All images posted with permission of Claude Smekens.

Belgian interiors and architecture through the eyes of photographer Claude Smekens

  Everyone who is following my blog since the start, will certainly have noticed that the Belgian photographer Claude Smekens was mentionned several times when I credited his posted pictures. Today I want to introduce you to this photographer for 2 reasons! First of all I want you to meet Claude because he definitely is one of Belgian’s most talented and outstanding photographers. He is

The charming country houses of François-Xavier Van Damme

 

As a lot of you, my dear readers, asked me to post more often about Belgian architecture and interior design, today I am thrilled to introduce you to one of my favorite Belgian architects François-Xavier Van Damme.

This talented Belgian architect designs the most wonderful country dreamhouses!

The architecture of the French southwest region, especially the French 18th century country houses, are a huge inspiration for his work.

His fascination for this style grew during his childhood, when he was travelling to France, together with his father Francis Van Damme (a renowned decorator), looking for reclaimed building materials.

With his preference for the country styled architecture and with respect to history, François-Xavier is designing houses in different classic styles and even loves to renovate ancient farm houses.

 

François-Xavier sent me pictures of his own country house, allowing me to post these here today!

The architect resides in a beautiful house in the Flemish countryside.

The private house of the architect. As if the house has been there for ages.

 

This picture of a French country house, inspired François-Xavier designing his private home.

 

These are the architect’s primary sketches in order to share his first ideas with his client.  Fully convincing!!!!

 

As you can see on the pictures of the exterior of the house, François-Xavier prefers to create his projects with reclaimed materials together with artisanal techniques.

French roof tiles and lime-washed brick façade.

 

 

  Beautiful curved frontdoor.

 

Let us take a look inside the house!

Entry hall.

 

Even inside, carefully chosen reclaimed materials.

Notice that charming door and the reclaimed oak boarded floor.

A lot of wood is used here.

Beamed ceiling.

French 18th century furniture and gorgeous paneling!

Study corner with beautiful cabinetry. Notice the window shutters.

 

Kitchen with a remarkable kitchen hood.

 

Attention to detail all around the house. Notice the hardware of the doors.

Master bedroom. So serene! Again the oak boarded floor.

 

Bathroom.

 

 

For much more inspirational pictures of the houses of François-Xavier, please visit his website here . You will not be disappointed!

If you would love to have designed your dreamhouse by François-Xavier Van Damme, contact the architect at info@francoisvandamme.be .

 

www.francoisvandamme.be

 

A huge thank you to François-Xavier for allowing me to write this post and for sending me these gorgeous pictures of his home!

 

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

Greet

 

 

All images posted with permission of François-Xavier Van Damme.

The charming country houses of François-Xavier Van Damme

  As a lot of you, my dear readers, asked me to post more often about Belgian architecture and interior design, today I am thrilled to introduce you to one of my favorite Belgian architects François-Xavier Van Damme. This talented Belgian architect designs the most wonderful country dreamhouses! The architecture of the French southwest region, especially the French 18th century country houses,

A trendsetter in the world of Belgian decoration : Puylaert Home Basics

 

Dear friends and followers, every day I receive emails from readers, most of them professionals, from all over the world, asking me where to find Belgian companies, specialized in decoration and interior design. As I really have not the time to answer all of your emails, I decided to post about the Belgian companies of which I might think they are worth talking about and of which I am sure they represent our Belgian interior design style.

From time to time I do hope to introduce you to our Belgian interior design companies.

Today I want you to meet the Sint-Niklaas based (Belgium) company PUYLAERT HOME BASICS.

Since 1910 Puylaert Home Basics is a family owned business.

‘From creation with an everflowing sense for details, to distribution of interior accessories, home textiles, furniture, seating arrangements and lighting, in trendsetting shops around the world, Puylaert Home Basics became a lifestyle performer.‘    (Text Puylaert Home Basics website).

‘The strict adherence to quality is a very important pillar of Puylaert Home Basics. This is realized by using the highest possible standards in the selection of materials and manufacturing methods.’    (Text Puylaert Home Basics website).

Puylaert Home Basics is also offering usefull backup and expertise to help Interior Architects, Designers and Shops to achieve projects.

‘Our objective is to give maximum support to your project with integrity, on time, and within the stipulated budget.’, is to read on their website.

 

Puylaert Home Basics participates in national and international fairs.

 

The images here are a selection I made of the wide range of the Puylaert Home Basics collection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The trade is for professionals only, but as a consumer, please contact Puylaert Home Basics at INFO@PUYLAERTHB.BE, for your nearest Puylaert Home Basics stockist.

You can even find PUYLAERT HOME BASICS ON FACEBOOK HERE.

 

Please watch the video where Rudiger Puylaert, the owner of the company, takes us to a beautiful Belgian coastal apartment and a restaurant, decorated by Puylaert Home Basics.

Click on image to watch the video.

 

If you, as being a professional, are interested in a preview of the PUYLAERT HOME BASICS Winter 2016-2013 Home Collection, you are invited, by appointment, at their showroom (see data on the invitation here below). Sign in at INFO@PUYLAERTHB.BE.

Click on logo to enter the PUYLAERT HOME BASICS website.

BELLESTRAAT 59  -  9100 SINT-NIKLAAS  -  BELGIUM
TEL +32 (0)3 777 72 88
FAX +32 (0)3 778 16 99
INFO@PUYLAERTHB.BE

 

I do hope you loved the products of this first company of my series of Belgian interior design companies.

I wish you all a wonderful weekend!

xx

Greet

 

All pictures : Puylaert Home Basics Facebook (here).