The specialists we are showcasing are ambassadors of this authentic taste for simplicity and geometry, a world away from the Scandinavian style. It all comes together to create a serene atmosphere, one that interior designer Gert Voorjans breaks away from with his unmistakable and colourful mix of styles. The same goes for Maxime Jacquet and his outgoing personality, who designs the homes of America’s biggest stars and showbiz personalities. But what makes him their man of the moment? Maybe the fact that he is Belgian, with an easy-going personality and a gift for giving them what they want! But we should not give in to these kinds of generalisations. Colourful or not, Belgian interiors are a model of comfort for individuals and professionals alike. Architects and interior designers will design a unique space that reflects your personality, where works of art echo the materials, furniture and objects to achieve a subtle harmony. Some of them work with major Italian brands and furniture manufacturers. They adore their creations, drawing new ideas from the Milan Design Fair and incorporating them into their light, airy spaces, making you immediately feel at home. The functions are pleasantly distributed, the communication zones fluid, the rooms suitable for cooking, working, resting or dreaming, in a protective cocoon! And what better illustration than this renovated house by Nathalie Deboel on the green outskirts of Brussels, featuring organic shapes and exuding a warm atmosphere.

1/ Gert Voorjans

He is a decorator of superlatives, a master in the art of mixing french classicism, english comfort and russian colours. The quintessence of an indulgently baroque style combined with the mood of the moment.

The word “standard” is simply not in his vocabulary. Craftsmanship is the cardinal virtue that guides every decision he makes. But what is Gert Voorjans’s style? A flamboyant mix-and-match of non-conformism and elegance, of tradition and casualness. The Antwerp-based decorator has an unmistakable taste for splendour, surprising marriages and the superimposition of eras. His DNA? Colour, character, craftsmanship. And if there’s one thing he never tires of, it’s the classic foundations of decoration. Classic, yes, but never antiquated! With a consummate skill for blurring the boundary between past and present.

After studying interior architecture in Hasselt, art history in Siena and training at Sotheby’s in London, Gert Voorjans began his career as an assistant decorator with Axel Vervoordt. Under the master, he learned the art of preserving the best of the past and discarding everything else… except for the essential. In 1997 he set up his own company and has since been entrusted with spectacular interior designs for private homes and boutiques (including Dries Van Noten’s in Antwerp) in Belgium, Asia, London, Madrid and New York. Five years ago, the Monnaie de Paris welcomed him for the 8th edition of AD Intérieurs, inviting interior designers to showcase works of art and precious objects in a living space, intended to illustrate their know-how as much as their style. Gert Voorjans’s “artist’s dressing room”, freely inspired by Rudolf Nureyev’s Paris flat, the films of Visconti and the paintings of Balthus, was the project that drew the strongest gasps of admiration. And Paris was at his feet!

www.gertvoorjans.com

2/ Signature Design Concepts

For its interior projects, Signature Design Concepts prefers to work with characterful, natural materials, tactile textures and a high degree of detailing. In its obsessive pursuit of quality, the Ghentbased interior design firm has gathered a sophisticated team of contractors and partners, who seamlessly combine technological innovation with traditional craftsmanship. Founder Didier François and his passionate team start each project with a blank slate. Inspired by the client’s vision and budget, they guide each project from start to finish, from design and choice of materials to a perfect finish. In recent years, SD Concepts has also built up a superlative track record on the Spanish Costa del Sol and the Costa Blanca. SD Concepts occasionally designs objects, too, including the award-winning Cuiabá lighting family for Dark. Their timelessly elegant designs will put you completely at ease.

www.s-d-concepts.be

3/ Claire Bataille

Her name was long bound up with that of Paul Ibens. The work of this emblematic duo, stamped by its remarkable sobriety, changed the standards of interior architecture.

Her passion for her profession continues unabated, even if, as she says with her natural modestly, her career is by now something she looks back on rather than forward to. And what a career it has been! Claire Bataille (83) is the author of hundreds of architectural creations boasting an extraordinary formal clarity and often great technical complexity, as well as custom-designed furniture and objects, some of which have become design icons. The H2O table (Bulo) is a case in point. In 1968, together with her partner Paul Ibens (1939-2020), she took part in a competition organised by The Daily Mirror newspaper to create “an armchair for a man and an armchair for a woman”.

Paul and Claire were awarded second prize by a prestigious jury that included Ray and Charles Eames. This prompted them to open their design studio in Antwerp and to go on to design private homes, shops, offices and public spaces. Their most striking projects include the Villa Corthout in Schilde (1973), a steel-framed building they designed with architect Lieven Langohr, and the conversion of a former car park in Ixelles into a houseworkshop-gallery for Japanese art commissioned by Isabelle de Borchgrave (2010). What lingers most in our memory about this house is the joy of wandering through it, the impression of space, the almost physical presence of the light, whose effects Claire Bataille orchestrates so well. With her characteristic nonchalance, without bling bling, she has made a name for herself as one of the most renowned interior designers in Belgium and abroad. Her style is elegant, pure and timeless. The alternative wave of modern classicism. A few years ago, she passed on the torch by teaming up with two young architects, Laurence Vander Elst and Gregory Wantiez, in the Wave Architecture studio and continues to work with them on a regular basis.

www.wavearchitecture.eu

4/ Britt Van Namen

Unity of light, form and space is the common thread running through interior designer Britt Van Namen’s high-end projects. Be it a Brussels penthouse or the transformation of an old monastery with an engaging chapel in Turnhout – this passionate designer knows how to stimulate her audience’s senses and provide an unforgettable aesthetic experience. Her ability to transform spaces has made Van Namen synonymous with timeless interior designs and clean functionality that closely match a project’s architecture.

Van Namen has a keen eye for detail and carefully selected materials that feel natural and exude tranquillity. Her signature style includes prominent use of pronounced wood textures and high-quality natural stones like marble, as well as microtopping and the seamless integration of modern art and sculptural furniture pieces.

www.brittvannamen.be.

5/ Instore Family

With its pure lines, rational approach to the layout of space and its quest for the perfect furniture, the Instore style is making its mark.

Simple, yet devastatingly sophisticated. This mantra cum slogan could easily sum up the work of Pierre Hoet and Didier Bindels. For more than 40 years, this efficient and creative duo has added their touch to the interior design of private homes, lofts, apartments and holiday villas in Belgium and abroad. They have also left their distinctive hallmark on offices, stores, hotels and restaurants and even on a sleek yacht (the Sierra Romeo) that cruises off Saint-Tropez or Gustavia, depending on the season.

But what is the Instore style? An understated approach that is designed to last. Timeless, harmonious, practical and bright, with a focus on circulation, airy perspectives and interaction between people. Hoet and Bindels belong to the school of pared-down style that believes that modern luxury is all about well-designed volumes, quality materials, perfectly controlled lighting and the tranquillity, elegance and serenity of nature.

A year ago, Instore pushed back the walls of its Brussels showroom, adding a new space entirely dedicated to the Cassina brand. It is the only flagship store in Belgium for the iconic Italian designer. A classic building, complete with monumental marble staircase and moulded ceilings, serves as the ideal showcase for the brand’s timeless beauty. A fusion of charm and austerity. A double and beautifully decorated facade on the street side invites you in to discover the sheer immensity of a universe dedicated to contemporary creations and designer furniture, with an interior courtyard, terrace and a whole lot of soul.

DR

www.instore.be

6/ Alexandra Coppieters

There are no problems, only solutions! This could be Alexandra Coppieters’ motto. A positive attitude that infuses the private and public spaces she (re)designs, renovates, transforms, enlarges and embellishes. She wields a tailor-made vision of interior architecture that can be successfully applied to a wide range of projects, villas, apartments, offices, restaurants or hotels. True to her idea of what sobriety should look like, this luminous mood maker represents the alternative wave of modern classicism, veering away from the pitfall of creating a museum rather than a home, paying attention to the smallest detail and taking on board circulation and perspective.

Her style is, above all, your style. “My aim is to make sure my clients truly feel at home, while making the most of the space available and working around technical constraints. I also prefer decoration that just feels like a natural part of the landscape, that isn’t in your face.”

www.alexandracoppieters.com

7/ Maxime Jacquet

Maxime Jacquet was only 19 when he headed off to Hollywood, flying on the wings of his passion and all set to make his dreams come true.

Fifteen years later, he still prefers the good old-fashioned working methods, nurturing direct contact with his clients. At the helm of three companies, with the support of his lawyer brother Grégory and a few assistants, he creates personalised interiors. His daily challenge is to listen to his time-sensitive clients and grasp their style before making proposals in the form of mood boards, photos, samples, etc.

The idea of a torn tee-shirt is transformed into a sofa, cutting-edge furniture rubs shoulders with antiques. There are no limits to his imagination and ability to concoct mixes where luxury brands and more democratic creations rub shoulders in the same space, unwilling to define any hierarchy between objects. His alchemical quest to find just the right mix of objects is clear from his talent for combining vintage crockery unearthed for a few dollars with prestigious crystal, designer and modern pieces, eclectic works of art, copies of antiques and historic furniture to create a unique cocktail of materials, colours and emotions. Self-taught, with no art school background and only a short course in business management to his name, he has recently started giving courses in interior design and lifestyle branding and is actively working on furniture collections, set to be launched in 2024/25 in collaboration with a major American retailer. While at the same time designing spaces all over the world, from Los Angeles, Manhattan and Malibu to Hong Kong or Biarritz.

www.jacquetmaxime.com

8/AFC-Collection Audrey Joris and Augustin Bown

Audrey Joris and Augustin Bown were struck by the fact that many (young) homebuyers or startups are going into debt to buy a property, then no longer have enough money to furnish it properly. This prompted them to co-found the AFC-Collection label, A for Affordable, F for Furniture, C for Collection, an original form of leasing with an option to buy. This allows you to buy quality furniture, lighting, carpets and curtains and carry out work on your own home, paying monthly over three, four or five years at no extra cost. A dynamic “lease-toown” concept, based on a 2.0 experience, driven by the idea of making interior design sustainable and accessible to all.

The duo and their team of decorators, interior architects and designers welcome you to one of their showrooms to work together on a virtual 3D simulation of your project and tailor it to your exact requirements. In Brussels, Antwerp or Knokke.

www.afc-collection.co