I decided to take a trip down memory lane today. These beautiful images of Vincent Van Duysen‘s home in Antwerp have been permanent residents in my image collection for a number of years. Photographed by the celebrated Spanish photographer Manolo Yllera (previously), this painfully stylish Belgian architect’s home awakes in me an equal amount of admiration and design envy. Yes, I admit it – I can get jealous at times too you now! In fact, I specifically remember purchasing a copy of Vogue Living several years ago just because it featured this amazing home on the cover (July/August 2009 issue, to be exact). Completed more than 10 years ago, this house looks as beautiful and relevant today as it did back in 2001. Featuring Vincent Van Duysen‘s signature spare aesthetic, the house is a true expression of honest design essence, abstraction and purity. The choice of materials is sheer perfection – natural and raw, limited array of colours, combination of rough woven textures and smooth surfaces. Wide open spaces ooze calm and understated style, complemented beautifully with carefully selected furniture, objects and artwork. I am in love with the way historical references and detailing meet the sharp and the contemporary to create a perfect union. It is precisely this combination of formal rigour and sensuality which makes this home a very special one indeed. While I was doing my usual snooping around the net, I came across a book by Manolo Yllera which features a different rendition of this home (images below). Here you can see completely different furniture and styling which creates a whole new look, which I find equally as beautiful. For me, this represents undeniable proof that good architecture and careful design of “bone structure” provides a fool-proof canvas for any number of ways to furnish, style, accessorise and decorate. Anyway, I am seriously having a hard time picking a favourite. What about you? Oh, and just one more thing and then I’ll go – is it just me or have both those rugs used in the living room been “reinterpreted” by IKEA?[Images © Manolo Yllera. Via Manolo Yllera & blurb.]Share the love:FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailPinterest 16 Responses SLW May 25, 2012 Amazing eye candy and I do like your thoughtful terminology – “reinterpreted” Reply Michelle May 25, 2012 Much prefer the 2nd option as it’s a lot more homely. The first is too corporate for my likings :) Reply Harriet May 25, 2012 Completely amazing. I love both versions too, and I’d sell my soul for that bath with the wooden legs. Reply The_Milanese May 25, 2012 Such beautiful interiors. Very good furnishing … Reply Salpickering May 26, 2012 Yes Dana, I have always loved madeline weinrib’s buche rug. I’ve settled for the Ikea reinterpretation until maybe one day I find that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Reply brismod May 27, 2012 Oh yes, the reinterpreted made me giggle. I also like your description about what makes good timeless design. xx Reply Vincent Van Duysen’s House In Antwerp | June 14, 2012 […] Via yellow trace […] Reply Vincent Van Duysen’s Home In Antwerp | ELLIS BLACK DESIGN January 5, 2013 […] Seen via :https://www.yellowtrace.com.au/2012/05/25/vincent-van-duysens-home-in-antwerp/ […] Reply Vincent van Duysen | Våra Rum March 4, 2013 […] via […] Reply Week Forty-four: Architect Vincent Van Duysen / A. Magazine October 30, 2013 […] aesthetic is shared by Dana Tomic Hughes, an Australian interior designer whose blog, Yellowtrace, served as my source for the images below.) As my life in London feels mostly chaotic, I find […] Reply 10 Design Ideas Inspired by the Belgian Masters | Bichona October 20, 2014 […] Above: All of us at Remodelista are obsessed with Vincent Van Duysen’s living room. See more in yesterday’s post 20 Questions: Julianne Moore and Vincent Van Duysen Talk Design. Photograph by Manolo Yllera via Yellow Trace. […] Reply Ikea is one of the best places to furnish your vacation rental. Here’s why January 1, 2015 […] at it in Vincent Van Duysen’s Antwerp living room. It looks like Duysen took four Stockholm rugs, sewed them together and covered his entire living […] Reply Habitually Chic® » Beautiful in Belgium February 10, 2015 […] was also lucky to find photos of different incarnations of the home on Yellowtrace which I’ve also included. While Duysen would probably agree that the striped rug has become […] Reply Beautiful in BelgiumVirtual Stylist Gabrielle Rosenberg February 17, 2015 […] was also lucky to find photos of different incarnations of the home on Yellowtrace which I’ve also included. While Duysen would probably agree that the striped rug has become […] Reply Stalk // Chez Vincent Van Duysen ... - My Little Home Blog February 17, 2015 […] Photos David Spero, via T Magazine, Manolo Yllera via Yellow Trace […] Reply Stalk // At Vincent Van Duysen ... - My Little Home Blog February 19, 2015 […] Photos David Spero, via T Magazine, Manolo Yllera via Yellow Trace […] ReplyLeave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Δ
Michelle May 25, 2012 Much prefer the 2nd option as it’s a lot more homely. The first is too corporate for my likings :) Reply
Harriet May 25, 2012 Completely amazing. I love both versions too, and I’d sell my soul for that bath with the wooden legs. Reply
Salpickering May 26, 2012 Yes Dana, I have always loved madeline weinrib’s buche rug. I’ve settled for the Ikea reinterpretation until maybe one day I find that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Reply
brismod May 27, 2012 Oh yes, the reinterpreted made me giggle. I also like your description about what makes good timeless design. xx Reply
Vincent Van Duysen’s Home In Antwerp | ELLIS BLACK DESIGN January 5, 2013 […] Seen via :https://www.yellowtrace.com.au/2012/05/25/vincent-van-duysens-home-in-antwerp/ […] Reply
Week Forty-four: Architect Vincent Van Duysen / A. Magazine October 30, 2013 […] aesthetic is shared by Dana Tomic Hughes, an Australian interior designer whose blog, Yellowtrace, served as my source for the images below.) As my life in London feels mostly chaotic, I find […] Reply
10 Design Ideas Inspired by the Belgian Masters | Bichona October 20, 2014 […] Above: All of us at Remodelista are obsessed with Vincent Van Duysen’s living room. See more in yesterday’s post 20 Questions: Julianne Moore and Vincent Van Duysen Talk Design. Photograph by Manolo Yllera via Yellow Trace. […] Reply
Ikea is one of the best places to furnish your vacation rental. Here’s why January 1, 2015 […] at it in Vincent Van Duysen’s Antwerp living room. It looks like Duysen took four Stockholm rugs, sewed them together and covered his entire living […] Reply
Habitually Chic® » Beautiful in Belgium February 10, 2015 […] was also lucky to find photos of different incarnations of the home on Yellowtrace which I’ve also included. While Duysen would probably agree that the striped rug has become […] Reply
Beautiful in BelgiumVirtual Stylist Gabrielle Rosenberg February 17, 2015 […] was also lucky to find photos of different incarnations of the home on Yellowtrace which I’ve also included. While Duysen would probably agree that the striped rug has become […] Reply
Stalk // Chez Vincent Van Duysen ... - My Little Home Blog February 17, 2015 […] Photos David Spero, via T Magazine, Manolo Yllera via Yellow Trace […] Reply
Stalk // At Vincent Van Duysen ... - My Little Home Blog February 19, 2015 […] Photos David Spero, via T Magazine, Manolo Yllera via Yellow Trace […] Reply