A Belgian apartment by the coast has been distilled to its purest form, creating a serene and soothing family retreat.
Located in Duinbergen, part of the Belgian municipality of Knokke-Heist, this apartment saw a complete transformation at the hands of Belgian architecture studio Decancq Vercruysse. The clients, seeking a peaceful weekend getaway for their family of five, enlisted the studio to reimagine the four-bedroom, four-bathroom apartment into a spacious sanctuary for themselves and their three older children.
Decancq Vercruysse founding architect Emiel Vercruysse approached the project by ‘stripping the apartment down to its essence’. A restrained material palette, paired with a curated selection of furniture and objects, sets a calming tone from the moment you step inside.
The kitchen showcases a palette of natural and bleached white oak, with a benchtop finished using the same ‘lime technique’ as the floors, which are embedded with small stones. The joinery handles nod to nautical design, inspired by those typically found on boats, while the tapware is by Ceadesign.
Vercruysse designed the spaces to feel both welcoming for the entire family and intimate for just two.
The dining table is custom-made in walnut with stainless steel legs. It is surrounded by the Fredericia BM61 chairs by Børge Mogensen on bleached oak floors.
The open-plan layout is designed to embrace the sea views, nurturing a sense of tranquillity. Vercruysse notes that the spaces were crafted to feel both welcoming for the entire family and intimate for just two. A minimalist design language and thoughtful materiality bring this vision to life. “The flooring mimics the sand, and the light wood references the beach cabins, forming a soothing palette,” Vercruysse explains. Belgian natural and bleached oak play a central role throughout. The flooring, treated with a lime finish and embedded with small stones, echoes the sandy texture of the nearby shore. “This custom floor opened the door to endless possibilities, and the more unique a project can be, the better,” he adds.
Seaside elements continue in the details, such as the joinery handles in the kitchen, inspired by those found on boats, and the soft curves of the custom console that anchors the living space. “The console houses the television, which slides out,” Vercruysse says. “When you’re relaxing on the sofa, you can enjoy unobstructed sea views without the TV interrupting the scene.” The sofa, stools, coffee table, and dining table were all custom-made, further accentuating the apartment’s consistent materials and forms.
Reflecting on the completed project, Vercruysse attributes its success to the interplay of contemporary design and cohesive materiality, which allows the family to fully disconnect from the demands of their daily lives.
Pictured: a custom-made sofa, stools and coffee table using the limed technique seen in the kitchen. The armchairs are by Pierre Jeanneret, with a table lamp by Jos Devriendt and a Daphine Terra floor lamp by Tommaso Cemini for Lumina.
Alongside the natural and bleached oak, linen is another material used in each space.
