PN Penthouse by Vincent Van Duysen Architects | Photography by Piet-Albert Goethals
Evocative in its power and clear in its intent—Belgian design has sparked a revolution of soft, tactile interiors without an ounce of the extraneous. From the globally recognised Vincent Van Duysen to the warm sensuousness of Decancq Vercruysse, these 10 Belgian designers are defining an inviting era of minimalism.
There’s something unmistakable about Belgian design. It doesn’t shout. It doesn’t rush. It lingers, invites and reveals itself slowly— through tactility, material honesty and a deep respect for light and proportion. It’s a distinctive approach befitting of the definition: Belgian minimalism.
Deftly moving between the intersection of architecture and interiors, Belgian designers excel in creating emotive spaces rooted in restraint. Their work doesn’t follow trends—it sets the tone for slow, intentional living. These 10 Belgian designers and studios exemplify this quiet power, collectively making the case for why Belgian design continues to inspire globally.
DH Apartment by Vincent Van Duysen features soft polished plaster walls and limestone flooring. A sisal rug and soft furnishings introduce another layer of tactile warmth—distinctly minimalist and Belgian | Photography by Piet-Albert Goethals
Vincent Van Duysen
The Master of Understatement
Widely regarded as one of Belgium’s most influential contemporary architects, Vincent Van Duysen distils architecture to its essence. With a portfolio that spans homes, retail, furniture and lighting, his spaces are defined by a monastic calm and material rigour. With a masterful understanding of proportion, Van Duysen crafts spaces of both solitude and connection.
In the DH Apartment, Van Duysen demonstrates how minimalism can be warm and expressive. Earthy materials alongside filtered light and considered thresholds create a space that feels almost sacred. Every project reflects his ethos of subtle luxury and architectural permanence.
DH Apartment by Vincent Van Duysen Architects | Photography by Piet-Albert Goethals
Taking his Belgian design thinking to Italy, Benoit Viaene’s Lake Como House captures views but brings attention to the details, such as the custom timber dining table that beckons to be touched | Photography by Piet-Albert Goethals
Lake Como by Benoit Viaene | Photography by Piet-Albert Goethals
Benoit Viaene
Architecture as Emotion
Working from a historic workshop in Ghent, Benoit Viaene blurs the line between architect, artist and artisan. His spaces feel intimate and spiritual—not through overt gestures, but through silence, rhythm and texture. He crafts buildings that honour history, while speaking to the present.
Taking his approach to Italy, the Lake Como residence exemplifies this meditative design language, with heritage features carefully integrated into a contemporary spatial flow. It’s a study in serenity—and a clear reminder that restraint can be profoundly expressive.
Port Royal by Decancq Vercruysse | Photography by Eric Petschek
Decancq Vercruysse
Sensory Architecture with Soul
The duo behind Decancq Vercruysse, Antoine Decancq and Emiel Vercruysse, approach architecture as a deeply personal experience. Their spaces, such as the Port Royal home, combine bold geometry with finely tuned material choices—from natural stone, and blonde timbers to plush linen.
Through a carefully composed series of thresholds and transitions, the interior feels immersive and tactile. Their practice is a reminder that great design is felt as much as it is seen.
Calling reference to its seaside location, Port Royal home by Decanq Vercruysse is layered with natural timbers, softened by corner detailing | Photography by Eric Petschek
Uccle by Nathalie Deboel | Photography by Thomas De Bruyne
Exposed beams add height, while the peanut-shaped Kristin McKirdy floor sculpture and vintage Jean Debuffet painting add a refined weight to the spaces at Nathalie Deboel’s Uccle project | Photography by Thomas De Bruyne
Nathalie Deboel
Harmonising Form and Function
Nathalie Deboel creates homes that feel quietly choreographed. Her interiors often feature architectural joinery, subtle asymmetry and warm timber details that soften their minimal edge.
Projects like Uccle and Parc Monceau demonstrate her skill in balancing form and function. With a signature palette of earthy tones and rich textures, Deboel’s work gently encourages slower, more grounded living.
VR Residence by Nicolas Schuybroek | Photography by Matthieu Salvaing
Nicolas Schuybroek
Global Rigour, Local Sensibility
Architect Nicolas Schuybroek has become a global name in refined minimalism. His studio’s work stretches from Belgium to Mexico and New York, yet it always carries the unmistakable DNA of his Belgian design sensibility—stone, wood, steel and a monochrome calmness.
The VR Residence epitomises his aesthetic: a structured yet soulful home where tactility takes centre stage. With no superfluous elements, his architecture strips away distraction, allowing mood, light and material to take the lead.
Angular and removed of decoration, VR Residence by Nicolas Schuybroek immerses into nature, inciting an atmosphere of quiet contemplation | Photography by Matthieu Salvaing
La Valeur Positive by Marie Lecluyse | Photography by Thomas De Bruyne
With a backdrop being the lush surrounds, there is an inviting sense of calm to Belgian architect Marie Lecluyse’s project La Valeur Positive | Photography by Thomas De Bruyne
Marie Lecluyse
Designing with Flow
Marie Lecluyse’s residences showcase the quiet joy that design can impart. Her work explores balance and intention, fusing minimal backdrops with sculptural furnishings and raw textures. There’s always a feeling of warmth and liveability.
When minimalism can so easily lean toward austerity, Lecluyse offers a refreshingly human approach. Her projects invite you to slow down, notice the light and engage with space on a sensory level.
Project VV by Pieter Vanrenterghem | Photography by Thomas De Bruyne
Project VV by Pieter Vanrenterghem | Photography by Thomas De Bruyne
Pieter Vanrenterghem
Where Stillness meets Strength
Known for his pared-back projects, Pieter Vanrenterghem creates homes that speak to their environment. His use of natural materials, from rough-hewn stone to polished concrete, creates a tactile tension between old and new.
Project VV exemplifies this approach: robust yet serene, grounded yet refined. His architecture is not decorative— it’s elemental, relying on the quiet strength of form and material.
“The interiors are very clean and minimal and consist of specific alignments. The use of natural materials softens these lines, making the spaces feel more human,” Vanrenterghem says of his Belgian Farmhouse project | Photography by Thomas De Bruyne
Stylist and designer Evelyn Moreels‘ Belgian home | Photography by Thomas De Bruyne
Stylist and designer Evelyn Moreels‘ Belgian home | Photography by Thomas De Bruyne
Monochromatic and classic, the home of Evelyn Moreels has an Edra Standard sofa, and Serge Mouille Applique Cinq wall light | Photography by Thomas De Bruyne
Evelyn Moreels
Curated Calm
Stylist and designer Evelyn Moreels brings a poetic sensibility to Belgian minimalism. Her own home— layered with vintage finds, artisanal ceramics and sculptural lighting—captures a mood of effortless tranquillity.
Through her styling, Moreels invites us to see interiors as personal sanctuaries, rich with memory and mood—a minimalism with soul.
JUMA Architects’ founders and directors Mathieu Luyens and Julie Van De Keere’s home and studio | Photography by Annick Vernimmen
JUMA Architects
Timeless Precision
Led by Mathieu Luyens and Julie Van De Keere, JUMA Architects is known for its seamless integration of architecture and interiors. The duo’s projects often read like a single continuous gesture—one where function, detail and flow are irrefutably aligned.
Villa RS shows the studio’s ability to balance bold volumes with softness and restraint, creating spaces that feel contemporary yet enduring.
Dark walnut joinery and silver travertine floors combine for a timeless, yet modern kitchen at JUMA Architects’ own home | Photography by Annick Vernimmen
GM House by Simon de Burbure | Photography by Tijs Vervecken
GM House by Simon de Burbure | Photography by Tijs Vervecken
GM House by Simon de Burbure captures an artistic flourish with its curving central stair, softened with a plaster finish | Photography by Tijs Vervecken
Simon de Burbure Architects
Sculptural Impact
From GM House to VH Residence, Simon de Burbure Architects embraces architecture as an art form. The spaces are defined by expressive material contrasts and precise geometric interplay, offering a bold yet balanced take on Belgian minimalism.
By pairing modernist purity with handcrafted details, the studio’s work captures a tension that’s both cerebral and deeply sensory.
