The naturally elegant, understated allure, and timeless enchantment of BELGIAN BEAUTY is an undeniable influence in the world of bespoke design. Belgian Interior Design & Actionable Advice revisits an unforgettable property where an exceptional designer, business owner, and blogger created a paradise to share with the world. Let’s explore the work of a true Belgian pearl, Greet Lefèvre.
Photography: Greet Lefèvre and Claude Smekens
Belgian Interior Design & Gardens
Our friend Greet Lefèvre of Belgian Pearls may be tired of my fangirl love letters because there will never be enough synonyms for LOVELY to decorate any post spotlighting her charming designs.
Can you imagine calling this home?
Shaping A Legacy of Belgian Interior Design Inspiration
She has delighted us with rich Belgian interior design style for more than a decade, and it’s forever a pleasure to direct others to the site she authors (Belgian Pearls) as well as her business, Lefèvre Interiors.
I was *this close* to meeting Greet in person back in 2018 when I was in London for the Amara Interior Blog Awards; however, she wasn’t able to attend.
Greet was thoughtful enough to arrange for a connection with her dear friends who represented her that night for the award ceremony!
Such an honor to be the recipient of her kindness.
Defleure Home Collection
Her lovely home is graced with furniture pieces of her own design (like the Mimi chairs above) from her furniture line with Defleure Home Collection.
If I seem out of my mind for daring to suggest that there are plenty of actionable ideas to score from fantasy level properties, well…
I can live with that. This is a site for dreamers after all.
Natural Beauty Inside & Out
Let’s start with how we can all enhance our interiors and well being in one fell swoop.
Make sure to introduce flowers, fruit, plants, branches, and bits of beauty from outside (even small stones collected outside) to your nest inside.
Do you love the look of Greet’s potted boxwood? Do a little research online and then give it a whirl!
Does the sight of climbing ivy bring you delight? You need not own a fantasy property in Europe to enjoy such romantic whimsy.
Such beautiful lush and wild foliage can creep up the simplest of structures including sheds, garages, and assorted outdoor buildings.
Are she-sheds a bit too shabby for your taste? Maybe a more elegant alternative awaits in your imagination!
Old World Style for Modern Living
There’s something so comforting about planting seeds now to enjoy a rich landscape in the future.
Grand gardens like these at a Belgian home don’t arrive cheaply or without blood, sweat, and tears.
Without a gardener, I can imagine how many Saturdays it could take a person to grow and maintain such an Eden.
But small gardens and tiny patches of fresh life deliver paradise too. Is there a little patch in your yard that may be just right for planting? Have a tiny balcony where some containers of goodness could thrive and lift your spirits?
Bless a rainy day that is so generous to the land!
Breathtaking Scale in the Lush Gardens
There are large pots, and then there are TREE SIZED POTS…
I know very little about gardening, but I know how interesting things become when there is a playful mix of whimsy and scale.
So allow yourself to think beyond what the neighbors are doing.
Allow yourself to listen to that inner dreamer who imagines __________ would be a hoot to try to grow and enjoy in the garden.
It’s also easy to be inspired by how weathering at this property only increases the beauty and character of it.
Are you quick to replace things inside and outdoors that begin to show age, distress, and change?
What if you slowed down just a bit? And what if you allowed them a little more time to bloom into their full character and charm?
Timeless Design Ideas from Belgian Pearls
Belgian design is always appealing in fresh ways to me since there is such a divine mix of old and new. Bold colors pop against the more subdued backdrop.
Modern silhouettes (whether in art, floral design, or accents) often join the mix within historic homes, bringing interest and energy.
Contemporary patterns, textures, and art can feel very much at home with antiques, centuries old fixtures, and traditional architecture. What if you added a striking pillow to a humdrum sort of moment at your own house? Could it be the spark that ignites a renewed excitement about interior design that suits you?
Tranquil & Soothing Color Palettes
As a lover of neutrals, I am awed by the Belgian way with chalky, natural, undertated, richly complex color. It just never gets boring.
If you are curious about living with tone on tone, you need not remake your entire home. Gaze at an unused guest bedroom with fresh eyes and begin to experiment.
There won’t be the pressure of tiring of the color story if you start with a space you don’t spend a lot of time living in.
And who knows? If you find yourself plopping down in the experiment room more often than before, maybe your experiment can spread as you direct your gaze to the next blank slate.
Belgian Kitchen Design Inspiration from Greet Lefèvre
There are so many actionable ideas inspired by Greet’s beautiful bespoke kitchen. You hardly need my commentary.
Notice how the cabinet storage is a mix of wood and plaster in warm, neutral tones. The range becomes a grand moment of wondrous glory, and the tall windows flanking it mean the gardens and light are part of the design.
This Belgian kitchen with its narrow dining table (oh, the intimacy!) and finishes that get better with age is an example of an unfitted design that will never look out of style.
If you have yet to discover the beauty of Belgian stone and handcrafted everything, perhaps this quest will unlock treasures untold.
So many American kitchens are conceived and constructed quickly and without careful consideration. We’re a busy, bustling culture, and we often do not think about long term commitments with homes, kitchens, and places. For example, plaster walls demand time, labor, and talent…drywall can sometimes materialize in a single day.
But what if we began to freshly discover the beauty of slow?
Sometimes the study of designs, sensibilities, and lifestyle of a different culture will reveal longings deep within you. Listen to them.
Glowing Glorious Palette
Introducing rich texture on your walls does not have to involve a massive budget. Bespoke paneled walls may be too costly, but are there applied trims and moldings that may approach the look?
Also notice the scale of the baseboards above? Have a room (with high ceilings) where such bold drama may enhance the space?
Bespoke Wood Paneling Distinguishes This Lovely Manse
The timelessness of the artful paneled walls and built-ins are breathtaking in Greet’s home.
So what possible ideas can you take away that actually feel actionable?
My suggestion is to study the character of such paneling and perhaps echo it if ever you are remodeling a kitchen or den.
I don’t live in a European manse, but this weekend, I have been working on sprucing up a family room with built-ins and find myself deeply inspired by Belgian design.
For me, it’s a matter of starting with the sure things. For example, I know I am passionate about Belgian linen (the color, the durability, the strength, the texture). If I allow my design decisions to flow from what will feel timeless and supportive of the Belgian linen pieces in the space, than the field narrows.
And that narrowed field is helpful when there are so many choices and options in the marketplace.
Expand photos of rooms that take your breath away and begin to catalog mentally how the layering captures your imagination or soothes you.
Inspired Sophisticated Whimsy
I am smitten with sophisticated whimsy at the moment, and maybe it’s a fleeting thing, but maybe not.
Can a room full of serious furniture or antiques at your house be lightened up with smiles or humor?
Even a happy pattern like a checkered floor may do the trick.
Again, my emphasis is on actionable, so I realize a marble checkered stone floor can’t just appear without great effort and expense.
But when it comes time to buy art or replace flooring in a room at home, perhaps you can remember that a sense of whimsy can guide you.
Sunlight Welcomed Within An Orangerie
An orangery or orangerie is a space on the grounds of fashionable residences from the 17th to the 19th centuries where orange and other fruit trees were protected during the winter.
Similar to a greenhouse or conservatory, they aren’t very common in my neck of the woods.
My actionable tip here is maybe a little bit dreamy, but if you are a DIYer like me, then maybe not.
Interior windows can be suggestive of such a space even and maybe especially if a space is not very sunny.
Adding a reclaimed window to a wall (we have done it so many times over the years!) is a way to: add architectural interest, capture light from an adjacent space, and introduce bespoke character.
Romantically Bold & Appetizing Dining Room
You already know, I can’t seem to live with red, but if the energy of red lifts you, isn’t this shade magnificent?
I would love to own a dress this color!
Quiet Sophistication in a Wine Cellar
As stated earlier in the orangerie discussion, creating a luxurious cellar for wine is not within the scope of this post.
Rather, how could you store a collection of treasures to honor them and please your senses?
Because if you are hanging on to a collection of special things, the objects must hold meaning for you.
Perhaps it is time to think more deeply and intentionally about how you can live with your objects more thoughtfully.
We form attachments to things, and sometimes life moves so swiftly that we forget to revisit the meaning of such attachments.
Do your belongings or boxes of treasures still evoke meaning? Are there things long forgotten that should be dusted off and displayed?
Is it possible that decluttering items or paring down a collection will bring sweet relief?
Old World Style + Soulful Craftsmanship
A home like Greet’s doesn’t just happen.
Homes evolve and so do we.
So the last actionable tip I’ll leave here is to allow the evolution of home and your soul to unfold gently.
Hurrying can be quite harmful in ways we can see and ways we cannot. You’ll feel less overwhelm if you take your time with each layer. Who knows? Ultimately, it may be even more gratifying when all of those gentle, slow strokes form an integrated creation that flowed from a place of such thoughtful intent.
Should the timeless elegance of these designs soothe your senses, you are bound to also be charmed by BELGIAN PEARLS, where Greet shares her fine journey in a most friendly fashion.
See More Beauty from Belgium
Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
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