Cool, calm and collected
The eternal elegance of a Beaux Arts-style mansion in Brussels has been enhanced by architect David Van Severen and photographer Martina Bjorn with an expansive and intuitive translation of scope, space and style.
When the Belgian architect David Van Severen and his wife, Swedish photographer Martina Bjorn, first came across their future home in Brussels, they were fascinated by the breathtaking grandeur of the 19th-century property located in a quiet, leafy residential area south-east of the city centre. “It faces an avenue with gardens at the front. When we first saw it we had one of those ‘this is too good to be true’ feelings because of its generous open spaces and a big, wild garden at the back,” says Bjorn. “We also loved the neighbourhood. It’s known locally as Little Paris because of the many Parisians living here.”
A Beaux Arts-style mansion, the interiors displayed all the typical characteristics of that era: soaring ceilings, elegant tall windows that streamed an abundance of natural light into each room, original stucco detailing, marble fireplaces and exquisite parquetry flooring. “It used to be a lawyers’ office so the first time we saw it, it was filled with endless piles of paper and dossiers of all kinds laying around in a chaotic manner,” says Bjorn. “Walls were painted in various colours and the woodwork was dark but the intrinsic qualities were there.”
For self-driven creatives such as Bjorn, who studied architecture before starting her photographic career, and Van Severen, who helms the award-winning architecture practice Office Kersten Geers David Van Severen, it was easy to envision the potential to transform the offices on the lower three floors of the building into a three-bedroom home for themselves and their two children. “We loved the freedom that this generous, open space was able to offer us. Freedom of space and freedom of thought,” says Bjorn. “The spaces are fluid and open despite the very traditional layout.”
The couple’s shared vision to enhance the building’s architectural beauty meant renovations were light of hand and undertaken only where absolutely necessary. For example, an enfilade of four generously sized rooms on the top floor were merged to create one large open-plan living area for the family with zones for cooking, dining and lounging. A fresh coat of varnish to bring the aged oak parquet back to life was all that was needed to make the space complete. Other additions included a new steel kitchen and a contemporary black spiral staircase wrapped in delicately perforated metal, which connects all three levels of the house. “Downstairs it was different, as the space needed a deep renovation, providing new bathrooms, bedrooms and other essentials,” says Bjorn. Here in a basement level lies the main bedroom, a warmly textured, minimalist sanctuary with its own private doorway onto the wild garden and ancient woodland beyond.
Furnishings are consciously pared-back to enhance the spacious atmosphere of the original interiors. There’s a curated mix of big names and design classics such as Arne Jacobsen’s Series 7 dining chairs, Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni’s Taccia lamp and Jasper Morrison’s Cork Family stool with contemporary pieces including a marble bench by Van Severen’s brother Hannes who, with his wife and business partner Fien Muller, runs the successful design studio Muller Van Severen. There are also personal pieces imbued with meaning, such as a low leather chair made by Van Severen’s late father, Maarten, a renowned designer who worked closely with revered Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. “We still talk about not adding too much furniture, to keep the majesty of the rooms and essence of the house,” says Bjorn. “The interiors are made up of an eclectic family of many pieces, collected personally and professionally over the years, mixing and matching styles, origins and ages.”
The custom kitchen is just one example that reflects the balancing act between modern design and heritage features, with its clever integration of utilitarian shelving and stovetop unit inside a sandstone fireplace. “It represents the balance between past and present — the true leitmotif of the whole project,” says Bjorn. “One of our favourite moments is when we cook a good meal for our friends here, after coming back with fresh ingredients from the city market.”
Van Severen and Bjorn’s art collection too hovers between historic and contemporary. “Every corner in this home has been drawn and composed,” says Bjorn. Case in point: the sculpturally bulbous concrete stools by Brandlhuber+ and sleek slate-grey marble bench by Muller Van Severen positioned adjacent to a stunning original staircase of warm caramel-toned timber. “The decoration process has been very intuitive,” continues Bjorn. “It comes spontaneously from our encounters in life and work, rather than from a specific style or trend. We see it as an interplay of moveable objects and space, which often acts as a frame.”
Overlaying all these elements — the timeless furniture pieces, contemporary art and clever fusion of proportion and space — is a serene atmosphere of peace and calm. It’s a mood enhanced by the considered placement of a multitude of mirrors that reflect the green of the surrounding garden outside — which Bjorn describes as a “wild piece of forest” — and its ancient beech and oak trees. It’s little surprise then that one of the couple’s favourite retreats is a long balcony, accessed through generous French doors in the dining room, with a view of this romantic slice of Eden. “During spring and summer we enjoy our breakfast in the morning sun here,” says Bjorn. “The day could not start in a better way.” officekgdvs.com martinabjornstudio.com
“The decoration process has been intuitive. We see it as an interplay of moveable objects and space, which often acts as a frame”
MARTINA BJORN