Belgian jewelry designer Raphaël Van Gend has turned a six-story 1920s townhouse in Brussels into his own private, uncluttered retreat. The overhaul and decoration of the house has resulted in copious negative space. The living room contains only a handful of carefully put together pieces such as a shell-colored Pierre Paulin sofa. The bedroom with its stark white walls is immensely calming. A Franck Robichez steel chair in the house’s entryway is flanked by a vintage mirror and marble panels on either side. Every aspect of the workspace has been chosen by Van Gend himself, including the flooring and bookshelves. In the master bathroom, an aesthetic bespoke screen filters light from the windows into the Villeroy & Boch tub. The guest room features a sturdy resin desk and chair imagined by the designer.Before opening a creative agency in Paris, Van Gend was a ballet dancer, painter, a fashion model in New York City in the mid-90s and producer of electronic music albums. He is also well versed with in the spiritual philosophy of Jiddu Krishnamurti, notes The New York Times. Three years ago, he opened Objet Singulier, a line of sculptural lacquer jewelry and the first collection will make its debut at Le Bon Marché in Paris and at Matches Fashion in London. The accessories reflect the designer’s desire to “make different ideas exist harmoniously”, a notion that also finds resonance in the aesthetic ethos of his new home. It was not in a great state when he purchased it. But a bit of work revealed subtle plaster cornices, theatrical guillotine windows and a mint green marble fireplace that stood out in the otherwise whitewashed space.Van Gend acted both as architect and interior designer while overhauling the home. From altering the poured concrete stairwells to hand-sanding the hard-edged corners to soften them, the designer was involved in minute aspects of renovation. In the entryway, slabs of mottled Carrara marble have been used to panel the lower half of the walls. For the upper half, Van Gend used a shade of white tinged with faint traces of blue and red. The décor focuses on lack of clutter and the least number of furniture possible.Click here to view the slideshow.
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