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My Houzz: Devotion Shows in a 19th-Century Belgian Home
A four-year renovation takes a house from bat infested to beautiful, with heavenly lightness and sweet country style
Hello! I am a contributor for Houzz, writer and interior stylist based in the Netherlands. Always in search of beauty in all forms, I founded my lifestyle blog Avenue to satisfy my thirst for design and lifestyle inspiration. I am the loving mother of a beautiful little girl called Lola, and the adoring fiancé of a handsome Dutchman.
Hello! I am a contributor for Houzz, writer and interior stylist based... More »
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Everything about this 1896 home in Belgium reflects the love and energy that have gone into its revival. The owners, photographer and founder of Yvestown blog Yvonne Eijkenduijn and visual designer Boris van de Grint, have spent the last four years painstakingly renovating it to bring it back to its former glory, while adding their own personal touches.
Originally a six-bedroom family home, the house was built for the owners of the brewery next door. Eijkenduijn and van de Grint are the third owners since 1896 and are tackling one section of the house at a time as they bring in their signature light and bright style. Eijkenduijn describes it as "the essence of an urban country home" with the benefits of being close to the city and having a large garden that's ideal for growing vegetables, herbs and flowers.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Yvonne Eijkenduijn and Boris van de Grint
Location: Lommel, Belgium
Size: 500 square meters (about 5,382 square feet); 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a basement that functions as two separate workspaces
Originally a six-bedroom family home, the house was built for the owners of the brewery next door. Eijkenduijn and van de Grint are the third owners since 1896 and are tackling one section of the house at a time as they bring in their signature light and bright style. Eijkenduijn describes it as "the essence of an urban country home" with the benefits of being close to the city and having a large garden that's ideal for growing vegetables, herbs and flowers.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Yvonne Eijkenduijn and Boris van de Grint
Location: Lommel, Belgium
Size: 500 square meters (about 5,382 square feet); 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a basement that functions as two separate workspaces
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| The couple's light and bright dining room exemplifies the feel of the entire home. Eijkenduijn can’t pinpoint the look as any single style but agrees with the description “Scandinavian pretty” offered by Joanna Copestick, cowriter of Decorate. “It’s mix and match, blending Scandinavian and English design styles,” Eijkenduijn says. |
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The couple started their renovations downstairs four years ago and are working their way up. The first year they tackled the kitchen. The second year they completed the left side of the house, including this dining room and music nook.
They plan to convert one of the upstairs bedrooms into a large bathroom, convert the current bathroom into a spacious laundry room and refurbish the master bedroom. Finally, they plan to replace the roof.
They plan to convert one of the upstairs bedrooms into a large bathroom, convert the current bathroom into a spacious laundry room and refurbish the master bedroom. Finally, they plan to replace the roof.
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| "I love the Scandinavian way of living, their use of white to brighten up the home during the dark, cold winter," Eijkenduijn says. The couple applied that formula to what was previously a dark space to create this sunny dining room. "The Scandinavians have this philosophy that if you paint your floors, walls and ceilings white, as soon as the sun comes out, your home is so vivid and bright ... like a burst of sunshine," she says. The resulting airy aesthetic is evident in this space, where antique furniture is paired with a neutral color palette and lace curtains that soften the natural light. |
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The pale pink painted antique hutch in the dining room holds a collection of treasured antique and vintage crockery, a combination of pink and white with occasional delicate florals that doesn't take itself too seriously.
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| The piece of art above van de Grint's piano is by Dutch artist Auk van Hilten, a close friend of Eijkenduijn's. Van de Grint, a talented carpenter, made the dining table. The couple paired it with chairs they brought from Sweden. |
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Birds and Roses wallpaper by Eijkenduijn's favorite British designer, Cath Kidston, covers an accent wall in the dining room. "I just love her aesthetic ... her clever floral patterns for the modern-day woman," she says. "Cath Kidston is great for mixing and matching in combination with a lot of white."
Eijkenduijn also finds inspiration in British interior design, including the homes of some of the most famous women in English-language literature, such as Virginia Wolf's Monk's House, Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House, Vanessa Bell's Charleston Manor House and Beatrix Potter's Hill Top home.
Eijkenduijn also finds inspiration in British interior design, including the homes of some of the most famous women in English-language literature, such as Virginia Wolf's Monk's House, Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House, Vanessa Bell's Charleston Manor House and Beatrix Potter's Hill Top home.
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The right side of the house includes the living room and is the next area the couple plans to redesign. The style will eventually echo that of the left side, with white painted wood floors.
The fireplace is original to the home. The couple wants to remove the uppermost part of the mantel and freshly plaster the walls, then repaint the mantel. They also plan to replace the tiles and install a wood-burning stove.
The French-inspired coffee table was a flea market find.
The fireplace is original to the home. The couple wants to remove the uppermost part of the mantel and freshly plaster the walls, then repaint the mantel. They also plan to replace the tiles and install a wood-burning stove.
The French-inspired coffee table was a flea market find.
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The living room also serves as an informal dining room; Eijkenduijn and van de Grint enjoy most of their meals there.
The renovation took a step backward in March 2010, when Eijkenduijn was diagnosed with a rare disorder affecting her red blood cells. Work stopped for a year while she recovered. "When things like that happen, you start thinking about things from a different perspective," she says. "You get to know yourself so much better and appreciate life and your health."
The moment she regained enough strength, she resumed blogging and got straight back to the house project. "Being optimistic was my savior," she says. Her home's joyous interior is an extension of her sunny outlook on life.
The renovation took a step backward in March 2010, when Eijkenduijn was diagnosed with a rare disorder affecting her red blood cells. Work stopped for a year while she recovered. "When things like that happen, you start thinking about things from a different perspective," she says. "You get to know yourself so much better and appreciate life and your health."
The moment she regained enough strength, she resumed blogging and got straight back to the house project. "Being optimistic was my savior," she says. Her home's joyous interior is an extension of her sunny outlook on life.
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The couple chose a fresh color scheme of crisp white and blue for the kitchen, with hints of red, pink and mint green weaving their way throughout the space in the accessories and wallpaper. "I wanted to have a clean kitchen that wasn't too girly," Eijkenduijn says. "I wanted to mix industrial, antique and modern styles, and I think I accomplished that."
The couple plans to replace the existing floor with a bright white Novilon floor, a type of vinyl, and add underfloor heating.
Wallpaper, pendant lamps: Cath Kidston (no longer available)
The couple plans to replace the existing floor with a bright white Novilon floor, a type of vinyl, and add underfloor heating.
Wallpaper, pendant lamps: Cath Kidston (no longer available)
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Simple white cabinets topped with wood countertops, open shelving and a traditional range hood give the room a country feel, while the wooden center island topped with zinc adds an industrial vibe.
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| Bright-colored accessories provide a quirky touch. Open shelving, a signature of almost every country kitchen, stores pretty crockery and many cookbooks. The house was previously run on oil, and the first thing the couple did was switch to natural gas. Then they got the electricity going and replaced the windows before getting starting on the aesthetics. |
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The kitchen fireplace holds a stash of cookbooks and mason jars full of goodies. A pale blue Smeg refrigerator was the inspiration for the color scheme.
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Just off the kitchen, through a little blue door, is a newly renovated guest bathroom, sporting a fresh blue and white palette with vibrant red accents.
Prior to the renovation, the guest bath was accessible only from outside the house, which was most inconvenient, particularly in the cooler months. With new tiling, a new toilet, a decorative sink and hardware, white wainscoting and an antique vanity cabinet, the tiny room is every inch the quintessential country guest loo.
Prior to the renovation, the guest bath was accessible only from outside the house, which was most inconvenient, particularly in the cooler months. With new tiling, a new toilet, a decorative sink and hardware, white wainscoting and an antique vanity cabinet, the tiny room is every inch the quintessential country guest loo.
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| The couple recently converted the home's existing sunroom into a mudroom-cum-pantry-cum–sunny back entrance. You can read about the transformation here. Old recycled doors were added to an Ikea cupboard to create a pantry, a cabinet was installed under a window, and an Ikea bench provides a handy spot for taking off shoes or dropping a tote. Fire-engine-red accessories bring out the red and blue floral design in the whimsical Cath Kidston wallpaper. Steel magazine rack: Present Time Treasury |
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A charming shelving system with coat hooks is a bright pop of pink that adds the finishing touch in this truly vibrant mudroom.
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Looking out into the back garden, we can see the remains of what was a thriving vegetable garden until just a few weeks ago. "I love my summer garden,” Eijkenduijn says. "In fact, it's a great summer house. We do lots of entertaining outside in the warmer months."
When the couple purchased the property, the outbuilding, which included the two walls shown here, took up most of the back garden. They removed part of it to create this vegetable garden.
When the couple purchased the property, the outbuilding, which included the two walls shown here, took up most of the back garden. They removed part of it to create this vegetable garden.
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The view from the back of the house may be bleak in fall and winter, but this little patch of land bursts with herbs, vegetables and wildflowers during the warmer months. The latest renovation project can also be seen here: a little porch, yet to be painted, that leads into the mudroom.
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| Eijkenduijn’s home office is the sunny space where she runs Yvestown, a lifestyle blog she began in 2004 that now reaches some 400,000 readers. A palette of pink and white sets a feminine tone in this room, seen in the white walls and subtle injections of pink found in the polka dot wallpaper and accessories. At her tiny workstation set against the wall, Eijkenduijn shares her own creative projects with her Yvestown readers, hoping to inspire them and make them happy. "I am quite a happy, optimistic person, and I want to reflect that in my blog," she says. Wallpaper: Cath Kidston (no longer available) |
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Eijkenduijn owes her interior design success to understanding her own style. "I know my style," she says. "I know that I use white, pink, red, blue and green. I stick to the palette and style, and it just works. I'm also not afraid to mix things up."
She admits, however, that she has doubted her style in the past and strayed from the color scheme, only to realize it didn't work and return to the initial concept. "If you have a good concept and it flows, stick to your guns," she advises.
Bookshelves: Besta, Ikea
She admits, however, that she has doubted her style in the past and strayed from the color scheme, only to realize it didn't work and return to the initial concept. "If you have a good concept and it flows, stick to your guns," she advises.
Bookshelves: Besta, Ikea
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Eijkenduijn says she has always been drawn toward a clean, feminine and floral style, even during her childhood. She remembers that her mother — also a longtime renovation and decorating enthusiast — allowed her to pick a Laura Ashley fabric for her bedroom. Eijkenduijn picked Emma, a floral pattern she teamed with white, that in many ways still reflects the same style she loves to this day.
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An original fire surround adds definition and character to the large space, providing a whimsical backdrop for a table for two used for meeting with clients.
This scene offers a great example of Eijkenduijn's skill in blending design styles. She paired vintage Bertoia chairs with a rustic antique table purchased in Sweden and a retro-inspired pendant, all against a Scandinavian-esque white background.
Pendant lamp: Cath Kidston (no longer available)
This scene offers a great example of Eijkenduijn's skill in blending design styles. She paired vintage Bertoia chairs with a rustic antique table purchased in Sweden and a retro-inspired pendant, all against a Scandinavian-esque white background.
Pendant lamp: Cath Kidston (no longer available)
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Set against a crisp white wall and surrounded by a collection of art prints and illustrations in white frames, this candy-floss-colored chest sitting at the entrance to Eijkenduijn's home office insists on being in the spotlight.
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| Every (renovated) inch of Eijkenduijn and van de Grint's home is perfectly curated, not least this office display atop the pink chest. Tones of pink, blue, white, green and red find a home in this simple but carefully styled display of books, stationery and a vintage typewriter. |
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Eijkenduijn is an avid crafter. Her hobbies range from sewing to knitting to crocheting, and she also loves drawing and illustrating.
Her own personal hobby room in the basement allows her to indulge in all of her favorite crafts.
Her own personal hobby room in the basement allows her to indulge in all of her favorite crafts.
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| Van de Grint built this island, topping it with an Ikea tabletop. It's practical and beautiful at the same time, enabling Eijkenduijn to spread out her fabrics while providing ample storage and display space below. |
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The basement also holds a number of beautiful antique pieces, which store yarn and other hobby supplies. Small vignettes enliven the walls and corners.
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A chair and simple peg rack hold the practical (cords and bags) and the decorative (dolls and ribbons). In another section of the room, bright-colored chairs add a sense of fun while on the far wall birdhouses are imaginatively covered with Cath Kidston patterns.
Eijkenduijn admits that both she and van de Grint have had to leave a few hobbies behind in favor of the renovation, which takes up most of their spare time. Thankfully, this fully equipped space provides all Eijkenduijn needs to enjoy the creative hobbies she still indulges in.
And beyond the craft room is ...
Eijkenduijn admits that both she and van de Grint have had to leave a few hobbies behind in favor of the renovation, which takes up most of their spare time. Thankfully, this fully equipped space provides all Eijkenduijn needs to enjoy the creative hobbies she still indulges in.
And beyond the craft room is ...
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| ... the most impressive man cave. Ever. For van de Grint, whose hobby is making furniture, having this basement space for storing wood, tools and supplies is perhaps his — and every woodworker's — wildest dream. Most homes in the Netherlands and Belgium simply don't have the space to accommodate such a hobby. The basement was a huge selling point for the couple. |
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When Eijkenduijn and van de Grint first laid eyes on their future home, they were astounded at the sheer space in relation to the asking price. Although the home was in an almost unlivable state when they purchased it, they knew they would be able to bring back some of the original charm and character.
“There was no hot water or electricity, the windows were falling off their hinges, the whole house was covered in ivy, and there were bats, rats and mice inside. It had been completely abandoned, and nature had taken over,” Eijkenduijn says.
With their eyes set firmly on the finished product, they started planning the renovation. The two are no strangers to gutting, plastering and painting; this is the fourth home they have renovated in the 13 years they have been together. Needless to say, they were quite aware of the amount of work a home like this would require for the kind of overhaul they had in mind.
Their advice to first-time home renovators: Don’t be put off by the work. Accept it and get on with it. It’s going to take over your life and will require an enormous amount of your time. Making a realistic plan and budget is also key, as well as being optimistic and daring to try new things.
See more photos of this house
“There was no hot water or electricity, the windows were falling off their hinges, the whole house was covered in ivy, and there were bats, rats and mice inside. It had been completely abandoned, and nature had taken over,” Eijkenduijn says.
With their eyes set firmly on the finished product, they started planning the renovation. The two are no strangers to gutting, plastering and painting; this is the fourth home they have renovated in the 13 years they have been together. Needless to say, they were quite aware of the amount of work a home like this would require for the kind of overhaul they had in mind.
Their advice to first-time home renovators: Don’t be put off by the work. Accept it and get on with it. It’s going to take over your life and will require an enormous amount of your time. Making a realistic plan and budget is also key, as well as being optimistic and daring to try new things.
See more photos of this house
Ideabook published on Nov. 16, 2012.
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How do they avoid feeling COLD in winter with all that bright white?
And it's nice to see Cath Kidston's work being incorporated so imaginatively.
Also, love the floor painting and was wondering what was used and does it hold up to shoes and furniture dragging of the chairs? Love the glossy clean look but how to do,what to use? Anyone know how to? Any help/suggestions on a really good paint for floors really needed and greatly appreciated.
Love the whole place!
I live in a climate that a lot of time is spent indoors for the opposite reason, extreme heat. My kitchen is open and light and has cooing bluish/lavender handmade glass tile. The wall cabinets are white and the island is dark, like a piece of furniture, as is the floor. The countertops are a cool off white (but sparkly) Caesarstone. With all of that I can run the air conditioner at least 3 degrees warmer, yet still feel cool. Turn on the fan, and I can raise it even.
In the wintertime, if it snows, it still feels just right to me. Like the home above, my accents are various shades of pink and other pastels. Somehow it all works.