What would a time traveler from the 12th century think, arriving today on the doorstep of Belgian design guru Axel Vervoordt's grand medieval castle?
The sight of all those white sofas would of course be disorienting, as sofas weren't invented in the Middle Ages when Kasteel van 's-Gravenwezel was built. But the castle's original owners might feel right at home amid Vervoordt's vision of moody luxury, where old and new mix in every room.
Ancient history is on display alongside the linen slipcovers In the indoor garden room that Vervoordt and his wife, May, use as a winter conservatory:
Above: Photograph via Telegraph.
Situated in a particularly picturesque part of Flanders, a center of wealth and influence in the Middle Ages, 12th-century Kasteel van 's-Gravenwezel is protected by a moat. The castle has since 1984 been the home of tastemaker Vervoordt, whose celebrity clients include Robert De Niro, Kanye West, and Sting.
To tour the penthouse suite Vervoordt designed for De Niro atop the Greenwich Hotel in New York, see On Top of the World: A Belgian Impresario Designs a Penthouse in NYC.
Above: Photograph via Elle Decor.
In the castle's orangery, a neutral palette place focuses attention on what's important: the architecture and, of course, the house plants.
Vervoordt made his name four decades ago as an antiques dealer unafraid to mix old and new in grandly proportioned rooms. In the castle, he reminds visitors of history in a way that feels utterly modern—in every room (of which there are 50).
Above: Photograph via International Student Senate.
In Vervoordt's orangery, potted citrus trees reach for the light. As the castle is surrounded by a moat, the grand piano in the corner is protected by potted plants including fig trees.
Above: Photograph via Marie Claire Maison.
Tapestries and candelabra are at home with an oversized white sofa designed by Vervoordt.
Above: Photograph via Caledonian Mining Company.
House plants in terra cotta pots live on a deep windowsills and a stone slab serves as a bench.
Above: Photograph via Marie Claire Maison.
Mix and match. Table linens, a luxuriously upholstered chaise, and climbing plants soften the rough-and-rustic stone and brick (and aid the acoustics by absorbing sounds that bounce off harder surfaces).
Above: Photograph by Kasia Gatkowska.
Over the years, the entrepreneurial Vervoodt has diversified—into interior design, art galleries, and property development and sales. Vervoordt's empire is a family business; sons Boris and Dick head the company's design and real estate divisions.
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Above: Photograph via Vestidos Lindos Atelier.
For Required Reading, we recommend Vervoordt's book, Wabi Sabi Inspiration, which describes how the simplicity of Eastern art and philosophy is the guiding principle in Vervoordt's work.
For more understated Belgian luxury, see:
- 10 Garden Ideas to Steal from Belgium
- A Magical Belgian Bed and Breakfast, $170 a Night
- High/Low: Glamourous Planters from Belgium
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