In the Belgian town of Tielrode, two artists transformed an inherited property, a former inn and café, into a nature retreat called Good Repose. A major part of the renovation was the south-facing courtyard and its semi-covered terrace structure. In quintessential Belgian fashion, the owners landscaped the courtyard with gravel, whitewashed and plastered the brick walls, and designed the exterior space with a suite of artful outdoor furniture. Here, we dissect the peaceful look, from the chairs and mini-BBQ down to the sturdy ceramic tableware.
Above: The owners prefer a whitewashed palette of white and light gray. A large concrete planter (left) is the only sign of plant life (culinary herbs). Photograph courtesy of Danica O. Kus. Above: The south-facing courtyard receives full sun. Here, the owners sit in the covered terrace. Photograph courtesy of Danica O. Kus. Above: An artful setup with vintage and new outdoor furniture. Photograph courtesy of Danica O. Kus. Above: The Big Green Egg, one of our favorite grills, is set up for simple outdoor dining. Photograph courtesy of Danica O. Kus.
Materials
Above: The owners finished the interior and exterior walls using a traditional Belgian plaster technique called kalei where a thin, chalky plaster—a porous substrate—is applied by brush. It’s traditionally used in facade restoration work to keep the walls of a building “breathing” and to regulate moisture. For something similar, Pure & Original makes Kalei Facade Paint. Above: The roof tiles on the building are green ceramic tiles handmade in Germany. For something similar, Bright Green Spanish Tiles (shape shown in white) are available at Ludowici. Above: Exquisite Surfaces has a range of Reclaimed Belgian Cement Tiles similar to the handmade cement tiles from Belgium used for the flooring in the covered terrace. The tiles measure 8 inches square and are available through Exquisite Surfaces.
Outdoor Chairs
Above: Part of designer Paola Navone’s collection of outdoor furniture for Serax, the Lounge Armchair in white aluminum ($710.02) is paired with the Serax Seat Cushion in white canvas ($300.26), both from Mohd.
Above: Designed in Italy by Guilio Cappellini, the Bong Table, shown in white-lacquered fiberglass resin, is $984 at Hive. Above: The Eos Square Outdoor Table designed by Matthew Hilton for Case is similar to the simple white side table in the garden; $495 at Design Within Reach.
