‘Belgique Excentrique’ is the title of a recently published book about Belgian interiors. Author Thijs Demeulemeester – Photography by Diane Hendrikx.
Cover ‘Belgique Excentrique’ by Thijs Demeulemeester & Diane Hendrikx - Luster Publishing Belgium
Belgian interiors usually evoke refined country rustic interiors with a muted and neutral color palette, with all tones of beige and greige. Spaces tending to be furnished unpretentious without clutter.
With this book, journalist Thijs Demeulemeester and photographer Diane Hendrikx, wanted to reveal other enchanting beauty behind the façades of Belgian homes.
Belgique Excentrique book spread – Photo credit Diane Hendrikx
They selected 16 flamboyant and eccentric interiors of inspirational Belgian homeowners, from antique dealers, to collectors and decorators.
All interiors are colourful and fun, showing bizarre combinations of objects with different patterns and styles. The homeowners dare to follow their passion and combine pieces that are stylistically disparate but that create an interesting dialogue. A flea-market painting can easily hang close to ‘an old master’ painting. A geometric patterned wall paper combined with a baroque chandelier. ‘Eccentric’ means : no avoiding to combine a unique piece with serial products. ‘Eccentric’ does also mean : flirting with the limits of bad taste in making very daring combinations.
Belgique Excentrique book spread – Photo credit Diane Hendrikx
A lot of the homeowners are passionate collectors and every object they acquire, has its own story. It’s not necessarily about expensive pieces but more about the creative way of arranging the rooms they live in. The interiors in this book are the opposite of the ones that are too civilized and too well thought-out. We don’t have to take the interiors too seriously.
No beige or greige to find in this book, no peaceful symmetry, no minimalism to see. No perfectly balanced or formal interiors to discover. But eclectic maximalistic interiors where objects and their combinations are continuously catching your eye. ‘Curiosity rooms or cabinets’.
The homeowners, who are often professionals in decorative business, admit the influence of flamboyant 20th century decorators or set designers such as Tony Duquette, Billy Baldwin, Madeleine Castaing, David Hicks and Dorothy Draper.
It is a book full of flamboyance and personality, both in interiors and homeowners.
‘Belgique Excentrique’, your perfect Christmas gift.
To order the book, please click here.
My copy of the book is already completing my home library collection. Picture by me
xx
Greet
All photos with permission of Thijs Demeulemeester, author of Belgique Excentrique.
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