When Jacqueline and Conrad first discovered what is now their home in Bruges in the 1990s, not only was it by accident, but it puzzled their friends as well — at a time of minimalism in interior design, the ornate interiors dating from 1938-42 (when the building was first built), were thought eccentric at best. But Jacqueline and Conrad fell for the spacious rooms and beautiful natural light, and moved in. Initially, they had plans to do a little renovating to parts of the building, but ultimately, it never happened. Instead, they found that once they'd moved in, it immediately had a lived in and home-like atmosphere. Conrad, who studied painting and now restores historic interiors, notes that these days older houses often end up losing their personality when renovated — and what makes them interesting. So they left the original plasterwork and other details, finding it a sympathetic background for their extensive collections of art and objects gathered from all over the world. Now, of course, their friends love it as much as they do. More (in Dutch) here on Knack Weekend.
(photos by January Verlinde)