A visit to Garnier Antiques and Interior Architecture, Belgium

Today, a visit to Northwest Belgium to visit the beautifully renovated, historical property, "Vaucelleshof" – owned by Brigitte and Alain Garnier of Garnier Antiques and Interior Architecture, a company that resides among the best of the best on our l&l loves list.

Vaucelleshof is located in the countryside just ten minutes from Bruges, near the medieval village of Damme a bucolic locale amid pastures, farmland and beautiful tree-lined canals and bike paths.

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The property is comprised of buildings from the 17th, 18th and 19th century, formerly an abbey for ten monks installed there by the Cistercian Abbey "Vaucelles" in the North of France, their primary goal to construct dikes in the area to protect the land from flooding.  

Antiquarians Alain and Brigitte Garnier lived nearby in the village of Damme and had admired the derelict abbey, so when it was offered for sale in 1999, they lost no time in acquiring the property and beginning the massive renovation required. 

The restoration was carried out over 10 years time, bringing all the modern conveniences to each of the buildings, but with great care to preserve the integrity and charm of the original structures.

Brigitte with her penchant for art and interior design and Alain, a 5th generation antiquarian, make a brilliant team. Blending antiques and reclaimed building materials with contemporary artwork and modern technology, they have turned the former farmhouse, stable and other outbuildings into a comfortable and beautiful home and showroom. In addition, they have allocated and designed areas to function as event spaces available to rent for weddings, seminars and other gatherings. (See links at end of post for more information.)

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The grand kitchen (140 square meters) occupies what was once the stable.

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 (see links to Garnier offerings by category at bottom of post)

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While I was visiting Garnier.be enjoying a tour of this enchanting property, I also browsed through their current antique inventory and selected a few (of many) lovely items to share with you.  (Hover over the image for a brief description and please visit the Garnier website if you would like to purchase or to obtain further details.  -See quick links to Garnier offerings by category at the bottom of this post.)

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Rock crystal chandelier, royal provenance, 18th century, Genova, Italy - Rock crystal is in reality quartz. A material of exceptional hardness with indices of light refraction close to that of a diamond, quartz has been mined and worked since antiquity.  In the Middle Ages, this rare material was used almost exclusively on religious objects.  A prohibitively expensive material, Cristal de roche was first mined in small quantities in the 17th century and its rarity forced artisans to innovate...

-excerpt from the Garnier website.  

continued (see pg 2/Chandeliers):  {Rock Crystal}  

Quick Links
 to 
Garnier Antiques & Interior Architecture 
offerings by category:

ANTIQUES:

New Arrivals

Armoires

Commodes

Coffers

Tables

Consoles 

Desks

Settees

Fauteuils & Chairs

Benches & Stools

Beds

Chandeliers, Lanterns & Appliques

Lamps

Mirrors

Objects & Curiousities

Paintings

Porcelain & Potteries

Sculptures

Tapestries & Suzani Embroideries

Historic Building Materials

Cambodia

HOME COLLECTION:

New Items

Sofas and Chairs

Coffee Tables

Tables

Desks

Consoles

Beds

Lighting

Garden Furniture

Various

TEXTILES & CURTAINS:

Curtains

Upholstery & Wood Furniture

Upholstery

Lamp Shades

Carpets

Tablecloths, Cushions, Bedlinen

Textiles & Fabrics

For information on renting Vaucelleshof, 

including capacity and catering details, go here:  {Your Event} 

 More images:  {Weddings} 

Recommended reading for more on the Garnier estate and other exceptional homes:  

New release (Jan/Feb 2013) from a publishing company at the top of our l&l loves list, Beta-Plus:  

The 100 Best Interiors in Colour

 - Along with 99 other inspiring interiors, the Garnier's home is featured in its pages. 

"The historic Vaucelleshof is situated between Bruges and the north Sea coast. The abbey and farmhouse complex belonged to the Vaucelle fathers and includes 17th, 18th and 19th century buildings.  The antiquarian couple Garnier acquired this domain in 1999 and started the restoration works that have lasted more than ten years."  –excerpt, The 100 Best Interiors in Colour.

..

100 Best Interiors in Colour (us)
100 Best Interiors in Colour (uk)
100 Best Interiors in Colour (ca)
100 Best Interiors in Colour (fr)
100 Best Interiors in Colour (de)

Garnier residence featured in the book

"Quiet Living" 

click image to order in the U.S.

 
Also available in these countries:
Quiet Living (de)
Quiet Living (fr)
Quiet Living (ca)
Quiet Living (uk)

In parting, a winter scene from Brigitte Garnier (her blog):

"This is the canal from Bruges to Damme (work of Napoleon), one of the most romantic places. In winter, when the water is frozen, we can walk or skate on the canal from Bruges to The Netherlands, through the historical village of Damme..." -Breathtaking Winter Views, Brigitte Garnier's Lifestyle

  

Such an idyllic setting...I hope you are feeling as inspired as I am after visiting the Garnier's beautiful home.

visit our new site:
www.linenlavenderlife.com

  

Most images via www.garnier.be

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{linen  & lavender}

visit our new site:

www.linenlavenderlife.com

See these previous posts:

Design Daily - Kitchen    and    Design Daily - A favorite kitchen 

and our collection on pinterest: