Best of est | Belgian Country Houses

Rural living in Belgium has a charm quite unlike anywhere else in the world. Affirmed by the likes of Vincent Van Duysen, the revered style draws most prominently from Flanders in Belgium’s north, where you’ll find the quintessential Flemish farmhouse.

The clutter-free Flemish farmhouse stays authentic to its agricultural roots through a subdued palette and refined use of raw natural materials. We’re satisfying our fascination with this pocket of rural Belgium and beyond with five of our favourite Belgian country houses.  

Residence DD by Pieter Vanrenterghem

Residence DD, designed by est Top 10 International Designer Pieter Vanrenterghem, is located on Belgium’s Western Front just outside of the historic village of Andikerk. A former farmhouse and cluster of outbuildings, Pieter took to the country estate with his soothing simplicity, renovating each rundown structure with a warm and textural natural material palette. “The interiors are very clean and minimal and consist of specific alignments,” Pieter says. “The use of natural materials softens these lines, making the spaces feel more human.”

The main house includes an open plan living area, three bedrooms and three bathrooms, together with an additional two bedrooms with ensuites in the surrounding structures. The other two outbuildings have been transformed into a fitness space with indoor swimming pool and a large lofty hall; a dedicated party venue. While no longer a working farm, the Flemish pastoral history emanates from the buildings’ preserved historic details such as the restored timber beams.

RDR Residence by Decancq-Otté Architecten

Interior and architecture studio Decancq-Otté Architecten designed the RDR Residence as a timeless Flemish country house on the remains of an old farm. The home appears as if it has always belonged to the landscape, following an L-shape plan for orientation, natural light and to trace the views of the surrounding countryside.

Just like most spaces in the home, the bathroom opens up completely to the outdoors through floor-to-ceiling glazing; letting you feel as though you’re taking a bath outside. The signature Belgian tones and textures thread their way through this country house, with hallmarks such as the Belgian linen curtains softening each minimal space. 

BS Residence by Vincent Van Duysen

The BS Residence by celebrated Belgian designer Vincent Van Duysen is perhaps one of the most recognisable Belgian country houses of all. Tasked with the revival of this farmhouse and its outbuildings, Vincent Van Duysen detailed the home with traditional Flemish materials; wide oak boards, aged bluestone, classic pivot hinges, red-tiled roof and kalei brick used both internally and externally. 

As with all of Vincent Van Duysen’s projects, BS Residence reveals the designer’s penchant for raw and tactile materials. In an interview with est, Vincent Van Duysen said his favourite materials are natural and express their individual character. “These are natural materials such as stone, wood, concrete, plaster, chalk, linen and natural fibres; they are all sustainable and age beautifully,” he said.

Flanders Farmhouse by Atelier 10.8

Atelier 10.8 designed this modern Flemish farmhouse for a young family who requested a spacious, open-plan layout. True to form, Atelier 10.8 made each space unique from the next through the use of natural materials. Atelier 10.8 director Julie Thiers said in the living, kitchen and dining zone, the client specifically wanted Herringbone floors with an aged patina. “We proposed to match it with natural stone; Muzillac travertine,” Julie says. “Those materials bring the rural sphere into the house.”

This Belgian country house makes a statement through its use of natural stone, particularly in the bathrooms where rich rust tones in one contrast with green velvet in the other. “The colour and texture give the bathroom warmth and refreshing quality,” Julie says.

The Bunkers

The Bunkers are located in Knokke-Heist along the Belgian coast. Once an abandoned 18th-century fort, The Bunkers now play host to a private residence and a five-bedroom bed and breakfast courtesy of Bruges-based architecture studio Govaert & Vanhoutte.

The restored farmhouse and barn – formerly the fort’s watch house and jail – feature a glass walkway and are clad with slatted timber screens that conceal sliding doors. Govaert & Vanhoutte pay homage to the foundations with a custom concrete kitchen island bench and basin in the bathroom, while Danish stalwart Vipp makes appearances in the kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms.