Belgian architects Govaert & Vanhoutte and interior designers Atelier 10.8 extend on an existing two-storey barn for a young family on the outskirts of Kortrijk, West Flanders.
Near the French border in the Flemish province of West Flanders, Belgium lies the city of Kortrijk. For a project of the same name, Govaert & Vanhoutte and Atelier 10.8 have transformed a former barn into a warm and tactile family home by introducing a subdued material palette that pays tribute to the building’s heritage.
The kitchen features a gold slimline pendant by Copenhagen makers ANOUR and CB-23 Tractor Bar Stool by BassamFellows.
Looking through the kitchen, the Applique 2 Bras Droit Pivotant by Serge Mouille makes a statement in the living room.
Atelier 10.8 co-founder Henri Van den Broeke says it was important the redesign paid attention to the original elements of the home. “When renovating this house, the biggest challenge we faced was to create unity between the old barn and the new extension without losing any character,” Henri says.
The new addition houses the kitchen and family room, laundry and garages, while the old barn holds the entrance, office, dining room and sitting room. All of the bedrooms and the master bathroom are contained upstairs.
The kitchen layers travertine, walnut veneer panels and terrazzo specifically developed for the house, illuminated by a custom gold slimline pendant by Copenhagen makers ANOUR. Matt black joinery hardware, tapware and cookware gently punctuate the space, emphasising the intentionally timeless aesthetic of the home.
In the dining room, the Austere Chandelier by Hans Verstyuft for Trizo21 hangs above the dining table.
Uninterrupted views of the countryside are accessed through full-height glazing from every room, shrouded by soft grey sheers. A hallmark of Belgian residential design, the home features oak floors and textured walls through the communal areas.
Upstairs, Govaert & Vanhoutte have kept the existing shell of the barn, retaining the high pitched ceiling, timber beam and dormer window. Contemporary finishes like the Ceppo di Gre stone-clad bath and streamlined oak cabinetry link the old barn to the new modern construction below.
Atelier 10.8 and Govaert & Vanhoutte’s respectful intervention has transformed this rural barn into a refined and spacious family home that pays tribute to the Flemish style of the region.
