Living with art takes on a whole new meaning for Veerle Wenes, owner of Valerie Traan, the art gallery she created in her own home. Located in Antwerp, the gallery was designed by Lens°Ass Architects, a Belgium practice that excels in turning traditional spaces into contemporary dwellings. In this case, a traditional Antwerp dwelling was renovated to include an open gallery space with modern finishes overlooking a courtyard. The juxtaposition of the original building with the newly renovated spaces not only provides tension between the old and new, but also consciously blurs the boundaries between home and work. For more information, visit Valerie Traan.
Above: The original herringbone brick floor. Half of the house dates back to the 19th century while the other half from 1979. Above: A whitewashed live edge tabletop surrounded by mismatched chairs, one of them a Jens Fagor Raw Chair for Muuto. Above: The dining room stands between the kitchen, living room, and a gallery space. On the dining table is the Jens Fager Raw Candelabra for Muuto. Above: A Maarten Van Severen leather lounge chair in the living room. Above: A Flexform Sofa and articulating wall lights by Muller Van Severen. Above: A series of white painted shutters on windows and doors filter the light. Above: The kitchen is separated from the gallery by a large curtain. Above: A set of polyethylene Muller Van Severen Cutting Boards with Brass Hook for Valerie Objects hangs on the wall behind a stainless topped counter. Above: A Muller Van Severen Marble Box (2011) mounted on the wall. Above: A concrete floor, light wood cabinets, and stainless steel counter tops create a serene feel in the kitchen. Above: On the upper floor is a piece from an installation by Muller Van Severen. Above: A stone enclosure for the partially open shower in the bathroom. Above: The bathroom features walls of white painted cabinets. Above: A trio of vintage mirrors serve as the main mirror in the bathroom. A jewelry cabinet is nestled among the larger installation. Above: The bedroom with a darker palette than the rest of the bright white gallery-home space. Above: Veerle Wenes in her gallery. Above: The gallery space leads onto a pebbled courtyard with a concrete island. Above: A cement bench is built into the concrete platform island in the courtyard. Above: The simple, but striking courtyard space.
N.B.: This post is an update with new photography; the original story ran on September 17, 2012.
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