COLLECTION_ Belgian getaways

COLLECTION_ Belgian getaways - where to sleep on a city trip in Belgium

Exploring cities close to home might not sound that exciting, but it’s something I’ve always been a fan of.  Spending a few days in a city that’s only a train ride away, to catch up with old friends and discover the city’s newest additions… Sign me up anytime, really!  Staying in a beautiful hotel or holiday home brimming with interior inspiration is the cherry on the proverbial cake if you ask me.  To convince you to take a city trip in Belgium for a change, I’ve collected nine places to sleep all over the country.  Ranging from luxurious hotels to affordable Airbnb’s, there’s surely something for everyone here.   (By the way, if it’s your first booking on Airbnb you can get a discount through this link.)  If you just can’t get enough of this list, I recommend you to take a dive into my archives for a lovely cabin in the woods and stunning B&B’s in Bruges and Knokke-Heist.

  1. Rooftop loft with a fantastic view over Brussels, book it here.
  2. One of my favorite examples of Belgian architecture, the brutalist home designed by Juliaan Lampens.  Make your reservation here.
  3. Cosy room in a bright and airy house in Ghent.  Tested and approved by yours truly!  Arrange your stay here.
  4. The Boho Cave in Rica Guesthouse brings Ibiza vibes to Ghent.  Make sure you check out their Apollo Suite too!  More info here.
  5. The architects of Blancooo hosts no less than three holiday homes in Antwerp, all impeccably decorated with young Belgian designers.  Discover them here.
  6. You might never want to leave Bea b&b on the Belgian seaside. It’s ran by interior designer Bea Mombaers so expect to be wowed!  Book your stay here.
  7. Graanmarkt 13 is not only the home to a mouthwatering restaurant and a beautiful shop, but it’s also a gorgeous holiday home, designed by famous Belgian architect Vincent Van Duysen, for 6 people in the center of Antwerp.  Find more info here.
  8. Clouds 9000 is a coffee shop meets webshop meets b&b in a former chapel on the outskirts of Ghent. Make your reservation here.
  9. Hotel Pilar is the place to sleep in the South of Antwerp, while simultaneously taking care of your food and shopping cravings.  Discover Pilar here.
COLLECTION_ Belgian getaways - aupaysdesmerveillesblog - Graanmarkt 13 COLLECTION_ Belgian getaways - aupaysdesmerveillesblog - Clouds 9000 Gent COLLECTION_ Belgian getaways - aupaysdesmerveillesblog - Rica Guesthouse GentCOLLECTION_ Belgian getaways - aupaysdesmerveillesblog - Gent Tim Rogge COLLECTION_ Belgian getaways - aupaysdesmerveillesblog - hotel Pilar Antwerpen COLLECTION_ Belgian getaways - aupaysdesmerveillesblog - Brussels rooftop loftCOLLECTION_ Belgian getaways - aupaysdesmerveillesblog - Juliaan Lampens COLLECTION_ Belgian getaways - aupaysdesmerveillesblog - Bea Mombaers COLLECTION_ Belgian getaways - aupaysdesmerveillesblog - Blancooo Antwerpen

WORK_ Caroline Notté

WORK_ Caroline Notté by Hannelore Veelaert for aupaysdesmerveillesblog.be

A few months ago I was asked to photograph the studio of Caroline Notté for De Morgen Magazine.  Not knowing her work, I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered my shoot location of the day.  When I showed a few sneak peeks of the interior on Instagram and asked if you’d be interested in a blog post about it, you were pretty clear.  So here it is!

The studio of the Brussels interior designer and architect is located in Ukkel, a rather fancy neighborhood in Brussels. The gallery found its home in architect Louis Herman de Koninck’s former home.  Built in 1924 by the designer of the famous Cubex kitchen himself, the building is an absolute icon of Brussels modernist architecture.

Caroline Notté gave the iconic building a new life as her office and a “collector’s cabinet ” where avant-garde designers, artists and visual artists are displayed and for sale. The gallery, with works by David Umemoto, Pol Quadens and Sammode Studio  is open every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 2pm to 6pm and absolutely worth a visit.

Caroline Notté Gallery - Avenue Fond'Roy 105, 1180 Ukkel - website - instagram

PS. Curious for more of my work?  Have a look at my portfolio, my archive or stay up to date through Instagram!

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EXPLORED_ Siblings Factory in Brussels

siblings factory via au pays des merveilles

Today I present you a new hotspot in the super hip Dansaert district of Brussels.  Siblings Factory is a new concept store, selling everything from beautiful clothing and accessories by brands such as Le Mont Saint Michel and Cacharel, to interesting magazines, gorgeous vintage furniture and design objects by architect Julien De Smedt, who is also responsible for the design of the store.  On top of that, they also organize art exhibitions (at the moment they are hosting an exhibition by Carine Brancowitz, which I’m dying to see) and they told me they were planning on making a coffee bar in the store as well.  If you’re still not convinced: they intend to donate a portion of their annual turnover to Afghanistan Demain, an association fighting for education for street children.  And… they have cacti for balustrades!  Enough said, now go take a look for yourself at 31 rue du Vieux Marché aux Grains in Brussels.

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ROYAL GREENHOUSES OF LAEKEN

Over 20 photos in one post isn’t too much, or is it?  Sometimes I just can’t help it, sometimes I really can’t kill my darlings!  (Oh wait, you should’ve seen the amount of photos I started with…)  A few weeks ago, me and some friends paid a visit to our Belgian king, or much rather the gigantic greenhouses in his even more gigantic garden.  The royal greenhouses of Laeken are wonderful and certainly a must-see, too bad they are only open for the public during the month of April and you’re not allowed to visit all of the domain, only a specific route is public.

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BOZAR

A few weeks ago, I went to see the Cy Twombly exhibition in the Bozar in Brussels.  Besides Cy Twombly, I also took a look at NICHE, Bozar’s micro exhibition of young Belgian architecture and the Image / Construction ‘3 cities’ series.  These three exhibitions are still showing, so I suggest you pay a visit to the Bozar soon!

all photos by me

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