Between the Forest and the Sea: A Steel-Framed, Tiled Vacation Rental in the Bruges Countryside
Not so long ago, fashion designer Eva Maria Bogaert, her husband, Pieter Van Hoestenberghe, a notary, traded city living for the countryside on the outskirts of Bruges. They have two young children and were delighted to be surrounded by woods a bike ride away from the North Sea. But there was something missing: “in the artistic realm, things are very quiet here,” says Eva Maria, who specializes in handmade, small-batch clothing from surplus fabrics. She’s also a painter, sculptor, and energetic collector (she once purchased 60 vintage school chairs). And so, when the tear-down on a leafy parcel right next door went on the market, she and Pieter saw an opportunity: why not import some energy and culture to their own backyard?
They bought the lot with the idea of opening an “atypical countryside retreat,” a spot that could serve as a vacation rental, a workspace for Eva Maria, and a gathering spot for creatives—”an artist-in-residence studio or an art gallery,” she says. Their plans called for flexibility, and, after brainstorming with the couple, Mo Vandenberghe of Studio Moto, a Ghent-based architecture firm, rose to the challenge. The modular, steel-framed structure that he came up with is comprised of twin adjoining residential units as well as Eva Maria’s atelier, all of which overlook a shared garden—and can shift roles in the future as desired. Eva Maria furnished the interior with an invitingly homey, modernist mix, much of it on loan from her own house. “It’s an experience of my creative world,” she says of the setup.
Photography by Stijn Bollaert, courtesy of Studio Moto (@studio.moto), unless noted.
Above: The two-story structure has a modular, industrial steel frame and a surprise exterior clad in yellow and pale gray glazed tiles. The side-by-side vacation rentals were dubbed Eva and Maria: “they’re mirror versions of each other, but each has its own distinct color, mood, and interior styling,” explains Eva Maria.
The house is located in the West Flemish village of Varsenare, just 20 minutes from the cities of Bruges and Ostend, known for its 7 kilometer beach. Paul Deroose Landscape Architects designed the meadow garden.
Above: When neighbors saw the exterior tiles, they dubbed the house The Swimming Pool. Shaded by an aluminum canopy, a terrace runs around the back and sides and a fully glazed lower level offers true indoor-outdoor living.
The structure, Studio Moto writes, was designed to be sustainable and has “excellent thermal insulation, solar panels, two heat pumps, and systems for rain water collection and reuse, making it fully self-sufficient.”
Above: The tiles were imported from Germany. Eva Maria tells us: “there are not many craftsmen left who still master this technique. So Mark [from Maveau, their construction firm] tiled the entire building himself.”
The exterior pattern reflects the building’s simple construction: the steel structure is composed of a grid system of 10-by-10-foot modules with plywood infill walls and floors—scroll to the end to see a floor plans and an open model of the design. In addition to being affordable, the modular approach, Studio Moto notes, “allows for the creation of various spatial configurations, enabling the building to adapt and evolve.”
Above: Join us for a tour of House No. 1, Eva, which has a green and white palette and Togo lounges. Eva Maria says she never pays full price: when buying new, she gets deals on showroom models and scours second-hand designer furniture site Whoppah. She also collects vintage fabric to make clothes and uses the leftovers for throw pillows.
Above: A classic Gubi Semi Pendant hangs over the dining table surrounded by some of Eva Maria’s aforementioned school chairs. The flooring is eco-friendly Marmoleum. The modular aluminum shelving against the wall is a Studio Moto design available in the US from Finch Hudson: see Stack Build Your Own Storage. Photograph via Eva Maria.
Above: The custom kitchen is finished in Valchromat, a sophisticated, sustainable MDF, and has Miele appliances. There’s a powder room and cellar door hidden in the background.
Above: A sculptural open stair leads to two bedrooms, an office/child’s room, and a bath. Studio Moto used Polish pine plywood and celebrated a variety of graining. The wood is finished with a transparent matte varnish.
Above: The view over the double-height living area.
Above: The bedrooms are clean and simple. In some spots, Eva Maria customized the Verilin linen curtains and bedspreads by painting on them. The blue-gray flooring is Marmoleum.
Above: The bathroom has a window overlooking the downstairs living area. It has a vanity of Valchromat MDF and green tiles from Mosa, a Dutch line available in the US. Pieter reportedly found the round mirror on Amazon and DIYed it to work in the space.
Above: Eva Maria makes one- (and few-) of-a-kind pieces for her eponymous fashion line (@evamaria.bogaert). Her studio duplex occupies the far end of the house—and she welcomes visitors on Wednesdays from 2 to 6 pm or by appointment.
Above: The room where Eva Maria stitches her designs. “I work with fabric surpluses, end-of-series, and accidental finds,” she says. “Once a piece is sold, there will be no second. It is for the lucky finder.” She doesn’t take commissions: “I like to feel free in what I design and make.”
Above: Studio Moto’s design was inspired by 1950s horizontally-oriented, geometric structures. This mockup shows the modular grid system.
Floor Plans
Above: The ground floor. The divided structure is 525 square meters, with side-by-side rental houses and Eva Maria’s fashion workshop on the far end. The site is 1,250 square meters (hot tub included).
Above: The bedroom floor: The rental units each have two bedrooms and an office/child’s room, and are available separately or together.
Interested in checking in? Go to Eva Maria.
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