Together with her husband, she renovated a 17th-century almshouse in the beguinage of Mechelen, so Liesbeth is an expert by experience. On top of that, thanks to a past as a lawyer, in a notary's office and with a property developer, she knows the challenges involved in this kind of restoration, but above all she knows how much satisfaction it gives to give historic buildings a new, contemporary élan.

'We first lived in a renovated house on the Vesten in Mechelen,' Liesbeth explains. 'Later, when we went to live in France for a few years for my husband's work and then moved back to Belgium, we rented a house in the beguinage of Mechelen. It was so blissfully peaceful and quiet ... We instantly fell in love with the neighbourhood. When our current house was publicly sold, we didn't hesitate for a second. The condition of the 17th-century poorhouse was pitiful, so there were no other candidates, fortunately for us. I think the scale of the project and the renovation works put many people off, but thanks to my studies and job, I knew what we were getting into - or roughly anyway,' laughs Liesbeth. 

'The convent of the poor was fully protected both inside and outside. Everything was still in quasi-authentic condition, because the Church Factory, which had rented the building out for a long time, had not changed anything and it had been empty for years. Of course, we had to have things checked out by the Monumentenzorg (historical preservation society). A historical survey as well as a materials survey were required. Only then could we find out the full history of the building, what materials had been used over the years ... These investigations took a year. Looking back, those results helped us enormously in the restoration. You discover what is valuable and you literally see the traces that have been made in the house over the centuries. In the past, people used to choose to restore a house to the exact same state of one particular time. Now people rather opt to show the renovations that have happened over the years. So we have parts from the 17th century, but also retained additions from the 19th century. Very fascinating, getting to know the life story of your house this way.'

'That year full of research gave me the chance to walk around the house a lot. I still find that the best way to think about how to fill it. You notice how the light enters, how certain rooms feel or which layout is handy ... Take our second sitting area on the first floor. By spending a lot of time in the house before we renovated it, I discovered how beautiful the view is there. When the sun shines on the tower of the beguinage church, or the lights go on there in the evening, you imagine yourself in Italy ... Magnificent! Even our children remark how exceptionally beautiful the place is, and that's saying something," Liesbeth winks. 'So sometimes it pays to wait a while and think about how a building will best look.'

'Our collaboration with dmvA Architects was a hit. Together we thought about the best way to restore the house's great cultural, historical and aesthetic value. We chose them specifically because they believe in architecture with a future that serves the present. Our 'convent of the poor' was certainly not a lavish home, and they managed to follow that austere line perfectly. For me, it is super important to have peace and quiet after a busy day at work, and this place definitely exudes that.'

'We also continued the materials as much as possible. Take the Boom terracotta tiles: they used to be laid on the wooden plank floor to increase fire safety near the fireplaces. Very modern for the time! It was therefore a requirement of the Monumentenzorg (National Trust) that we put those Boom tiles back. Of course we did, but in combination with underfloor heating. So we incorporated contemporary comfort into a centuries-old building. The walls were also whitewashed again like in the old days. So we did not use (corner) profiles to make everything smooth and taut. dmvA Architects attached at least as much importance to that kind of crucial choice as we did.'

Another great example of how the old was reconciled with the new can be found in the attic, where the children's bedrooms are located. 'In that beautiful attic of over a hundred square metres, we absolutely wanted three children's bedrooms and a bathroom, but the preservation authority wanted the open space with the authentic rafters to be preserved. We doubted for a while whether we wanted to sacrifice the second living space with the fantastic view for it, until DMVA Architects suddenly came up with a great idea. They designed boxes between the beams, with very narrow, vertical mirrored areas in between, which visually extend the beams. 

All three rooms have guillotine doors, inspired by Japanese sleeping boxes. If you open them all, the room becomes one open space again. The beds are also on castors, so the children can roll their beds out when their friends stay over. Their toys used to be in the open space. Now that they are a bit bigger, it is the ideal teenage hangout with a sofa and some fitness equipment. So the attic proved perfectly transformable to suit any age.'

'Other modern elements in the house also fit perfectly with the original features. The room with the former bakehouse and washhouse at the back, now kitchen and dining area, got sleek windows in steel - a nice way to connect the old and the new. The gigantic fireplace had to be preserved, even though we actually wanted to open up that space. Again, our architects came up with a creative and original solution there: they placed a kitchen element in different levels, from the worktop to the bench in the breakfast nook behind the chimney. Together with the built-in table without legs, this all forms one whole in corian. And honestly? Actually, it's much nicer than if we had demolished the fireplace.'

'I admit that at times we cursed at the many rules and requirements of listed buildings. We had to think about everything - even the beguinage doors of this house are protected! At the same time, that does force you to be much more inventive. Having to sit around the table with three parties - architect, the Historic Monuments Board and ourselves - turned out to be a big surplus in retrospect. I won't say it made the journey easier, certainly not, but you do learn to see things that you might not always have been able to appreciate before. Now I find it incredibly rewarding that we took the house to the next level together.'

Not only architecture, interior decoration also plays a big role in Liesbeth's life. 'What is important to me is that a functional piece of furniture is also aesthetically pleasing. Never will I choose a piece of furniture that I don't like. A piece in our house that still makes me overjoyed every day is the beautiful desk by Bram Boo, son of artist Bram Bogart. A work by him also hangs here, green with a red card. It is called 'Carte de Bonheur' and it has not stolen its name, every time it makes me feel good. Surrounding yourself with beautiful things makes you happy. 

Furthermore, we try to buy as little as possible. This is not only more sustainable, it also keeps your home sober. There are so many ideas and plans in my head, so I like my house to radiate tranquillity. I instantly fell in love with the desk, and I enjoyed saving for it.

'I naturally take this instructive course into my job as an estate agent. Having experienced such an intensive renovation yourself, you can really speak from experience and feel much more comfortable with everything to do with registration duties, obligations and the legal framework. 

At Immodôme, we specialise in characterful properties, often with great historical value, so we fully realise that listed buildings are a hugely important factor. Personally, I find such a renovation a particularly pleasant and fascinating process to experience. Rebuilding does not have to be negative. On the contrary, you build something, which is actually a fantastic experience. So it can really become a project that actually gives you a lot of energy.'

'Thanks to the overall aspect that our own remodelling offered me - whether it was about windows, legal aspects, historical elements, remodelling grants or reduced registration fees - I think I can now call myself an educated expert by experience.

 Initially, I studied law to become a lawyer. Yet I chose the notarial option because of the subjects I found so fascinating, such as company law, real estate law and family property law. It helped that I had a prof who could talk about all those issues in a very inspiring way. I always had a great fondness for real estate. After my notarial internship, I was able to sit for the notarial exam, but it soon became clear that that was not my thing. Being a lawyer was always my dream, becoming a real estate agent too.'         

'For some years now, I have been taking another course in art history. That too is one of my great passions and I must admit, a world has opened up for me. It has enriched my life so much, as if it gave me an extra dimension. Once you learn to make those connections, you can understand art much better, but also modern art, architecture, politics and even wars ... It's all very closely intertwined with art history, only you only understand it when someone points those connections out to you.'

'The real estate dream always remained dormant. Before I joined Immodôme, I had been working in real estate law for a long time and was in charge of the legal affairs of a property developer. It was only when I got to know Immodôme that I realised: this is what I want to do. So I jumped, and I don't regret it for a second. I now have a really great job, in a blissful office moreover, with lots of character, parquet floors, artworks on the wall that change regularly and even a De Sede chair around the fireplace ... That place is the heart of our Mechelen office, and that cosy living room feeling really says it all for me. Now, I wouldn't want to work at just any real estate office. It was Immodôme - or nothing.' 

'Unlike in the legal profession, where every day consists of a lot of stress, disputes and problems, I now have enormously varied and even inspiring working days. I get to meet not only very fascinating houses, but also their interesting owners. The history behind a house can touch me deeply. The most beautiful stories cross my path, such as recently, when I had coffee with the grandson of Jos Chabot, a well-known Mechelen architect. He told me a lot of his family's stories. When he pulled out a photo book, where his grandfather is shown off in the photos alongside other top architects like Léon Stynen, I thought, waw ... How fantastic that this is my job!'