Even though the couple always worked in fashion and still run their children's clothing shop KleinBootje.Be in Mechelen, the affinity with architecture has always been there.

Laurent explains. 'I have always had this passion for architecture. I studied interior design at Coloma & the Thomas MoreInstitute, here in Mechelen. Yet in the early years it remained more of a passion and I worked for years in fashion wholesale, where I learnt an awful lot. 

Lisa used to have a women's boutique, so she was already into styling. She helps you style your wardrobe as well as your interiors. Moreover, she also turned out to be very keen and stylish in remodelling, and when we had done some projects together, Lisa pushed me to build on my studies. So I retrained myself in architectural drawing programmes and that's how we ended up starting our own business four years ago.'

Working together as a couple

'Lisa and I match tastes and styles tremendously well. Clients and friends regularly say that they would never be able to work together as a couple. Well, with us, work and home actually flow into each other very organically. Of course, we sometimes argue, but these are just as quickly forgotten. We think along the same lines, share the same tastes... 

Even our clothes we regularly match unconsciously. Twinning is winning, Lisa always says.' (Laughs.) 'It's actually really nice to work together. With two pairs of eyes you just see more. Sometimes you get stuck and stare at yourself blindly, then the other pair of eyes comes in handy. With a fresh, second pair of eyes you then see things sharply again. For us, that just works.'

Engineering vs aesthetics

'Now we have a project running in Elewijt, a client we are assisting with the conversion of an old farmstead. With such projects, we always try to add something new, while respecting the existing, of course. Take the alignment of windows. You don't see anything like that, many architects think. Well, I think this is very important. It is precisely that kind of detail that makes the difference. Maybe it's because of our background in fashion, but I dare to sacrifice something technical for something aesthetic, as long as it doesn't have a negative impact, of course. I don't see any harm in adding an extra window or lamp purely for aesthetic reasons. Exactly that is what makes you stand out, and this is then our added value in the project.'

Optimisation leads to perfection

'If I can choose, I would rather choose renovations than a new build. In an existing house, you can optimise things all the way to perfection. You can make something that is already good even better and that gives a very satisfying result. B2B projects I also enjoy doing, such as interiors of shops and hotels. These usually go much more smoothly because the client is usually less emotionally involved than when you design a family home. You then have just a bit more freedom to do your own thing.'

Timeless is priceless

'Timelessly modern is how I would describe our style. Turning something old into something timeless and making sure it all still fits together. A house that remains contemporary through the years, that's fantastic, isn't it? Like those beautiful block houses from the sixties, I love them! In terms of sources of inspiration, I like to look at Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Rietveld, Le Corbusier... I've always had a soft spot for them. These are still iconic designers today who designed not only houses but also furniture, you hardly find that kind of overall project anymore. I also get a lot of inspiration from fashion, like my top favourite Tom Ford. I also love his perfumery, because his perfumes are almost always unisex. To me, that makes him more distinctive than the rest.'

The cleanest house in Zemst

'We bought Villa Maria at a public sale. We instantly fell in love with it! Our intention was to renovate this beautiful 1912 Art Nouveau house and make it our calling card. The house is brimming with history and to many it is known as 'the cleanest house in Zemst'. The man who lived there was a lifelong bachelor, and we would be the first people to move in after the original family. Becoming the first occupant after the family itself. There's something special about that, I think.'

Unexpected twist

'The stately home has an awful lot of cachet and we have already done a lot of renovations in it, spent a lot of time in it and spent a lot of time in it. That we would sell it was not our original plan, but Liesbeth from Immodôme proved quite convincing.' (Laughs.) 'We then entered into the partnership and now that we are down that alley, we want to go ahead. Immodôme's proposal actually came our way quite by chance. Immediately we thought: if we ever want to move abroad again, it's now or never. Our children are still small, I have many relatives in Italy and the space and wide views there attract us like a magnet. It suddenly seemed like all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. When we see an opportunity, we try to seize it. There will be a reason we crossed each other's path.'

A dream come true

'That also means that we would very much like to finish Villa Maria according to the plan we had in our heads, together with the new owners. Of course, we also fully understand if that doesn't fit into their future plans, anything goes. Whatever the outcome, we notice that the house evokes a lot of emotion in everyone. Should anyone ever want to start something commercial there - a place for parties, restaurant, studios, a shop, you name it - it's definitely a smart move. Here you really have all the troeven: peace, privacy, history, a sublime garden, and all that in the heart of Zemst. It is in any case a house that, once finished, will be featured in magazines, and that kind of free publicity is only a good thing, if you ask us.'