'My childhood home unexpectedly came up for sale when we had two small children and a dog. So the adventurous garden, masses of space and good accessibility came at just the right time! We immediately saw the property's potential. In the first few years, we made some necessary adjustments, but it wasn't until ten years later that we started the large-scale renovation. In doing so, we took care to preserve the original character as much as possible. We chose really durable materials and decided, for instance, not to replace the windows at the back with gigantic windows, but to extend the windows downwards. That gives a very nice play of light inside.

The house and everything around it is full of stories, which is so nice. Both the house and the mill were built in hand-formed bricks fired on site in a field kiln, with clay extracted from the lake behind the mill. Claying the house gave the bricks an extra layer of protection and allowed them to 'breathe'. A few years after we sealed our house, the province of East Flanders did the same with the mill. So the two fit together again nicely. There are two more mill stones in the garden: a 'manneke' and a 'vrouwke'.

Carts used to drive via the garden gate over a cobbled road to the mill gate. As the road no longer led anywhere, we removed a large part of those beautiful old cobblestones. We reused them in the construction of the parking in front of the garage and for the path along the front façade. Adjacent to our garden, the mill is in a park area.

I think I will especially miss the beautiful light and large spaces. And no doubt my fantastic kitchen too! And the garden full of trees and birds ... That unique combination of a large garden with mature trees, in the middle of a village, is just perfect. Everything is easily accessible and yet you have lots of privacy and a cosy garden. Nearby you can make very nice bike trips. By the way, the house is really ideal for partying. Everyone can easily walk in and out through the many garden doors, and then such a low-maintenance floor is really a big advantage...'