Europe—In Style
As you know, we had the good fortune to visit Europe this past spring.
Like two birds starved for European design, we flew into Amsterdam, hit Belgium, returned to Amsterdam, traveled to Venice for the Design Leadership Summit, and then finished our European tour back in Amsterdam, where our stay was slightly extended, thanks to a dramatic cloud of volcanic ash. What a trip!
Our first stop was Axel Vervoordt's Kanaal and Castle in Antwerp, Belgium, which was incredible. The antique dealer turned designer (and author) for the super rich sells high-end antiques at Kanaal; from these headquarters, a former Heineken brewery with a ton of raw space, he also directs his design process.
Vervoordt lives in the Castle—a separate building a couple of towns over. Of course he has renovated it, and he's always experimenting, with a tendency to use super rustic—almost decrepit—objects. It reminded us that we have a similar approach to experimentation in our own homes (which may not be actual castles, but which feel that way to us).
We stayed at the Hotel Verhaegen in Ghent, Belgium, a bed and breakfast featured in April 2010's Architectural Digest (Sam Kasten, a textile designer, recommended it to us). The owners provide hospitality in a beautiful setting. They transformed a small courtyard into a magical garden. Every detail of our stay was thoughtfully chosen, from the utensils and music, to the walls, scraped down to their original 18th century color. Each guestroom features a different design and personality.
To us, the venue spoke to a civilized European sensibility. When the owners were asked why they couldn't expand, they replied, "We can't put more rooms in. The dining table seats only eight." We relished the time we spent in this in-town mansion, and added to our ever-expanding stores of design experience and knowledge.
Dutch Treat
We also stayed the night in Amsterdam's Dylan Hotel.
(Heather's room at left.) Anouska Hempel originally designed the contemporary space. We enjoyed its
sophisticated and beautiful interiors.
At the end of our journey (thanks to the volcanic ash), we
lingered at the Seven One Seven, an exclusive private
guesthouse in Amsterdam. Of course, if one must be
stranded, it isn't so intolerable to be housed in a gigantic
room such as Heather's, complete with a ten-foot
sofa and table.
We soaked up the charm. One rings a doorbell to enter and is served a glass of wine on a tray in the evening. The vertical building, filled with antiques, had an array of singular rooms, such as the Mahler suite with a garden; its European design sensibility included grungy floorboards with rugs.
The Best of Venice
The highlight of our trip was the 2010 invite-only Design Leadership Summit in Venice April 11 - 15.
We rubbed shoulders with the region's elite, from Nicholas Haslam, British rock star interior designer, to Frederick Ilchman, a curator at the Boston MFA, and Paul Goldberger, the New Yorker's architecture critic.
Axel Vervoordt spoke at the Fortuny museum, a beautiful Gothic palazzo. Then we all dined wearing masks.
At the Fortuny factory, store, and garden we savored their luxurious cotton and linen hand-dyed, stamped fabrics.
We also enjoyed cocktails in the gardens of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection museum (Are you sensing a
theme here?).
The Palazzo Grassi and Punta della Dogana dazzled with a center courtyard, glass floor, thumping ambient music,
and thought-provoking art. (The 15th century building was Venice's port.)
We're looking forward to our next adventure in travel!
What's NextIn our next issue, we'll show off recent installations in Florida, Martha's Vineyard, and Wisconsin. You'll meet our new head designer, Amanda Richards. And we'll tell you all about the company retreat we just had in New Hampshire on September 16-17.
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