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Creating a Dream Home: The Collaborative Vision of Designer and Client

Designer Demeyer engages deeply with his clients by posing numerous questions to better understand their personalities and lifestyles. His chief talent lies in seamlessly integrating personal elements throughout a living space, crafting a profound sense of belonging. For Coussens, this is exemplified by unique touches such as window shades fashioned from his old jeans and a cherished bronze sculpture inherited from his grandmother, now a centerpiece on the coffee table in his sitting area. “I enjoy incorporating family heirlooms,” Demeyer remarks. “I focus on the stories these items tell rather than their aesthetic appeal.”

As a natural host, Coussens frequently entertains groups of varying sizes, from intimate gatherings to larger assemblies of up to 36 guests. This penchant for hosting raised a practical consideration for the home’s design: the need for increased sleeping accommodations for visitors. Demeyer ingeniously transformed two smaller rooms into a private en suite bedroom. Additionally, he reimagined a previously unused attic space into a cozy sleeping alcove featuring five beds, charmingly obscured by green tartan drapes and his signature fringe. “Many aspects of the house evoke memories of sleepovers at my grandparents’ home,” Coussens reflects. “It captures that sense of comfort, warmth, and safety.”

A hallway showcases several custom creations, including window treatments made from Coussens’s favorite blue jeans and a pearwood sconce by Vandenhulle.

Interspersed throughout the home are various local artworks, historical photographs depicting the area, and maps that narrate the regional heritage. “I appreciate a sense of place, yet with an element of surprise,” Demeyer explains. These artistic details not only anchor Coussens’s personal narrative but also connect the home to its historical setting—an area in Belgium acknowledged by UNESCO in 2023 for its numerous World War I monuments and landmarks. Simultaneously, the residence reflects its contemporary surroundings. “We often see tractors passing, friendly hikers, and even riders on horseback,” remarks Coussens.

In recounting the story of this home, one is reminded of the iconic Ralph Lauren sentiment: “I don’t design clothes. I design dreams.” Through their collaboration, Demeyer and Coussens have manifested a shared vision, leaving Coussens with the ultimate compliment: “I would do it all over again.”

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www.architecturaldigest.com