There’s no deck or patio at the back of the house—nature begins directly at the doorstep. "Our home steals as little space as possible from the setting. It is almost traversed by the forest,” adds David.
Annemie Lathouwers grew up in a forested enclave on the outskirts of Antwerp, Belgium. A nature preserve filled with stately pines, the area lured her back when she and her husband, David D’Hulst, began thinking about trading their house in the city for greener surroundings.
Several doors provide an entrance through the private outdoors space.
Another of the children's bedrooms.
Nine-year-old Stan reads on the platform bed his father built for him. A trio of birch branches helps to bring the outdoors in. The pendant and bed linens are custom.
David and Annemie's daughter swings in the living room. A door provides access to the lush backyard and surrounding area. “The kids have a lot of freedom. They have a big area where they can go and play without needing supervision,” says Annemie.
A look at the bathroom. “The window also gives a view out to the front garden and lets the morning sun in,” says David.
The oak cabinet in the living room was another secondhand find. “It had the exact measurements of the wall,” says Annemie. “We just needed to hang it.” The throw blanket is from La Femme Garniture while the pillows and pendants are custom.
With the addition of a curtain, a niche above the hallway will become a guest sleeping area. The chair is from IKEA.
The master bedroom features a closet in the corridor to use less space. Sight lines lead to the forest from nearly every space.
The view down from the bathroom window provides a closer look at the white and green pendants that Annemie made from glass found at a flea market. The doors and windows were crafted by carpenter Peeters Schrijnwerkerij, the side tables are custom, and the chair is a vintage find.
Concrete from the exterior continues indoors as a fireplace surround. For the couch, Annemie found the wooden base and cushion covers in a secondhand store and used baby mattresses as inserts. David made the oak back.
The hanging textile, which is used as a room divider, is by artist Nathalie Van der Massen.
Many of the furnishings were made by the couple from salvaged materials. David designed and built the oak cabinetry in the kitchen, which features a Mortex-coated island.
Dabito says he had to get creative to maximize the home’s small plot of land. The entire bottom floor is dedicated to entertaining, with two bedrooms upstairs.
“The fun part is choosing the materials, colors, and unique pieces that make the space truly shine,” says Dabito, like this Cronus chandelier by Corbett Lighting.
Rogers fit ample storage into both Lange’s bedroom and Delagi’s.
The open-concept bathroom keeps the sight-lines flowing, helping the compact space feel open and relaxed. (The toilet closet around the corner does have a privacy door.)
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