In Belgium, Twin Sisters With Distinct Styles Build Two Vibrant Homes—One Above the Other

From the outside, the Van de Velde sisters’ apartments in Ghent appear seamless, contained within a new mixed-use building inspired by the work of Robert Mallet-Stevens and designed by Lien Van de Velde’s partner, Jeremy Godenir. But inside, it’s a different story: Each apartment reflects the style of its residents. "The true visionary was my mother, who bought the industrial building" that was on the site before, Lien explains. Though her mother wasn’t a designer, she could tell the property was ripe for reinvention. "The only one who was interested was me, the crazy architect," says Jeremy, who based his studio on the ground floor. When he and Barbara’s partner, Karel, mentioned to their in-laws that the site would be a lovely place to live, the wheels started to turn.