A blocky fireplace and a fold-down desk both feature in this rework of a 1960s home on the outskirts of Ghent, designed by Kortrijk studio Decancq Vercruysse.
Decancq Vercruysse oversaw a complete refurbishment of the mid-century Bungalow Sint-Martens-Latem, which is located in a woodland in Sint-Martens-Latem.
The house was originally built in the 1960s
While the exterior was largely restored, the inside was transformed with a reorganised layout, a repositioned entrance and all-new interior design and furnishings.
“The basic structure of the house was sound, but almost everything else needed to be renewed,” explained Emiel Vercruysse, who co-founded the studio with Hannes Decancq.
Decancq Vercruysse moved the entrance to the opposite side
“In essence, we had to restart from a raw structural shell,” the architect told Dezeen.
Home to a couple with two young children, the single-storey property is neatly divided into two wings. Communal family living spaces are on one side and bedrooms and bathrooms are on the other.
A fold-down desk creates a space than be used for work or play
Vercruysse’s scheme unites the previously separate kitchen, living and dining spaces, with an open-plan layout anchored by a central fireplace. This serves as a focal element, with a white-painted brick chimney breast that cantilevers in three directions.
The front door was originally on the garden side but was moved to the opposite facade. This increases the family’s privacy, setting up a new entrance sequence on the woodland side that is accessed via large stepping-stone slabs.
Living spaces are organised around the fireplace
Inside, this realignment creates a natural buffer zone between the two wings.
The old entrance lobby has been repurposed as a flexible work or play space, with a large fold-down desk allowing it to easily switch between uses.
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“As this is a bungalow, it was essential to create a soft and gradual transition between the day and night zones,” said Vercruysse.
“The multifunctional office space mediates the transition between the living spaces and the private areas.”
Custom-made joinery features a veneer of afromosia wood
The adjusted layout also gives the family three bedrooms, including a main suite with its own generous bathroom. This en-suite has a fully glazed endwall, offering views out into the woods.
The interior design is highly contemporary, but forms and materials draw heavily from original architectural details in order to achieve a sense of coherence between old and new.
Floor surfaces define different areas, with a mix of carpet and square stone tiles
White-painted brickwork is a consistent element, matching the exterior, while custom-made joinery features a veneer of afromosia, a dark-toned wood with a similar appearance to teak.
“We applied a subtle sheen to the wood finishes, a technique typical of the 1960s, which adds a sense of elegance,” said Vercruysse.
The main bedroom features a generous en-suite
Floor surfaces are carefully detailed to define different areas, switching between square stone tiles and carpet.
Stainless steel sits alongside wood in the kitchen and bathrooms, with key pieces including a pair of matching 1960s-inspired basin units. There are also floating shelves in the dining room and en-suite.
Finishing touches include a “hat” that was added to one of the chimneys to increase its sculptural presence.
This en-suite has a fully glazed end wall offering views of the woods
“It’s a pleasure to see how naturally the family inhabits the house, especially the children,” added Vercruysse.
“The open layout offers them plenty of freedom, and daily life revolves around the fireplace. From the very first day the house was delivered, everything felt right.”
A “hat” enhances the sculptural presence of the chimney
Bungalow Sint-Martens-Latem is one of several newly completed schemes by Decancq Vercruysse, as the studio celebrates its fifth anniversary.
Vercruysse also unveiled his own mid-century renovation, a revamp of a 1950s townhouse in Kortrijk featuring oak panelling, birch joinery and a patinated stainless-steel fireplace.
The photography is by Eric Petschek.