A few weeks ago, I visited my friends Caroline and David in their beautiful home at the hip Zurenborg-neighbourhood in Antwerp. Caroline works as a lighting designer, and David as an architect, so it’s needless to say that this couple has style. A few years ago, Caroline invested in some timeless basics: a white dining table, a black standing lamp and a modern but neutral grey sofa. She likes to change her interior regularly, so good basics are a must. She got inspired by neutral Scandinavian interiors while doing her masters in lighting design in Stockholm and tries to find a perfect balance between vintage and modern items. Throughout the years she collected objects and furniture and likes to approach her interior as a long term project. “You can’t decorate your whole apartment in a week, it has to grow with you over the years.” – Caroline says.

Caroline found the vintage cabinet in the living room in ‘Vintage wooninrichting’ and many of her accessories are from her Swedish friend Jessica Lehikoinen, who was born and raised in Sweden, where she started collecting vintage items since she was very young. Since a few years she is living in Belgium, so if you live close and are interested in having a look at her collection, don’t hesitate to contact her.

The bulbs in the living room are a DIY project Caroline did herself. She taped a big light bulb on one side and sprayed half white, which she combined with a brass socket and cable from the hardware store. Above the dining table, where a lot of light is needed, the bulb is coated on the top, to allow direct light on the table. At the couch it’s nicer to have indirect light to give a nice atmosphere, so there she coated the bottom part of the bulb. A smart tip for you straight from a lighting designer’s home !

In the workspace, you can see Caroline’s own work: her interior architecture master project ‘Toi et moi’ (you and me in French). Her piece provides a seating area for a learning environment for two people. When these two people turn around a little bit, they are invited to start communicating with each other.

When I asked Caroline if she had any tips for you to make a modern, calm and minimal interior like hers, she said that it’s important to create a mood-board with the materials and colours you have in mind. When you let some colors and materials come back in your interior, you will create a more coherent environment. She loves color, but likes to use it in a very subtil way. I couldn’t agree more and fell completely in love with Caroline and David’s home.

Living room: Black standing light from Habitat // sofa from Morres wonen // Around coffee table by Muuto // Don’t leave me coffee table and Lup candle holder by HAY

Pictures by Sarah Van Peteghem