We are delighted that esteemed Belgian-based interiors firm Axel Vervoordt is working in conjunction with OKTA Construction on the interiors of Egerton Crescent.
Founded by Axel Vervoodt – interior designer, art collector, antiquarian and curator – almost fifty years ago, the company is still headed by a man considered by many as having the last word on taste; an interiors icon with a one-of-a-kind style and deeply considered philosophy of living.
The now globally renowned firm has been behind residential masterpieces for a whole host of celebrated individuals; past projects include Kanye West and Kim Kardashian’s Calabasas family home, Robert Di Nero’s New York’s Greenwich Hotel and Sting’s Tuscan estate.
Incredibly hands-on, when working with clients Vervoordt aims to first truly understand what they really want before aiming to bring an additional element into their lives through design. His central belief is that a home should be a personal expression of the soul; it should represent the way one wants to live, the ideas that define tastes, perspectives, and connections to the world.
Both immediately recognisable and unimitable, Vervoordt’s style is a unique combination of a love of the past with an unmistakably contemporary aesthetic. For him, juxtaposition, paradox and ambiguity are key. Not a fan of dramatic or harsh minimalism, Vervoordt prefers the softness of aged objects and materials, designed, curated and styled in ways that make them feel fresh – richness and depth meshed with simplicity.
Despite now being considered a design guru, Vervoordt has become well-known for prevailing against current tastes and styles; instead, he designs in line with what he loves and what excites him, rather than what is in fashion. A real sense of place – or design routed in locale – is a fundamental in all of his projects.
Vervoordt is deeply inspired by Eastern philosophy, especially the concept of Wabi Sabi; the acceptance of impermanence and importance of imperfection in beauty. Another important influence has been ‘volledig’, a philosophy that has emerged from his studies of Buddhism and quantum physics and which means ‘the fullness of emptiness.” He describes his work as ultimately about ‘silence and strength.’
Ambitious from the very start, his first project – aged 21 – involved restoring an entire street of 15th- and 16th-century houses in the historic centre of Antwerp. Decorating the finished product with art works and antiques, this was the start of stellar career in sensitive building restoration and interior design that continues to flourish today.
Photo courtesy of www.axel-vervoordt.com