Urban Indoor–Outdoor Living: How a Young Couple Rebuilt a “Charmless” Row House in Ghent

# Project snapshot Arthur Verraes of Atelier Avondzon and his partner, Kelly Desmet, bought a late-19th-century row house in Ghent that they describe as "charmless" and in poor condition. They worked steadily for three years, taking on an unusually large share of the construction themselves—repointing and rebricking walls, building cupboards and furniture, and tiling bathrooms—driven in part by a deadline: the impending arrival of their son, Lou.

# What they kept and what they rebuilt They preserved only the street façade and the floor structure. The rotten roof and ruined attic were rebuilt into a full third floor. The couple left the house's glazed white brick cladding visible, finishing it with a thin coat of plaster and rough-brush paint to keep texture. Green-glazed plinth tiles on the façade inspired the exterior palette: new windows, the garage door, and gutters were painted green.

# Interior organization and daylight strategy

# Kitchen and built elements The kitchen is a custom stainless-steel design by Bossuyt, a Belgian maker of professional-grade stainless components. Arthur cites Richard Rogers' 1969 Rogers House as an inspiration for the plan. The couple incorporated clever hidden storage: a plywood partition near the staircase houses cupboards and the fridge, and the island conceals a stove, microwave, and dishwasher on its far side. Many pieces—like their round dining table and built-in shelving—were built by Arthur and Kelly.

# Baths, finishes, and systems

# Outdoor space and planting

# Who did the work and why it matters here Both 31, Arthur trained as a civil engineer architect and used the project to get hands-on building experience. Kelly, a corporate lawyer, shifted into landscape work for the house. Their decision to do a large share of the construction themselves kept the design tight and coherent across materials and detailing and allowed them to adapt the schedule to family needs.

# Quick reference features

• Stainless-steel custom kitchen by Bossuyt
• Birch plywood partitions and built-in storage on every floor
• Porcelain stoneware tiles in upstairs bath (Winckelmans)
• Underfloor heating and roof-mounted heat pump
• Green roof, container gardens, and new outdoor terrace
• Completed over roughly three years, with much DIY labor