More than one string to Belgian photographer Bieke Claessen‘s bow. Just like there is more to Belgian design that spartan minimalist modern design. How about a softer more traditional take? Ok not soft as in fluffy and frou frou. We all know that the Belgians aren’t into soft and fluffy. It’s more like a restrained high style from the Low Countries. Still with that light touch that Bieke brings to her lens.

Less is more. No nonsense. Straight up. Restrained. Tightly curated. Minimalist and modern. Clever insight. No need to embellish. As it is. Unencumbered. True and simple. Beautiful but spartan. I’m not just talking about Belgian design. I’m talking about Belgian photographer Bieke Claessens‘ portfolio.

Bauhaus meets Madame de Pompadour. Dining room by French designers Coorengel & Calvagrac.

Just for our Australian and New Zealand readers. A sneak peek at the new Freedom Winter collection. My Freedom insider sent me a teaser of what is in store in the coming weeks. “A lot of the homewares are arriving in the next week or so – and furniture March 5 onwards.” That black and white and colour pop rug is definitely coming home with me and I’m still hankering after the Drum coffee table and side table from last season. As for the chaise below…  yum. Wonder if I can ditch my table and chairs and move it into my dark blue dining room? Change it into a library? Friends can surely eat on their laps when they come round for dinner. Styling for the catalogue is by Megan Morton so I can’t wait to see how she puts the collection together.

Got a problem? Need some help? Just standing there shaking your head? Don’t know what to do? You’re not alone. Send us a link to photos of your design quandary and let the Desire to Inspire design crew help you…. that’s you lot… the readers! This week’s problem comes from Jackie.

My hubby & I (and 3 children & 1 yellow lab) live in Reading, Mass about 15-20 minutes north of Boston. We’ve lived in our 1901 4-square colonial for about 4 1/2 yrs now.  We love it and there is so much potential with our home – but we don’t know where to start. 1st off – all original (dark) woodwork throughout the home. The front hall is huge for a “hall” – its more like a greeting room so we don’t know how to decorate it. We have pocket doors, 2 sets of stairs and a fireplace immediatly greeting you as soon as you come in.

We never see a house/woodwork like ours on any design shows and I am at such a loss as how to decorate with it all. Its very warm & beautiful but it can be so dark. Yet everyone tells me not to paint it – none of it. (including my husband). I look in a million magazines and email sites… Nobody shows anything like our home. It seems woodwork is painted white 99% of the time. We have 100+ yr old woodwork we really don’t want to paint (at least not all of it).

The house is a diamond in the rough. I love the home & most of our belongings – its just that I feel right now the house shows more like an older person’s house & not a young couples… I would call our taste Traditional but with a modern twist. Right now between the dark wood & all our antiques/wood furniture – I feel it just looks like Grandma’s house! ;0 I want to funk things up…and lighten things up!  I have had 2 different ladies in here to help us &…well lets just say those are long stories.

We are on a budget.  We plan on: