After a short 1-hour 40-minute train ride, we arrived at Antwerp Central Station. Considered a little gem of Art Nouveau architecture, we quickly fell under its spell and were already approaching the rest of our journey with a touch of optimism! After a quick stop in the Meir, we were already looking for a nice restaurant. Our usual veggie stop, "Juliette," was unfortunately closed. As a result, we got lost in Sint Andries Square and stumbled upon a truly authentic bistro: "Beestenbos." A superb discovery: an all-you-can-eat buffet lunch on Sundays that was very healthy and simply delicious. The owner, a jovial, bearded man, introduced us to his own beer, "alles kapot," which made us laugh a lot. It was an opportunity to share a few words "in het Nederlands, aub." A true cultural exchange in itself!


After this gastronomic break, we headed to Kloosterstraat to get to the heart of the matter. There were so many decor stores, so many that we didn't know where to look first. In a jumble, we were able to admire the latest Serax collection in the "The lab+" store: lovely boudoir-style decor punctuated by the very theatrical "Rey" pendant lights by Ann Demeulemeester and the delicate porcelain lamps by Anita Le Grelle. A little further down the street, we came across "Espoo," which specializes in Scandinavian design. We were able to browse our classics from Hay, Muuto, Moebe, And Tradition. Not far away, we also visited Vitra, still as iconic as ever. And a little further along Nationale Straat, or perhaps Kammenstraat, we discovered the children's store (and more) Studio Play and the stationery specialist "Wunderkammer Stad Leest." A real feast for the eyes!

 


  

 

A short break at our urban lodge, then we headed to the other side of the main square (towards the north). Urban vegetation is omnipresent, with vines growing from one facade to the other. Wijngaardstraat is worth a detour. We ended up at a small Korean restaurant that might not look like much, but it delighted our taste buds. The atmosphere was relaxed at a small table set on the sidewalk overlooking the kitchen.


After a good night's rest and a lovely stroll through the southern district: superb wooded park and marvelous facades on all sides, then the return journey along the restored quays, we arrived at our supplier And Tradition, who was holding an open house for the occasion. Always warmly welcomed by Apolline, the French representative, we visited this beautiful residence full of charm and elegance. The program contained nothing but beauty: the understated, Scandinavian elegance of the Inland sofa, the architectural minimalism of the X HM10 armchair, the sleek and warm design of the Ita table, the refinement of the Gio lamp, and so on.

 
  
  

We then walked through the rain to take refuge in the Roest restaurant for a hearty meal in a beautiful green setting. Just enough time to cross "het eilandje" and admire the contemporary architecture of the MAS (Museum of the History, Art, and Culture of the City of Antwerp) and we were already at our other Scandinavian supplier: HAY. Here too, the welcome is warm, with Sofie giving us a tour in impeccable French. It's an opportunity to discover Hay's latest products, such as this exclusive earthenware collection, the result of a partnership between Hay and designer Emma Kohlmann, which we're absolutely smitten with. There's also this perforated sheet metal sideboard by Muller Van Severen, which is somewhere between furniture and a piece of art, or the revisited Woody shelf with its glass top and invisible fasteners. A new collection of chairs designed by Julien Renault also caught our eye. It will be unveiled during the 3-day Copenhagen exhibition.

      

        

We wandered through Antwerp again towards the train station. Then back to Liège, to our beautiful Calatrava station, with our heads full of images of decor and architecture! And the desire to share with our warm and welcoming Liège audience!