- Interior
Belgian designer Pierre Daems specialises in high-quality interior design and custom-made furniture. He is always looking for a balanced play between straight lines and curves, finishes and textures. We would like to take you to no less than three of his most recent projects, all characterised by unpretentious refinement.
Daems’ love of materials and craftsmanship is rooted in Belgium, the Art Deco environment where he grew up and the Belgian design landscape. They all define his style to this day. He likes to work with natural materials with a soul. ‘Preferably ones in which you can feel the human aspect after processing,’ he says. The big difference lies in well thought-out combinations and finishes. He prefers to find a certain intelligence in the finished concept. His architectural, intuitive approach to design results in unique objects and interiors of high quality. Yet they all have Pierre Daems' signature, balancing between tight and soft, simple and refined. His gut feeling takes an increasingly important place in the creative process. ‘Subtlety, correct proportions and a general sense of balance must be right. It takes a lot of time and energy to achieve this, because the project has to ripen from time to time before we can go any further,’ we hear. 
Subtlety, correct proportions and a general sense of balance must be right’
Kitchen project CS is located in a Brussels suburb surrounded by nature and greenery. The clients wanted a finish based on one of his previous projects, namely shades of grey combined with a dark but lively natural stone. The contrast between the recognisable minimal lines, pronounced details and the more classical character of the villa proved to be a hit. Pierre Daems also chose a dark emperador natural stone and a grey textured paint and screed. It was important for the clients that it should be easy to use and that they could have breakfast, lunch and dinner there. The moment when the curves of the cooking island and the seat became visible was one of his favourite moments during this project. Once placed, the whole thing came into its own and fitted perfectly into the kitchen volume. 
Project MB was worked out for a family of seven for whom space, cosiness and the cooking ritual occupy a very important place. As far as the choice of materials was concerned, it was suggested to take account of the surrounding nature. A combination of sandblasted oak and classic travertine natural stone immediately met the client's expectations. The largest part of the kitchen is made of natural stone, so that the room radiates strength as well as tranquillity. ‘The search for a certain balance between the two main factors, stone and veneer, was a very calculated disproportion,’ he says. The project also highlights two bespoke pieces from his brand-new June collection, the June Side Table and the June Console. For that, the same travertine lot was chosen in combination with solid brass legs.
Project NS, finally, is located in the heart of Knokke Le Zoute. The clients had a clear wish: to integrate a unique and distinctive bathroom in the main bedroom. As a result, the designer opted for a partition wall that would reinforce the feeling of intimacy without compromising the incidence of light. Daems opted for a massive block in Rosso Levanto natural stone milled into a complete washbasin section. The curve of the framework was shaped by hand so that it would fit the existing ceiling mouldings and not the other way round. Furthermore, the designer opted for materials such as brushed stainless steel, a cast floor with a natural stone granulate and a textured paint. This approach contributes to the appearance of the finished whole. This third project again shows how Daems’ insight and creativity bring every project to a successful conclusion.
Do you want to know more about Pierre Daems? Read the full article in Imagicasa Autum 2022.
Header image: project CS
Images 2-3: project MB
Images 4-6: JUNE collection
Images 7-8: project NS
All photography by Cafeine