German interior architect Victoria-Maria Geyer has transformed a 1932 Brussels villa into an explosion of color for a family of six, challenging the minimalist design trends that have dominated Belgian interior architecture. The self-taught designer, who has lived in Brussels for many years, fearlessly combines bold colors and patterns to create expansive colorful worlds even in small spaces, offering a striking counterpoint to the purist and contemplative Belgium that designers like Axel Vervoordt and Vincent Van Duysen have successfully embodied for years.
The project presented Geyer with few constraints, particularly regarding living space. The historic villa, built in 1932, offered more than 5,900 square feet for the family's new home. The brief was unconventional but not trend-focused. When Geyer first surveyed the property, it had visibly aged and the lush garden was overgrown with vegetation. However, the half-timbered construction left a lasting impression on the former journalism student turned autodidact designer.
"The geometric lines, charming dormer windows, and deeply projecting eaves caught my attention – there's even a tower," Geyer recalls. "The house resembled a small manor with a rural soul. It could just as well have been located in Normandy." The villa's country estate character became the foundation for her design vision, blending rustic charm with bold contemporary elements.
A complete renovation was necessary, with floors being redone while the room layout was preserved. The historic coffered ceilings received Geyer's signature treatment – painted casually in vibrant colors: red in the dining room, pink in the hallway, and yellow in the living room. "I love yellow, and fortunately, so do the clients," she explains. "It seemed natural from the beginning. The idea quickly came to paint the beams in a deeper yellow shade to give depth and rhythm to the room."
The color choices are as personal as the furniture, which consists of numerous original creations from Geyer's imagination. The oak furniture in the dressing room and the breakfast nook featuring pink Zellige tiles from Morocco showcase the architect's custom design approach. She was particularly surprised by the kitchen's massive lava stone countertop, whose surface was less regular than expected. "That's what makes artisanal work special – it gives furniture a soul and a kind of authenticity that perfection cannot offer," she notes.
The dining room features an original table creation by Victoria-Maria Geyer, surrounded by vintage Italian chairs discovered at the Watteeu gallery in Brussels. The red Pompeii silk wallpaper is signed by Pierre Frey, with whom Geyer maintains a long-standing partnership. The breakfast area showcases a large travertine dining table used by the family for morning meals, complemented by the pink Moroccan Zellige tiles that add warmth and texture to the space.
Geyer's pronounced passion for colors, patterns, and textiles is also fueled by her travels, which have recently taken her to Rajasthan and Andalusia, where she recently designed a small boutique hotel not far from Marbella. Her collaboration with fabric manufacturer Pierre Frey extends to using illustrated wallpaper from her "Eternal Summer" collection in the bedroom. The window bench is covered with Pierre Frey's Canyon striped fabric, while an Asiatides ceramic vase adds artistic flair.
The stairway leading to the second floor showcases Geyer's bold approach, resplendent in the intense "Eating Room Red" color from Farrow & Ball. The steps are covered with Pierre Frey's "Le Rocher" carpet, creating a dramatic "stairway to heaven" effect. In the dressing room, custom-built oak fitted furniture provides ample storage space, complemented by Asiatides vases that serve as decorative elements.
One of the bedrooms features "Sunny" wallpaper from a collection that Victoria-Maria Geyer herself designed for Pierre Frey, demonstrating her multifaceted role as both interior designer and textile creator. The project represents a successful marriage of historical architecture with contemporary color sensibilities, creating a family home that is both functional and artistically inspiring while maintaining the villa's original rural manor character.
