Villa des Dunes

Villa des Dunes is a classic of the Belgian coast: an Anglo-Norman villa of white render and dark half-timbering, with steep roofs and tall chimneys, set among dune grasses, hydrangeas and wind-shaped pines in Het Zoute. Built in 1928 and carefully renovated, it has the easy, breezy character of a house made for long summers by the sea.

The setting

Het Zoute is the quietest and greenest part of Knokke-Heist, a district of villas and pine-lined avenues close to the dunes. The beach and the North Sea are a short walk away, as are the shops and restaurants of the village, while the house itself is screened from its neighbours by planting and the natural rise of the dunes.

The house

The villa's architecture is typical of the district: white-rendered walls, dark timber framing, gabled dormers and a steep roof of warm clay tiles. Inside, the rooms are coastal-country in feel, with exposed beams, pale stone floors, linen slipcovers, rattan and touches of blue and white. The renovation has kept the character of the house while bringing its comfort up to date.

Living spaces

The ground floor centres on a beamed living room with a large stone fireplace, deep linen sofas and windows onto the garden and the dunes. The country kitchen has a substantial timber island with rattan stools, a range cooker and woven pendants, with tall windows to the pines. Both rooms open onto the terrace, and a home office sits at the quieter end of the house.

The atmosphere throughout is relaxed rather than formal. Floors are practical for sandy feet, the sofas are covered in washable linen, and the colours — white, sand and several shades of blue — take their cue from the sea and the sky. On cooler days, the fire in the living room makes the house as inviting in autumn and winter as it is in high summer.

Bedrooms

The first floor is arranged beneath the eaves, where six bedrooms have sloping beamed ceilings, dormer windows and a calm palette of white linen and blue. The principal bedroom has a view over the dunes towards the sea, a dressing room and its own bathroom, and one bedroom is arranged as a guest suite. There are five bathrooms in all.

Outdoors

The garden extends to around 2,200 square metres and has been planted to belong to its setting: dune grasses, blue hydrangeas and pines, with a gravel path leading from the terrace through the planting. The house sits naturally in the landscape rather than on a manicured lawn. Sheltered corners of the terrace catch the morning and evening sun, and the hydrangeas are at their best in high summer, when the whole garden turns blue and white.

Practical details

There is a double garage, underfloor heating on the ground floor and a guest suite for visiting family. The beach, the village and the golf course are all close by, and the dune paths make it easy to walk to the sea without taking the car. The villa works equally well as a family home through the year or as a coastal retreat for long summers and weekends.