The home story of Wendy & Seba

The house of account manager Wendy, architect Sebastien, son Nelson and daughter Bowie is the odd one out of the street. One of those houses that really catches your eye when you pass by. The family home is clad in 32,000 roof tiles, has three pitched roofs and a facade with no doors or windows. Hard to believe this was once Wendy's grandmother's bungalow... Curious to see if they made such bold choices indoors?

Wendy & Seba originally chose our collection Sava Sand which is in the meantime replaced by Ivalo Amaranth.

"We've lived here since April 2019 after a two-year renovation. I'm sure it could have been done quicker, but we did a lot of it ourselves. From designing a new floor plan to digging out sewers, from connecting the electricity to laying the floor. It was a learning period where certainly not everything went according to plan, except maybe the installation of our Parquetvinyl upstairs."

"This house used to be a rectangle with a roof on it, the archetype house. By dividing the house into three zones and shifting them in relation to each other, we created several patios that allow light to flood into each space. Due to all the vistas, we have a huge connection with the surrounding greenery, and we can also see our own house from the inside. Pretty unique!"

"People often react with surprise when we tell them this is a renovated home, because the atypical shape makes it look like a new build. We kept only the location and orientation of the kitchen, so while cooking we have the same view of the garden as Wendy's grandmother did. That way history repeats itself a bit, although we don't feel like we're living in someone else's house."

"Our house is far from finished, but the children are our priority at the moment. Which issues we tackle actually depends on them. For example, it was quite handy to have a floor once our son started crawling, and we also thought it'd be nice to be able to let him play in a mud-free garden. Originally, the garden was absolutely not a priority, so you see ..."

"We very deliberately chose parquet downstairs and Parquetvinyl upstairs. In our living room and dining room we wanted a floor with some patina, while upstairs we opted for ease of use. With a toddler and baby in the house, accidents do happen, although we don't stress about it. That's the big advantage of Parquetvinyl: everything is cleaned up quickly and easily and leaves no traces."

"The installation was a piece of cake, because Parquetvinyl already has a sub-floor. You only need a few tools, a sturdy snap-blade cutter and a square being the most important. I laid the floor upstairs in one day. Another plus: Parquetvinyl does not need to acclimatise. So you can lay the floor as soon as it's delivered."

"Upstairs, we chose the Sava collection from Parquetvinyl in the natural colour Sand for almost everywhere except the bathroom. In hindsight, we could have installed it in the bathroom as well because Parquetvinyl is water resistant. For the sake of continuity, there we chose the same tiles that are in our kitchen. The Sava collection from Parquetvinyl consists of sleek, warm planks without knots that match our Scandinavian interior style. By the way, it's no coincidence that the Parquetvinyl looks like the wooden floor downstairs: we chose both the parquet and vinyl in Lamett's showroom, so we could easily compare and match samples."

"Material selection was pretty easy for us as our tastes are similar. To choose our parquet and Parquetvinyl, we took a front from our kitchen and matched the floors to it. Here's a tip for other builders and renovators: look at the fixed elements in your home - not the furniture you already have - and adjust your floor accordingly. Just like a floor and a kitchen: they are all-important for your interior and often stay in your home longer. Unlike a chair or table, which you often replace after just a decade or so."

"Nelson's room is the first and only bedroom we've completely finished and decorated. Only for a few months now, by the way. Not a spacious room, but big enough for a double bed later on. The room can evolve with him, we're sure of that. The Parquetvinyl Sava planks were laid here first, but are so neutral that they go with everything. Even if he ever decides to paint his room purple and red!"

"Although the exterior of our house is quite striking, it is intended to blend into the greenery over time. We are planting some more trees soon and the roof tiles will also look weathered in a few years. We do like a certain roughness, but preferably not inside: we like softness, lightness and lots of natural materials in our interiors. In combination with the many windows, we really have such a feeling of openness here. Where we relax."

Thanks for the hospitality, Wendy & Seba!