Where better to showcase bespoke furniture than in-situ? For maverick Dutch label and design firm Lensvelt—purveyor of limited edition classics by top talents like Piet Boon, Willem Hendrik Gipsen, Wiel Arets, Tejo Remy, Studio Job, Richard Hutten, Piet Hein Eek, Marcel Wanders, Maarten Van Severen, Maarten Baas, Ineke Hans, and Gerrit Rietveld—a converted warehouse loft seems appropriate. Set on the top two floors of a listed late-19th-century depository, along Antwerp‘s trendy Godefridus quay, the sprawling 500-square-foot attic space plays host to a set of interior stagings, showcasing pieces from the brand’s extensive collection.

Lensvelt CEO Hans Lenvelt first acquired and converted the property in 1997 with the help of Delft-based architecture firm Fokkema & Partners, but it wasn’t till 22 years later that he decided to transform the space into a live-in showroom.

At the time of purchase, the surrounding area was still a gritty port and, as Lensvelt describes, “populated by Eastern European truck drivers looking for a good time.” Since then, the neighborhood has become one of the Belgian “fashion city’s” trendiest districts. The celebrated MAS Museum and designer Dries van Noten are notable residents. After having visited over 20 warehouses, this locale piqued his interest. Regardless of the neighborhoods seedy reputation, the loft’s aesthetic reminded him of the office decor in a Donald Sutherland film he had recently seen and enjoyed. With that direct emotional reference and other key attributes: size, material, proximity, Lensvelt was sold and maintained the space as a private residence for over two decades.

Read the full story on our interiors and design site, aninteriormag.com.