Belgian furniture makers, cabinet-makers and joinery companies are in demand throughout Europe and abroad. A lot of designers appeal to these specialists for their skills and high quality craftsmanship, what is exactly designers need in the realization of their customized furniture and interiors.

While a lot of Belgian companies moved their production abroad to reduce labour costs, small manufacturing companies continue to produce steadily on own soil. Fully dedicated, they try to continue investing in know-how and craftsmanship.

Photo credit Jo Pauwels for Beta-Plus Publishing – Book ‘Contemporary Living with Antiques’

In Belgium we have a tradition of mastery and know-how and I am proud to say that also our company Lefèvre Interiors, established in 1890, is one of these Belgian manufacturers, mastering traditional joinery and known for well-constructed and well-proportioned interiors. We always try to maintain a high level of traditional craftsmanship translated to the spirit of modern times. In other words we deliver pure and tradition bound craftsmanship, making tailor-made interiors and panelling for each client.

Unfortunately a lot of our Belgian companies are in danger to lose all these skills as traditional joinery and cabinet-making training courses are almost no longer given and workshops are expensive to run. If we want to safeguard our excellent skills and craftsmanship, we need to train apprentices by our highly skilled craftsmen, because apprentices are our future.

 ‘MASTER-TO-APPRENTICE TRANSMISSION FROM ONE GENERATION TO ANOTHER’

One of our woodcarvers at work.

Photo credit Lefèvre Interiors

Quote by interior designer Victoria Hagan  – Source Instagram

Lefèvre coat of arms, carved in oak wood. The three hand planes refer to our ancestors, the three previous generations of cabinet-makers.

Photo credit Lefèvre Interiors

‘THINGS OF QUALITY HAVE NO FEAR OF TIME’

Photo credit Claude Smekens

Photo credit Efie De Grande

High levels of craftsmanship and innovation, skills that define the work we do.

Photo credit Claude Smekens

Designing our projects we are inspired by the interiors of historic homes and castles. Through the years we took many courses and followed lectures on art history and antiques. Visiting historic places, we pay attention to details and are always excited to discover beautiful mouldings we’ve never seen before, to add to our inspiration list.

My husband, studying and measuring an 18th C. French boiserie moulding, to reproduce in one of our bespoke panellings.

Photo credit Lefèvre Interiors

Besides our frequently visits to historic places, we have stacks of books about design styles through the ages and as our company was founded in 1890, we obviously have created our own extensive collection of mouldings, cornices and ornaments.

 Every project, either an 18th century, 19th century inspired interior or a contemporary interior, requires its own wood selection, finishing and choice of mouldings. Exact proportions are of the utmost importance. Most of today’s homes do not have the room dimensions of old and historic buildings.

Photo credit Claude Smekens

Photo credit Efie De Grande

Detailed technical plans are required to start production in the workshop.

Photo credit Claude Smekens

Photo credit Claude Smekens

Every project is installed in our workshop before leaving to the client’s site.

Photo credit Lefèvre Interiors

Photo credit Efie De Grande

Photo credit Efie De Grande

Installation at the client’s site.

Photo credit Lefèvre Interiors

Photo credit Lefèvre Interiors

Examples of 18th century mouldings.

One of the pages from our moulding collection file.

Photo credit Lefèvre Interiors

‘CRAFTSMANSHIP IS THE QUALITY THAT SOMETHING HAS WHEN IT IS BEAUTIFUL AND HAS BEEN VERY CAREFULLY MADE’

One of our employees, weaving a lattice radiator cover.

Photo credit Claude Smekens

‘CRAFTSMANSHIP. THE DIFFERENCE IS IN THE DETAILS.’

Photo credit Lefèvre Interiors

Photo credit Lefèvre Interiors

Detail of a technical plan.

Photo credit Lefèvre Interiors

Photo credit Lefèvre Interiors

I absolutely love the effect by the light falling on the inclined surfaces of the series of mouldings as the light gives different tonal strenghts to the wood.

Photo credit Lefèvre Interiors

Photo credit Lefèvre Interiors

Photo credit Lefèvre Interiors

I would love to end with a statement by David Salmon, managing director of Arthur Brett, creators of fine bespoke English furniture and architectural joinery, which appeared in the magazine House & Garden, April 2012.

A statement I can only confirm!

Statement by David Salmon – Source : House & Garden, April 2012

Photo credit Jo Pauwels for Beta-Plus Publishing – Book ‘Contemporary Living with Antiques’

 

If you would love us to help you with your home interior, whether you need a simple make over or a complete (re-)furnishing of your home, don’t hesitate to contact us. From the smallest to the largest project, we would be pleased to help you.

If you are an architect or interior designer based in Belgium or abroad, don’t hesitate to send us your plans, our team at Lefèvre would be honoured to realize your design at the workshop in Belgium.

To see more of Lefèvre Interiors realisations, please visit our website at WWW.LEFEVRE.BE

 xx

Greet