A timeless masterpiece in the countryside

A timeless masterpiece in the countryside: present and past in perfect harmony with nature

Thatched roof, radiant white facade, dark gray painted shutters, and charming espaliered lime trees. Anyone arriving at the destination just beyond the friendly village of Keldonk in the rural outskirts is met face to face with this well-preserved long farmhouse dating back to 1865. Nothing here suggests that behind the entrance gate lies a spectacularly modern farmhouse villa...

Is it a farmhouse? A country house? A villa? A country estate? Actually, this gem of the Brabant Meierij is all of these at once. History with character and authentically modern architecture have entered into such a harmonious marriage here that one can rightly speak of a timeless masterpiece.

At the front, the voluminous residence presents its subdued side. Around back, the face is open, transparent, and endless. And "endless" can be taken quite literally here. The garden seems to have no end. Standing on the terrace in front of the tall glass facade, one sees through the branches of the old weeping willow how the green grass slowly transitions into the large swimming pond. On the horizon, trees form a forest. This is no longer a garden, this is a park.

Enchanting Place

The current residents enjoy it every day. Fully. When they arrived here almost ten years ago, the place immediately enchanted them. "The peace, the vastness, and the ultimate privacy you have here. It's so enjoyable," she says. Whenever the sun makes an appearance, they gladly invite friends over. He cooks for everyone, while they enjoy cozy drinks on the sun terrace, and the children swim among the cuddly koi carp in the pond or build huts in the forest. The music can be at a nice volume, with no one in the wide surroundings to take offense. If it gets late, everyone can stay overnight. There's plenty of space in the detached guesthouse, but there's also a welcoming sleeping area on the ground floor of the main residence.

Fairytale? Indeed.

Sounds like a fairytale? "It is," she says. As dusk falls, the lights in the garden automatically come on. The trees are enchanted with fairy-like lights, giving depth to the park-like garden. He laughs. Recently, when the solar panels were installed and the power momentarily faltered, they spent an evening in the dark. "Then you remember what you see when the lights come on." Asking the light artists from Rainforest Lighting to design a lighting plan for the garden has been one of the best decisions the couple made.

Exemplary Craftsmanship

However... Many more best decisions were made in this rural setting. The glass facade spanning almost the entire rear facade had already been realized by their predecessors, as well as the kitchen, which can be deemed professional. Small interventions made the current owners give an even more spacious experience to the already immense space on the ground floor. "By removing the ceiling, the beautiful glass section comes fully into view." Although the oak beams that support the structure seem to have been handed down from 1865, they are brand new. The craftsmen who made them delved into the historical archives for this purpose. "The connections typical of a long farmhouse have been executed exactly as they were in the past," he says. Exemplary craftsmanship.

Cozy

Despite the large space, the living area looks snug and cozy. That's her signature. "We love warmth and coziness," she says. "When we came here, everything was white. We found that quite sterile. We wanted to bring back the coziness while preserving the stylishness." She worked on a mood board and consulted experts. "We opted for dark colors that are perfectly coordinated." Her choice has turned out fantastically. The color embraces you like a warm blanket. "That goes for the whole house. Everything is completely finished."

Peace, Birds

Downstairs, everything is connected to nature. The long glass facade acts as a conservatory, with the sliding doors naturally opening in the summer, creating a seamless connection between inside and outside. On rainy autumn days, the feeling remains warm. Even when it storms and rains, the enchantment of nature is overwhelming. The thatched roof maintains the peace inside, and the triple glazed glass facade also contributes its part. "That peace is lovely," he says. "And yet you can still hear the birds, the geese, and the ducks."

There's so much to tell here

There's much more to tell about the ground floor. In the kitchen, for example, a lover of cooking can fully indulge. Saying that it's fully equipped with high-quality appliances is actually an understatement. He credits this to the previous occupants, who were professional restaurateurs. "I'm the chef at home, and I absolutely love it. I've never come across a kitchen like this before." A stylish sliding door connects the kitchen to two utility rooms. Directly accessible is the space with its large stainless steel refrigerators on one side and the built-in glassware cabinet on the other. The second utility room is light in nature. The cabinet island houses an additional countertop on one side and an integrated laundry area on the other. The wine cellar deserves special mention. Arches are placed atop 'pillars' of honest masonry. It's as if you've landed in the cellar of a French wine house, and in a way, that's true. "A firm from France was consulted for the construction," he says. "A special clay technique from the Champagne region was applied."

Home Theater

One of the finest spots on the ground floor, according to the current owner, is the cinema, located at the secluded back of the long farmhouse and adjacent to the living area. He's an early riser and has made it a ritual to combine breakfast with a nice series in this space. "For me, it's a lovely way to start the day." But the cinema is also regularly shared with friends for a good movie. Both the picture and sound are of ultimate quality.

We're not done exploring the ground floor yet. The picture is complete when we visit the wellness area. A jacuzzi with a view of the greenery under the glass roof, sauna, hammam, and a stylish private bathroom in the middle; the left wing of the long facade is all about relaxation. Once outside, you can easily walk over for a refreshing dip in the swimming pond and then sweat it out on one of the terrace decks by the water's edge.

Mezzanine with a View

Back in the living area, we take the sleek modern staircase to the upper floor. From the mezzanine with its art-nouveau balustrade, we take a final look through the glass facade before entering the sleeping quarters. There are four of them, all unique and equipped with en-suite bathrooms, but the master bedroom is truly exceptional. Here, you can fall asleep under the starry sky and wake up in a space that extends all the way to the roof. The oak beams create an incredibly beautiful interplay of lines that continue to enchant. The sleeping area is already spacious and is connected to a room for which the term dressing room seems to have been specially invented. The dressing room forms an open connection to a bathroom where everything is just right. It's like a mini wellness, where you have all the space to enjoy a refreshing shower and get a tan at the same time. "There's a sunshower built into the shower area," says the current owner.

Yes, that's sustainable.

That, along with the fact that the farmhouse villa has underfloor heating almost everywhere, surveillance cameras all around, and the luxury of heavy stereo systems and a kitchen equipped like one in a thousand. What does that mean when we talk about sustainability? "Net zero energy usage," is the simple answer. Because very recently, the current owners have invested in 54 solar panels, three heat pumps, and solar-powered boilers.

The new owners basically just need to turn the key. "Last year, we had a completely new security system installed, and the thatched roof was renovated and the woodwork painted." Even the guesthouse has been given a fresh coat of paint.

Painter, writer, DJ?

Who might live here? The possibilities are numerous. For someone with a home-based profession, the guesthouse is a dream spot. A writer could turn it into a writing retreat on the ground floor, an artist a studio. "It's a wonderfully quiet space," he says. "Through the French doors, you have access to the covered terrace and a view of the pond and the forest," she adds. A DJ could make fantastic music and find inspiration there, he suggests. Or a professional footballer who prefers to only encounter fans in the stadium. Either way, this farmhouse villa is tailored for pleasure-seekers who value ultimate privacy. For those who want to shut out the world occasionally, this location offers the best of the best. A dream home to instantly fall in love with.