The black windows set the tone before the rest of the house comes into view. Against the whitewashed walls and the thatched roof, the dark joinery sharpens every opening, from the front windows to the larger garden-facing spans. The renovation keeps the villa\u2019s classic presence intact, but the openings now read more clearly, with a stronger contrast between the exterior frame and the light behind it. Inside, the same joinery turns white, so the rooms stay bright and open rather than heavy.<\/p>\n
The exterior reads in simple layers: white masonry, black-painted timber, and the soft edge of the thatched roof. The old-Vlaams profile at the front gives the elevation a more articulated outline, while the black window frames draw the eye to the proportions of each opening. Nothing feels overworked. The details are there to keep the house recognisable, and the darker finish gives the villa a firmer outline without closing it off.<\/p>\n
From the street side, the house keeps a composed, classic face. The windows sit cleanly in the wall plane, and the dark timber adds depth around the glazing. This is where houses with black windows work well: the frame becomes part of the architecture rather than an afterthought. The thatched roof still carries the familiar silhouette, but the sharper joinery changes how the elevation is read, especially where the light catches the edges of the openings.<\/p>\n
At the rear, the renovation opens up. Large glass openings stretch across the garden side, and a sliding door to garden makes the transition direct and practical. In summer, the outside greenery is not just visible; it becomes part of the room\u2019s edge, with the threshold acting as a thin line between interior floor and terrace. The glazing takes over where the older, more enclosed wall might have stood, giving the house a much looser connection to the garden.<\/p>\n
The result is a clear indoor outdoor living sequence. You move from the interior to the terrace without a visual break, and the house uses the opening to widen the room rather than simply to frame a view. The large glass openings do the work of bringing in light, but they also change the pace of the space. A person inside sees the garden as an extension of the room, with planting and paved surfaces continuing the same line of sight.<\/p>\n
The sliding door to garden is more than a functional element here. It sets the rhythm of the rear elevation and gives the living area a broad opening that can be read from inside and outside alike. Because the glazing spans are so large, the boundary between house and garden becomes thin and precise. The room is left with daylight, long views, and a cleaner relationship to the terrace, which sits immediately beyond the glass.<\/p>\n
Inside, the joinery switches from black to white. That white painted joinery inside changes the whole feel of the rooms, especially where the openings are large and the walls need to carry as little visual weight as possible. The timber frames disappear more easily into the interior, allowing the glass to do the talking. Daylight lands on pale surfaces, and the rooms read as open volumes rather than enclosed boxes. The shift in finish is simple, but it shapes how the villa is experienced from one side of the opening to the other.<\/p>\n
This contrast between outside and inside is the most telling part of the renovation. From the exterior, the black windows hold the house together visually. From the interior, the white finish keeps the same openings quiet and light. It is a practical decision, but also a spatial one. The rooms can stay visually calm while still belonging to a villa that has a strong outline and a clear architectural presence.<\/p>\n
The white painted joinery inside works alongside the larger glazed surfaces rather than competing with them. In the living areas, the eye moves from frame to frame, then out to the greenery beyond. The floor finishes remain restrained, and the light bouncing off the white timber makes the openings feel even broader. This is where the renovation shows restraint: the details are present, but they are not allowed to interrupt the view or the daylight.<\/p>\n
The project holds onto the classic elements of the original house while adjusting how it opens to the garden. That means keeping the villa legible as a thatched-roof home, but giving the elevations a more contemporary reading through the size and treatment of the windows. The front remains more measured, with the old-Vlaams profile helping to shape the fa\u00e7ade. The rear becomes looser and brighter, with broad glazing and a clearer connection to the outdoors.<\/p>\n
What makes the renovation interesting is the contrast between the different sides of the house. One side protects the familiar outline; the other side opens the plan toward the terrace and planting. The black windows tie those two gestures together. They give the villa a single visual thread, even as the openings change in scale and purpose from front to back.<\/p>\n
Seen as a whole, the renovation is built around a few decisive moves: black-painted exterior joinery, white-painted joinery inside, and large glass openings that bring the garden into daily view. Nothing is overstated. The house keeps its thatched roof, its classic profile, and its quieter front elevation, while the rear side and interior gain light, width, and a more direct exchange with the garden. It is a clear example of how black windows can sharpen a villa renovation without stripping away its original character.<\/p>\n
Photography: Annick Vernimmen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":32390,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"black windows","_yoast_wpseo_title":"Black windows in a thatched-roof villa renovation","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"A thatched-roof villa keeps its classic character with black-painted joinery outside, white-painted joinery inside, and large openings to the garden.","_yoast_wpseo_linkdex":"54","_yoast_wpseo_content_score":"90","content-type":"","_yoast_wpseo_focuskeywords":"[]","_yoast_wpseo_keywordsynonyms":"[\"\"]","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":null,"_yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes":""},"hoog_category":[3079],"class_list":["post-396028","hoog_project","type-hoog_project","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","hoog_category-exterieur-inspiratie"],"acf":{"hoog_project_owner":837533,"hoog_contributors":null,"hoog_project_badge":"","hoog_featured_project":false,"hoog_project_video":"","hoog_project_photos":[{"image_file":32390,"video_id":"","image_size":"full"},{"image_file":32384,"video_id":"","image_size":"full"},{"image_file":32385,"video_id":"","image_size":"full"},{"image_file":32386,"video_id":"","image_size":"full"},{"image_file":32387,"video_id":"","image_size":"full"},{"image_file":32389,"video_id":"","image_size":"full"},{"image_file":32388,"video_id":"","image_size":"full"},{"image_file":32391,"video_id":"","image_size":"full"},{"image_file":32392,"video_id":"","image_size":"full"},{"image_file":32393,"video_id":"","image_size":"full"},{"image_file":32394,"video_id":"","image_size":"full"},{"image_file":32395,"video_id":"","image_size":"full"},{"image_file":32396,"video_id":"","image_size":"full"},{"image_file":32397,"video_id":"","image_size":"full"}]},"yoast_head":"\n