22 | Living with Light
Living with Light | Axel Vervoordt
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photo: Laziz Hamani
Have a beautiful week.
Recommended reading | Living with Light, Axel Vervoordt
Belgian art dealer and collector Axel Vervoordt followed his successful "Timeless Interiors" with "Living with Light," a practical guide to creating meaningful spaces that integrate natural elements with art and objects from various periods. The book documents twenty spaces demonstrating how light functions as an essential design element. Rather than showcasing purely aesthetic interiors, Vervoordt presents environments where art, history, and personal experience intersect.
Vervoordt's approach centers on balance between natural elements—light, water, metal, and wood—and carefully selected art and objects. The New York Times noted this creates a deceptive "simplicity" that actually reflects "a forceful commitment to absolute harmony."
Laziz Hamani's photography captures not just physical spaces but their emotional essence. The images reveal both grand architectural elements and intimate details, showcasing how Vervoordt masterfully combines pieces from different eras. Each photograph demonstrates how natural light transforms carefully constructed interiors into spaces that feel both curated and organically evolved—environments that invite contemplation and deeper connection with our surroundings.
The reflections of the moon on one thousand rivers are from the same moon: the mind must be full of light. Hung Szu - Ch’eng 1572 - 1620
photo: Laziz Hamani
What I find most compelling about "Living with Light" is how Vervoordt's spaces achieve such profound impact through restraint rather than excess. The interiors demonstrate that masterful design often means knowing what to leave out. Most importantly, the book teaches that you don't need to transform an entire home at once – you can begin with just one room or even a single piece, then gradually add elements as you develop your eye and understanding of what personally resonates with you.
The book serves as both inspiration and practical guide, reminding us that creating a home is an evolving process rather than a finished product. It encourages readers to slow down, observe more carefully, and create spaces that tell their own unique stories through thoughtfully selected art and objects that span different time periods and origins.
afternoon light at studio light | space with Wall Sculpture by Ted Larsen
Photo: Beverly Fisher