Next-Level Flip House: Maison Osain's High-Style Reinvention of a Historic Dwelling in Antwerp

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Architect Thomas Maria and designer Ann Butaye are a Belgian husband-and-wife team who have recently dedicated their practice to historic house flipping. In their designs, the two use only natural, eco-friendly materials and focus on restoration and renewal. After Ann had a serious health scare a few years ago, creating healing environments also became their M.O.

They named their firm Maison Osaïn after a Yoruba deity associated with natural cures and say their work is “not just about houses; it’s a philosophy—a commitment to placing the well-being of the residents and the surrounding environment at the forefront.”

Their first buy-to-sell experiment, House Linaza, is located on one of Antwerp’s oldest streets. They not only restored and overhauled the 1630s structure, but furnished it, designed the tableware and bed linens, and commissioned the art. It was an experiment that worked: the ensemble got snapped up fully stocked—the buyer plans to keep all as is—and they have several new projects in the pipeline.

Photography by Tijs Vervecken unless noted, all courtesy of Maison Osaïn (@maison_osain).

the four story structure dates from the \1630s—the ground floor was orig 17 — Above: The four-story structure dates from the 1630s—the ground floor was originally a storefront. Ann and Thomas dubbed it House Linaza (which is Spanish for flax) because the neighborhood and nearby port were once filled with merchants and materials devoted to the linen trade.

thomas and ann have been together for \15 years, but only &#8\2\20;became c 18 — Above: Thomas and Ann have been together for 15 years, but only “became colleagues,” as she puts it, in 202o (prior to that she worked in fashion). They have two kids and have focused their business on rescuing tired buildings: “we respectfully elevate authentic character with a contemporary sense of comfort and style.” Photograph by Shari Ruzzi.

in the open plan kitchen and dining area off the entry, maison osaïn intro 19 — Above: In the open-plan kitchen and dining area off the entry, Maison Osaïn introduced a palette of dark wood and pale finishes that they carried throughout. “The house was in okay shape but had been clumsily updated over the years,” says Ann. Scroll to the end for a look at the stark white kitchen and mezzanine that formerly occupied the space.

The table is by F.M Rafael, one of the artisan contributors to the project. The Bok dining chairs are by Belgian sustainable furniture brand Ethnicraft.

for each of their house overhauls, ann tells us, &#8\2\20;we create a custo 20 — Above: For each of their house overhauls, Ann tells us, “we create a custom tableware collection tailored specifically to that project and its new owners.” The glazed earthenware plates and etched mugs here are Maison Osaïn designs crafted by Ann-Katrien Malaise of Ceramics by AKM.

with the later addition mezzanine removed, the kitchen now has a tall ceiling w 21 — Above: With the later-addition mezzanine removed, the kitchen now has a tall ceiling with exposed beams and elaborate plasterwork walls. The room opens to a newly created back courtyard filled with greenery.

the kitchen counter and floor may look like concrete but are actually, ann says 22 — Above: The kitchen counter and floor may look like concrete but are actually, Ann says, “a special, eco-friendly calcareous substance. The plaster walls are also finished with a calcareous plaster.”

a fridge, oven, utility closet, and powder room are incorporated into the plast 23 — Above: A fridge, oven, utility closet, and powder room are incorporated into the plasterwork wall opposite the sink. The stairway overlook has a tiny mezzanine behind it that’s used as a meditation nook.

The shored-up cellar also accessed from here is used for storage and houses a new, eco-friendly heating system.

the new curved stair is also plasterwork. the small canvas on the wall is by be 24 — Above: The new curved stair is also plasterwork. The small canvas on the wall is by Belgian artist Dean Recoulès, another Maison Osaïn collaborator.

the living room needed less of an overhaul—its arched french doors and e 25 — Above: The living room needed less of an overhaul—its arched French doors and exposed beams were in place—but required attention: “our contractors meticulously eliminated every speck of dirt and restored the original beam structure,” says Ann, adding that the floor is new and the walls and window frames are newly plastered.

The sofa is a classic Ligne Roset Togo Lounge—see The 1970s Design That’s Today’s Flop-Down Chair of Choice—and the coffee table is a vintage French design with a dark varnish applied to match the woodwork (here’s another much like it from Ruby Atelier in Copenhagen).

a built in serpentine bench extends across the far wall of the room. the wide b 26 — Above: A built-in serpentine bench extends across the far wall of the room. The wide-board flooring is newly installed: “Together with our wood contractor, we searched for the highest quality reclaimed wood parquet, aiming to source the original color of the wood as it was before,” Ann tells us. “It was a challenge.”

The ceramic wall art is by Marlies Huybs, another collaborator whose handmade, elemental pieces appear in just about every room.

the elaborate plasterwork continues: this is a sculptural partition around a wo 27 — Above: The elaborate plasterwork continues: this is a sculptural partition around a wooden spiral stair original to the house. “During the design stage, we had to coordinate closely with the city’s monumental care department,” says Ann. “We needed to remove certain details while preserving and carefully restoring the original elements.”

the work space off the living room has a built in desk of live edge wood. above 28 — Above: The work space off the living room has a built-in desk of live-edge wood. Above: The built-in dark wood shelves and restored beams continue on the third floor, which has a bedroom and a multi-purpose space.

the work space off the living room has a built in desk of live edge wood. above 29 — Above: The work space off the living room has a built-in desk of live-edge wood. Above: The built-in dark wood shelves and restored beams continue on the third floor, which has a bedroom and a multi-purpose space.

ann and thomas found the vintage stone basins at a flea market. for puddle shap 30 — Above: Ann and Thomas found the vintage stone basins at a flea market. For puddle-shaped mirrors like these see our Trend Alert.

the restored spiral stair—with rope banister—leads up to the atti 31 — Above: The restored spiral stair—with rope banister—leads up to the attic.

thomas and ann call the expansive top floor bedroom &#8\2\20;the crown jewe 32 — Above: Thomas and Ann call the expansive top-floor bedroom “the crown jewel of the house.” To complete their materials palette, they restored and darkened the rafters, plastered the walls, and laid the same reclaimed floorboards as in the living room. The windows have panoramic views of the River Scheldt.

The linen bedding is Maison Osaïn’s own design, produced in small batches for their own projects. They also make table linens, towels, robes, and home fragrance, which they sell on request (see some here)—Ann says they contemplate opening a store “because you really have to feel and see our products to appreciate their quality.”

Before

the kitchen occupied the same space as it does now but had a completely differe 33 — Above: The kitchen occupied the same space as it does now but had a completely different look, wooden mezzanine included.

the living room is the space that required the least work—here it is pri 34 — Above: The living room is the space that required the least work—here it is prior to receiving plastered walls and a wide-board wood floor,

the attic&#8\2\17;s bones were in place but the room had a completely diffe 35 — Above: The attic’s bones were in place but the room had a completely different look.

More high-style flip houses and advice from a pro:

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Frequently asked questions

What is the name of the Belgian husband-and-wife design team featured in the article?

Architect Thomas Maria and designer Ann Butaye.

What is the name of their design firm?

Maison Osaïn.

What is the philosophy of Maison Osaïn?

To place the well-being of the residents and the surrounding environment at the forefront.

What was the name of their first buy-to-sell experiment?

House Linaza.

What materials do Thomas Maria and Ann Butaye focus on in their designs?

They use only natural, eco-friendly materials.

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