Designing with Océane - her apartment in Brussels
From Friendship to Collaboration: Designing with Océane
A story of connection and openness
Some collaborations are not only about design — they are about relationships, openness, and trust. My journey with Océane is exactly that kind of story.
I first met Océane in 2021, when I was her client at her LabelChic (I had to check date stamp of my first order- hahaha). I admired the way she ran her business — with clarity, creativity, and an inspiring openness. When she decided to close her store was the very same moment I took the leap to start RUIMTE. For me, it somehow felt natural to reach out and ask her about that decision. Despite her busy life, she made the time for a deep, honest, and truly helpful conversation. Since then, our paths have kept crossing in meaningful ways.
Designing together in Brussels
Recently, I had the pleasure of working with Océane in her beautiful Brussels apartment. She has this unique taste: bold, intriguing, and very inspiring. What she was missing there were a few final touches to make her home feel complete.
We started with her wish list — the items she loved most from RUIMTE. The next step was a walk-through of her apartment. I wanted to understand exactly what felt unfinished, in which rooms, and why — and how it related to her wish list. From that conversation, we defined a clear scope so we could focus on the right things and make decisions with confidence.
Children’s room (shared space, two worlds).
Océane's son and daughter share one bedroom, so the goal was to separate their worlds without building walls. It has already been done with their custom made beds but what we did further is mapping out light needs (ambient + task + reading), then planned personal touches so each child feels seen—dedicated hooks, small display areas, and accents that reflect their personalities. The key move: play with two different wallpapers, concealed inside their custom bed/work stations, so each nook becomes a private micro-universe. The outside remains calm; the interiors pop with character.
Kitchen & dining (color, joy, and play).
Here the brief was obvious—color, color, and even more color. I love every part of it, a client for whom more was truly better. We layered ceramics and vases with a mix-and-match set of colorful cutlery to inject energy into everyday meals. The result is a table that feels curated yet spontaneous, with pieces that invite use rather than perfection.
Living room (warmth + function).
Our focus was comfort you can live with: a side table for flexible, move-anywhere utility, and some textiles to add texture and warmth. Together they soften the room and make it work harder—from morning coffee to late-night reading.
As with any good project, we ran through ideas and options, tested combinations in situ, and implemented them step by step. That pacing let the apartment tell us what it needed next—so every choice felt clear, personal, and right.
A dialogue that shapes the space
For me, the most meaningful part of every project is the dialogue with the client. Design is never a one-way street — it’s a process of listening, asking questions, and discovering together what truly resonates.
Working closely with Océane allowed me to not just propose objects, but to understand her way of living and the atmosphere she wanted to create.
That dialogue gave us the freedom to explore color in the dining room, to rethink the children’s space with playful yet functional details, and to bring warmth into the living room.
Some of Océane’s favorite picks included the mix-and-match colorful cutlery that makes every dinner feel like a celebration, the playful wallpaper accents that gave her kids their own worlds inside a shared room paired with a contemporary lamp, and the handmade woolen blanket that instantly made the living room more inviting. These choices weren’t just about style — they were about making her apartment feel even more personal, joyful, and complete.
Why this matters
This project is a reminder for me that design is not just about objects — it’s about relationships, conversations, and openness. Working with Océane was not only about refining an interior, but about celebrating connection and creativity.
It was about feeling comfortable around each other in order to build something authentic — a home that truly reflects who she is.
Need guidance?
If you love RUIMTE's objects but aren’t sure where to place them, which color to choose, or how they might work in your own space — don’t hesitate to reach out. I work closely with all my designers, which gives us a lot of freedom when it comes to custom designs, sizes, and colors. Together, we can find (or create) the piece that feels just right for you!
Fot. @studio.elineverbeke