Furnishing a second home abroad | feelathome

For more than twenty years, the feelathome team has been guiding clients in the total furnishing of their homes. From the first conversation to the placement of the last accessory. We do this in Boortmeerbeek, on the outskirts of Brussels, in villas throughout Flanders. But increasingly also beyond. Because Belgian clients also buy, build, and renovate abroad. And they want to furnish their holiday home or second residence with exactly the same feeling as at home.

France, Italy, Portugal, Norway, Spain. It doesn’t matter where the project is located. Whatever the choice, the offer is always the same: A to Z, indoor and outdoor, from large furniture to carpets, lighting and decoration to mattress protectors, bed linen, crockery, and cutlery. If the client wishes, all they need to bring is their hand luggage and they can start enjoying immediately.

Three projects in Spain prove that the feelathome approach works, regardless of distance.

The location is impressive. A villa in the hills near Marbella, with the Mediterranean as a backdrop. Modern architecture with large sliding windows, surfaces that bring the outdoors in, and a pool that blends into the landscape.

The clients didn’t want a sterile villa. They wanted something alive. A mix of sleek furniture and artistic elements, of soft tones and color accents, of natural materials that only become more beautiful in the sun.

Outside, we chose loungers and a lounge set from Piet Boon, a parasol from Jardinico on a wooden mast, and handmade pots from Atelier Vierkant. Inside, the Hamptons corner sofa from Linteloo and the solid oak table from Ethnicraft work together with a natural hemp rug. Soft tones, colorful cushions, a bohemian touch that breaks the formality.

The result is a home that feels both spacious and cozy. Multiple outdoor zones invite you to move with the day, from morning coffee in the shade to late dining at sunset.

A beach apartment in Estepona, on the Mediterranean, with a spacious covered terrace and a view of the water. The clients wanted comfort and tranquility. An interior that doesn’t shout, but invites you to pause.

We chose a warm yet light palette. Inside, the Soft Dream sofa from Flexform works together with the Hera armchair, a combination that strikes exactly the balance between casual and refined. The Norr11 bar stools in camel-colored leather give the kitchen area character. The oak details are warm without being heavy.

Outside, Tribù takes over. The Vis à Vis modular sofa on the terrace, the Nomad lounge chairs in solid teak, the Elio dining chairs around a Manutti Torsa table. The large windows open fully. Indoors and outdoors flow together. Even from the bedroom you look straight at the water.

Another villa in the hills near Marbella, another story. Here, the request was to work with pure lines and honest materials, without unnecessary decoration. The architecture should speak. The interior follows.

We chose an extensive selection from the Tribù collection. The Ukiyo dining chairs and lounge chairs, made of hand-woven rope on a teak frame, give the terraces a tactile, organic character. The Senja sofa and loungers, in a linen-colored UV-resistant fabric, keep it light and neutral. The Jardinico Caractère parasol, on wheels and with exceptional stability, moves with the shade.

Each covered terrace has its own purpose. A cozy corner for breakfast. A spacious seating area for the late afternoon. A table area for ten people. The villa has several outdoor living zones, but they speak the same language. That’s no coincidence. That’s the work of a good plan.

International projects often have a stricter deadline. Clients want the delivery to follow as soon as possible after the completion or purchase of their holiday home. That’s not a problem, as long as we keep a close eye on the schedule. For outdoor furniture, we count on an average delivery time of 4 to 8 weeks, for indoor furniture 8 to 12 weeks. Add 2 to 3 weeks for transport and a small safety margin, and everything will be on site on time. We always clearly set the latest order date, so everything is sure to be present when the transport leaves.

For new builds or renovations, we prefer to be involved from the start. Then we can order everything well in advance, avoid price increases, and give the client good control over their budget. Sometimes we’re involved even before the first stone is laid.

As soon as everything is ordered, we immediately request the weight and volume from the suppliers. This way we can prepare the transport in time and request quotes.

For transport, we work per country, and per region, with a fixed circle of partners. Not ordinary trucking companies, but specialized moving firms we have worked with for years.

We know each other, we know what to expect from each other, and that ensures this part also goes smoothly. For each transport, we always request three quotes and present them to the client, together with our advice. 

The cheapest option is not always the best, depending on the location, timing, and nature of the project. The price is mainly determined by volume and distance. A full truck from our warehouse in Boortmeerbeek directly to the holiday home is always the ideal scenario: cost-efficient and clear. But a small project can sometimes also be favorable because there was still space in a truck that was already heading that way.

Deliveries within the EU go smoothly administratively. The free movement of goods means that most routes are simple. Outside the EU, such as to Norway or Switzerland, it gets a bit more complex. Then we work together with a forwarder and a local customs agent to ensure everything goes correctly. For the client, it’s also important to avoid paying VAT twice. We take that into account in the preparation.

We always thoroughly screen the accessibility of the location. Holiday homes are sometimes remote, on narrow mountain roads or in a place where a large truck can’t easily reach. Our transport partner checks this in advance via Google Maps and other tools, and adjusts the equipment if necessary.

One important point of attention: plan on time. For popular destinations such as Marbella, the South of France, or Portugal, transports before the start of the holiday season are sometimes already fully booked months in advance. If you’re too late, you risk arriving at an empty apartment.

Many clients are surprised how much we can do based on plans. For the two personal projects of Anke and Geert in Norway, completely new builds from the first beam to the finishing, the team only flew back and forth six times in total over the entire duration of both projects. The rest was coordinated from Boortmeerbeek. That’s the power of good preparation and twenty years of experience.

Whatever the choice, the offer is always the same: A to Z, indoor and outdoor, from large furniture to carpets, lighting and decoration to mattress protectors, bed linen, crockery, and cutlery. If the client wishes, all they need to bring is their hand luggage and they can start enjoying immediately.

One element that clients sometimes forget: packaging waste. After a large delivery and installation, boxes, foil, and pallets remain. The transporter usually doesn’t take these back. We always discuss this with the client in advance and look together for a practical solution on site, from a waste container for a day to a local processor. It’s a detail that’s quickly forgotten. We don’t forget it.

The goods arrive at our central warehouse in Boortmeerbeek. From the start, everything is clearly labeled in the client’s name. Before transport, every box goes through our hands again: checked, labeled per room, and cleverly packed. Cushions and small decorations are added to larger boxes to save space. When the truck is at the door, we help load, taking into account what goes where and what needs to go into the house first. Then the transport departs.

This experience didn’t come overnight. In the 23 years that feelathome has existed, Anke and Geert have also realized two holiday homes in Norway themselves, from the first beam to the finishing. They know better than anyone what it means to coordinate a complete project across the border.

This was also evident during the delivery of a recent Norwegian project. The five-member feelathome team was already at the gate for the flight to Oslo when Geert received a call from the transporter. The truck was stuck at the border. The client had included some personal belongings, and Norwegian customs didn’t want to let them through just like that. Additional inspection required.

Geert knows Norway well. The instructions were quickly given: the personal goods were left in a neutral zone so they could be handled separately. The rest of the transport was immediately released. The next morning at 8 a.m., the truck was at the client’s mountain cabin. The team could get to work. Geert also arranged the local transport of the personal belongings afterwards.