Tags
Antiques, Architectural salvage, Belgian artist, Belgian design, Flea Market Style, Istanbul, Rough Luxe
“Tucked away in the maze of Istanbul’s cobbled alleys, the home/gallery of designer Asli Tunca and her husband Carl Vercauteren hardly trumpets its presence. But the quality of the couple’s restored European antiques and Ottoman-influenced bespoke furniture means that discerning clients always beat a path to their unmarked door.”
This is the home to which the stairs on the previous post belong. Notice the Dutch
Baroque Processional Frame tucked under stairs. The coffee table, their own design,
is inlaid with mother of pearl, horn and bone.
In the ground floor reception area, a pair of shellstone sphinxes bought
in Britain have faces modeled on Madame Pompadour.
The handcrafted staircase…took a nearly a year to complete
“They live and work in the Beyoglu district, an area north of the Golden Horn. Originally, it was a hunting ground for Roman and Byzantine nobility, their villas and lodges gradually populating the wooden hillsides that overlook Bosphorus. When the Ottoman Turks conquered Istanbul in 1453, they were eager to keep foreigners out of the sultan’s city, so Beyoglu, where ships stopped to load and unload their cargo, became the obvious place to accommodate them. The district became a thriving trading post for predominantly Genoese and Venetian merchants, and its increasing importance was marked by the creation of several embassies until, by the end of the 17th century, Beyoglu was transformed into a colony of influential foreigners.”
Carl is a Belgian artist and metal sculptor whose focus is on designing and overseeing the creation of
locally made wood and metal furniture, and personally restores objects trouvés and antiques.
Asli buys antique fabrics to dye and rework into curtains, cushions and hangings, and to
upholster Carl’s sofas and chairs.
The medieval house has five floors,
It took the couple 3 years to restore it.
The top floor with its architectural features was perfect for Carl’s studio
and contains furniture and architectural salvage for inspiration.
The middle floors are the family’s living area. And the high ceiling ground floor is
ideal for showing furniture, thus is home and gallery combined.
Books and files in the chestnut- paneled library have been covered with
goatskin parchment and hand labeled on the spine.
For more gorgeous photography visit their site Asli Tunca
*
Sources: World of Interiors June ’08
Karen Howes, photography Miguel Flores Vianna
House and Garden Oct. ’07
Incredible home. Thank you for a glimpse inside- truly a dream posting.
Wonderful post… thank you.
An interior design “died and gone to heaven” moment…
~Jermaine~
Wonderful home , every detail is gorgeous. if I had to pick one thing I wouldn’t know which treasure to choose.
Istanbul is a beautiful city also , so It is heaven
I will visit their site. Thank you for this post. It gave me some new ideas.
Lee
Such beautiful interiors!
I’m glad everyone liked this. I found a back issue of this World of Interiors on Ebay last night and bought it. The writing about the history of this corner of Istanbul was fascinating, photographs stunning. So much beauty in so many hidden corners of this world. Love the impetus to create, restore, beautify.
So many lovelies…that handcrafted stairwell is stunning…I love your sis’s Belgian armoir next to the fabulous gate-leg table (a couple of posts back). Beautiful post(s)!
Blessings…
Hi Trish,
You could not get anything more perfect.
Love everything here, especially the staircase and the door opening out into the courtyard.
have a wonderful weekend
Hugs
Carolyn
Beautiful images! It is all so gorgeous… I will have to visit their site. Ax
What a fabulous post. I love that staircase, it takes me back to when I lived in Istanbul many years ago, such a wonderful city, oh so lively.
Leeann x
Fabulouw post….this home is so serene and peaceful. Love the colors and the architectural lines. Interesting people and fascinating place. I will visit their site next. Thank you for introducing me to yet another world I would otherwise never knew existed!
Take care, Laura
loving the big pictures!!!!!!!!!!!
I would move in there in a heartbeat
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