Hôtel Wielemans, an Art Deco treasure in Brussels

Not many people know about this hidden treasure in the Rue Defacqz, in the heart of the elegant Louise district of Brussels. That is because if you are just wandering around the streets here, you would never know that behind this relatively austere façade that dates back to the 1920s, there lurks something as beautiful as the Hôtel Wielemans. The only way to discover its hidden secrets, is to be invited for a private visit or a chic event – or to go back to the year 1925.

This was when the architect Adrien Blomme, at the request of the wife of the famous brewer Wielemans, imagined a small palace with a combination of Art Deco and Moorish art. The inspiration of this wonderful creator? The Alhambra in Grenada. Sent there at the request of Mrs Wielemans who was passionate about Spain, the architect sketched his first drawings of this surprising building. The patio is the single most representative example of this source of his inspiration. It is the central element of the Hôtel, decorated with azulejos that the prosperous couple brought back with them. The elaborate curves and rounded features frame warm, convivial, distinctive spaces that are also resolutely modern.

Because the Art Deco style reflected the innovative character of an entrepreneurial bourgeoisie, extremely enthusiastic in its youth and free of all moral prejudice. The focal point of the stunning garden and terrace are the ponds and ceramic decorative pieces that are typically Moorish, and the symbols of an exoticism to which the Wielemans were particularly partial. A magical interior in the image of its former owners – original, imposing and sophisticated.

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