Small design B&B in the Belgian countryside with a ton of character
Moka & Vanille / Heusden-Zolder / Limburg / Belgium
Smack in the middle of the Belgian countryside (yes even though Belgium is rather small size-wise a large part of this country is rural), you’ll find this little gem of a B&B. Moka & Vanilla is the creation of design mastermind Dorian Cooreman. When we first came here we questioned if the road leading up to M&V could really be the right one. We passed cows, horses, farms until we finally arrived at the end of the road. We were met by two donkeys, Moka and Vanilla that are the pets who gave this B&B its name.
Dorian who is both the creator and owner of this place lives on site. Part of the main building is actually her home. Dorian bought this run down farm some years ago and went to work, slowly transforming it into a design destination creating three unique rooms and two common areas for you as a guest to enjoy. The best thing if you like her style she has her own store/showroom called Moka Tales in nearby city of Hasselt.
This place has the kind of design aesthetic that I really love, when you combine traditional features with modern ones and they don’t clash, but marry. The design at Moka & Vanilla is very tactile with lime paint on the walls, hardwood floors, linen textiles and ceramic features. I had to stop myself from just going around touching stuff. :-)
Welcome to Moka & Vanilla B&B!
I love barn conversions! And this old barn is something extra.
The B&B is embedded in greenery, surrounded by farms, located in the Belgian countryside.
Welcome in!
The living room of Moka & Vanilla. Such a beautiful combination of different materials and vintage pieces and more modern elements.
M is moving in. He carries stuff and I snap photos. Perfect division of work. :-)
The large cupboard is actually a pantry. Behind those doors you’ll find a small kitchen that is free for you to use if you want to make your own lunch or dinner.
Love how the old barn doors have been exchanged with massive windows flooding the rooms with light.
Nothing special, but just a really lovely still life.
Every corner reveals something extra, like this landing on the top of the stairs. The walls are so beautiful. I just wanted to touch them all the time.
I love myself a sky light over my bed. One of the great joys in life, to lay in bed watching the stars or even better, to listen to rain hammering against the window.
We went here with my parents so I also took the opportunity to take a photo of their room. Almost as cute as ours.
A cozy little corner of our room.
The bathroom has the same clean design as the rest of the B&B. And I love the use of wood in bathrooms. Might not always be so practical but it looks lovely.
This is the view you are met with when you arrive. Moka & Vanille is located at the end of the road with a giant park bordering the property.
At the back of the farm there are some tables and chairs, perfect for an afternoon hang with a book and a glass of wine. Like M is doing in the photo.
Meet Moka and Vanille. These are the two cuties that gave this B&B its name.
RG inside info
This place is perfect if you…
…want to escape the city life looking for some tranquillity. There are walking- and cycling paths literally around the corner that will lead you deeper into the Belgian countryside.
My favorite thing about this place…
…is the design. I am so impressed with Dorian’s sense of how to put things together to create something that just works. It is a capability that I must admit I envy and feel inspired by.
What not to miss when staying here…
…is to take a trip into the city of Hasselt. It is a hidden gem, at least it was for us. A very cute Belgian town with surprisingly good shopping.
If you like this place you might also like…
TypeO, Ystad, Sweden
La Maison Plûme, Rives-en-Seine, Normandy, France
La Scuola, Lusiana, Veneto, Italy
