BEALSTONE® in the spotlight at Maison Dandoy

• Renovation of a Maison Dandoy shop, 14 rue Charles Buls, 1000 Bruxelles
• Concept: Base Design
• Architect: Olivier Hannaert, AS BUILT Architects
• Craftman: Harun Kavak, Best Décor
• Product: BEALSTONE®, Beal International

Maison Dandoy renovates its iconic addresses

Maison Dandoy is the oldest biscuit factory in Brussels and one of the most successful Belgian companies. Founded in 1829 and currently run by the seventh generation of the same family, it has eleven points of sales in Belgium, three of which are located around the prestigious Grand-Place in Brussels.

With the desire to continue evolving in order to guarantee the continuity of its Belgian influence and international reputation, the family business has been engaged in the renovation of its shops for several years now. After those on Place Stéphanie and in the Galerie du Roi in Brussels, as well as the one in Antwerp, it is the turn of the third Maison Dandoy address in the heart of the European capital, at 14 rue Charles Buls, to get a makeover.

The world of Maison Dandoy shops, between authenticity and personality

Maison Dandoy is not a company like any other, and this is surely one of the keys to its success. At once artisanal, exclusive, accessible and local, the brand has carved out a place for itself in the world of biscuits by remaining true to its history and values and by focusing on craftsmanship to make high-quality biscuits.

The unique personality of Maison Dandoy is also reflected in its physical universe, as its teams offer their customers an experience like no other in the shop. Warm and fun while remaining upscale, Maison Dandoy manages to combine a luxurious aura with a deliciously retro atmosphere. Pleasure guaranteed!

The aim, according to Julie Capiau, marketing manager, is that ‘children feel welcome and adults return to childhood for a delicious tasting experience’. Proust’s speculoos can be tasted and bought in an environment that is as pretty as it is warm and resolutely in tune with the times.

Because heritage and authenticity are crucial for Maison Dandoy, there was no question of the teams distorting the premises or erasing their uniqueness. On the contrary, the aim was rather to preserve the original materials, to restore the beauty of certain traces of the past and to keep the soul of these historic addresses.

And this is precisely where the challenge of such a project lies: adapting to the space so that it tells its own story and offers a customer experience of its own, while bringing the Dandoy touch to it so that the brand is recognisable both graphically and in terms of atmosphere.

To fully immerse customers in the brand’s identity at its Rue Charles Buls boutique, the team sought to distinguish itself by selecting original, exclusive and long-lasting materials. And since this address would have a ‘Tea-Room’ in addition to the shop, i.e. a tasting area, and all on two floors, the opportunities for creativity were immense.

BEALSTONE® surfacing, a signature material

From the very first renovations carried out by Maison Dandoy, Terrazzo/granito was chosen as a central element in the design of the premises, and over the course of the projects it became a true signature of the shops. This trademark does not fail to attract attention and never ceases to seduce customers, ‘who are often caught taking photos of the shop,’ adds Julie Capiau.

Initially used only to create a counter in one of the previously renovated shops, the team wanted to continue exploring this material and make it stand out even more in this location. The idea was also to go even further in the personalisation of this covering and to take advantage of its adaptability and resistance by using it on a larger scale. Counter, stairs, floors on two floors, toilets and washbasins: all these elements would this time be in Terrazzo.

‘To allow for such versatility in the application of this coating as well as customisation in the colour of the coating and in the choice of aggregate type and size, our choice naturally fell on BEALSTONE®, the Terrazzo-look mineral coating from Beal International,’ explains architect Olivier Hannaert. ‘The BEALSTONE® covering is such an adaptable material that it circumvents technical constraints and offers the opportunity to give free rein to our creativity, which made it an obvious choice for us,’ adds Lola Philippart, Project Manager at Base Design.

At Maison Dandoy, the choice of BEALSTONE® flooring was also an obvious one. Julie Capiau even lists several reasons: ‘The BEALSTONE® solution allows for great customization as it is available in an infinite number of colours. This gave us the opportunity to create a look & feel that truly embodied our desires. This was a decisive factor, but it was not the only one! The fact that it can be used on both floors and other surfaces was also decisive, as it allowed us to design a beautiful custom-made counter that blended perfectly with the rest of the chosen decor and furnishings. And that definitely helped give our shop its unique character! We also liked the idea of combining BEALSTONE® flooring with other materials, and the result with wood was magnificent. Last but not least, BEALSTONE® is a very easy-to-maintain coating, which was important to ensure the comfort of our in-store teams.

A major project with a prestigious result

Originally, at the address of Maison Dandoy on rue Charles Buls, there were three very small houses, which have since been combined into one. As the building is located near the Grand-Place in Brussels, it was important to preserve the integrity of the site and protect its history.

The different floors of the building have been refurbished. There is now a kitchen in the basement, the shop on the ground floor, the ‘Tea-Room’ tasting area on the first floor and an apartment on the second floor. An outdoor courtyard has also been created as an emergency exit and to facilitate deliveries.

A goods lift has been installed to facilitate the transport of equipment and food from the kitchen in the basement to the tea room on the second floor. The goods lift has been designed with full glass walls to give a feeling of transparency and add even more perspective to the space.

For the installation of the BEALSTONE® cladding, architect Olivier Hannaert called on Harun Kavak (Best Décor), an independent craftsman trained by Beal International and a specialist in these products. Together, they evaluated different samples in order to find the combination that would correspond to the project’s mood board. The colours, the type of aggregate, their granularity… everything was chosen specifically for this renovation, making it a unique covering.

The counter and the majestic central staircase were made with a white BEALSTONE® coating, while the floors are black. Olivier Hannaert explains that he is used to working with this material, as he much prefers it to other alternatives for creating poured floors. He confides that ‘concrete is much more complex to install and often leads to disappointment: cracks, rough edges and other defects. BEALSTONE® flooring is made of flexible resins that are really easy to mix and very practical to install. This solution therefore offers a guaranteed result that is beautiful, clean and neat. Not to mention that the choices are endless in terms of both colours and aggregates, allowing for a high degree of customisation of the product. He adds: ‘And even though Terrazzo has been very trendy in recent years, I don’t think it will go out of fashion. Its versatility in the way it can be showcased in an interior and its immense possibilities in terms of customisation make it a timeless material.’