Everyone can borrow pictures from Marie Claire Maison no
doubt. Why see them here then? I thought I'd add to the experience by translating the text. It's good exercise. Here I had a 'coup de foudre' for this remodel published in Marie Claire Maison recently.
Disclaimer: One thing that differentiates a French decoration magazine from an
American one is how poetic, almost lyrical the text can be, as opposed to strictly informative. Also, they like $3 dollar words such as immutable for timeless, or heteroclite for eclectic, so bear with me :-)
"This longère, (the type of farm building typical of the area), remodeled so simply as a weekend house by a
couple from Charente Maritime, reveals behind its limed facade delicious
surprises full of charm and whimsy.
In Charente Maritime, 60 km from Bordeaux, Carole de Laâge, a painter and her
husband Dominique discovered a house abandoned for 30 years. Simple, with its well, a bread oven,
barns that have been added along the years as well as pigeon coops integrated to
the facade, the Longère was brought back to life using original craftsmanship and material. Sand
and Lime were used to fill holes, {…} the facade was painted white, the blinds
repaired and repainted in an ancient green hue.
When they bough the house they knew they were going to keep
it 'in its juice' (what? even I have never heard this expression) mend it as opposed to transform it. This is apparent in the dining room, where
the floor was repaired using old planks from a purveyor in the region. The furniture is heteroclite, chairs
found in brocantes, an Eames, a cane chair circa 1900. On the table, a flowery oilcloth found in Mexico contributes
to the deliciously nostalgic ambiance of the room.
Carole painted all the walls with a mix of gouache and lime
which produces a velvety aspect, a bit like blotting paper. The kitchen opens
on the front of the house and to the back though a barn. The kitchen is a vivid pink like the color one can
still find in old house in Cameroon where Carole has stayed. To bring light to the place, the
ceiling was limed {…} the sink, dishes, pans, etc. were all chosen for their immutable nature.
Quasi monastic, the guest room was created in an old barn, the walls are made out of the local stone farmers used to collect from
fields. The whole thing was limed
to bring light. The bed as well as
the table are typical of the region and were found in the house’s attic. (I personally would have gone for a larger mattress.)
The was no running water originally, of course a bathroom
had to be created but it looks as though it’s always been there. Very simple, it was installed in one of
the old barns, the cast iron bathtub comes from Dominique’s family, and the old
radiator was found. The walls were
tainted in a gray shade of blue, except above the radiator where a space was
preserved where a mirror should have been installed (not sure if they mean on purpose) on the floor a large
rug, brought back from morocco, gives energy to the room. Behind the faucet an aged mirror looks
like it’s always been there. There
is a lot of modesty, of charm and a hint of pride revealed in this
free-spirited weekend house.
Voila. Did you enjoy reading a translation or did I waste my time? I personally wish I could read articles in Bolig or Italian vogue. Maybe it's just me.
