An ancient French farmhouse has been lovingly restored, and brought up to date with salvaged pieces, exposed materials and treasured vintage items
FEATURE JOSÉ VAN ASPEREN PRODUCTION & STYLING WILMA CUSTERS / FEATURES & MORE PHOTOGRAPHS FABIENNE DELAFRAYE
The traditional shutter-clad exterior of Anne Gauthier and her partner David’s home belies its surprisingly fresh interior. Inside, exposed brick and whitewashed walls, terracotta floors, ceiling beams and salvaged materials combine to create a modern, rustic feel.
Anne, a graphic designer, and David, a builder, have always loved salvaged materials and reusing old things in new ways. In their home, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-west France, salvaged windows (found at the French online marketplace, Leboncoin) make brilliant partitions between rooms – and create an airier, more layered look than simply building new walls. Similarly, shelves and tables are made from reclaimed planks and a contemporary kitchen has been made from scratch, using concrete and wood from a local joiner. Clearly, much effort has gone into thinking through each room. ‘I think the place where you live is very important and you have to feel good in it,’ says Anne. ‘This goes hand in hand with creating an interior that reflects who you are.’
The couple, who have two teenage sons, moved here five years ago – drawn to its beautiful grounds and its location, in the small town where Anne grew up. ‘It’s a pretty town with beautiful architecture. It was built on a plateau, so it has lovely views,’ she says. It needed a thorough renovation, which Anne and David did much of themselves. ‘We wanted to keep as many of the original materials of the c19th-century house as possible: from ceiling beams to the terracotta floor tiles and oak parquet flooring. I’ve always liked decorating and, when I was younger, I wanted to be an architect and then an interior designer. That didn’t work out but I’m now happy to put my passion to good use in our home.’
When it came to the furniture
