Wednesday, July 28, 2010

What's New?

After years on the look-out for an old barn to restore in the French countryside, the Henaut family stumbled across 3,000 sq. metres of vacant land just outside the pretty village of Orgeval. Wanting to build a house with soul & one that remained sympathetic to the region, they found Orleans-Eurobat, a Company that specializes in the design & building of regional architecture.

After two years of work building the house & completing the interiors, the Owners were very happy with the result.

The Great Room has oak beams which have been left raw & a nineteenth century mantlepiece. Neutral furnishings give the room a relaxed, informal feel.

Chouquette, the guardian of the house chills out in the Great Room.

A custom-made cabinet, with mesh door inserts, houses books & also doubles as a cocktail cupboard.

The farmhouse is spread over two levels - the Great Room, dining area and kitchen are downstairs & upstairs are the bedrooms and bathrooms.

In the kitchen, the Henry II buffet, a family inheritance, has been covered by a thick oak top & is used as the centre island, surrounded by designer chairs. Raw oak beams have been used again, but this time are white-washed. From the kitchen French doors lead out onto the terrace which is lined with old cobblestones. Herbs, roses, lavender, hydrangeas and boxwood all in large planter boxes, thrive in the sunlight. Then beyond, lies the large garden.

The Master bedroom is nestled in an alcove upstairs & the bed is covered with crips cottons & a sumptious velvet throw.

Two old mirrors & a linen covered storage cupboard complete the pretty upstairs bathroom.

An ancient & somewhat battered oak door has been converted into a closet, complete with fine wire mesh inserts & a delicate half-curtain. The Owners have combined their love of Flemish & Gustavian interiors to create a beautiful home, with all the advantages of a new building, that still reflects the past. This is one of the loveliest new builds I've seen in a long, long time. Do you agree?

17 comments:

  1. How gorgeous!Such clever people.Makes you realize you really can create authentic french from brand new. Fiona

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  2. Oh how clever are these people, love this.xxxx

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  3. Millie that was a gorgeous house and a lovely read about the interior. makes you envious of people who can re-create such authentic looking homes from brand new and in France of all places! it must fit in beautifully with the surrounds. Cathyxx

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  4. A Villa to love.
    Euro chic at its best!
    xx
    Dore

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  5. Holy Sweet Sister Frances Mary Barbara!!! I love this house. You knew I would. As for MOTH, if only he could be recording all of his landscaping and renovation projects then upload them onto youtube, he would be famous in no time. I would be his biggest fan, but not for long since he would be landing his own show on HGTV. Hey, I'm only the dreamer. Not the first crazy dream and not the last. Love ya, Heidi

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  6. Millie, this house is fabulous and looks so authentic and as if it has been there for years and years.

    I hope that you are having a great week
    Hugs
    Carolyn

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  7. Can you say....uhhhh..."CHA CHING!!!??" :D

    What a fabulous place! So incredibly cozy..perfect colours...I'll take it all. Hee

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  8. Oh yes I do agree! Wonderful! And the funny thing? It's not even 20 km from where I live!!
    Bisous from Versailles, Chantal

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  9. I want that dog apart from anything else! Jane :)

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  10. What a stunning home, I cant believe it is a new build it looks like a beautifully restored old home. What a fantastic team of builders architects & designers. A lovely post!!!

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  11. How amazing..I have to agree, the best new build I have seen in terms of how well it fits in..it's beautiful..Rachaelxx

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  12. Wow, that's really beautiful and well done. Love the dog too!

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  13. oh no!!!!
    this is so fabulous.
    i would just about
    kill something
    to be there!!!

    have a nice day dear millie.

    i am off to the design coal mine.

    xxx

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  14. Does the dog come with? What a lovely spot.
    pve

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  15. I so want to move straight in NOW!!!!!

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  16. That floor in the kitchen! Amazing!!

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And none will hear the postman's knock
Without a quickening of the heart.
For who can bear to feel himself forgotten?
~W.H. Auden

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