A Stone House in Provence

Behind the classic blue shutters of a stone house in Saint-Rémy de Provence, a French couple has converted an old farm into a summer sanctuary filled with contemporary art and design.

THE HOUSE
At the foot of the Alpilles mountains in the heart of Provence lies the picturesque village of Saint-Rémy de Provence. Five years ago, Strasbourg natives, Monique and Régis made this town their second home when they bought a late 18th century traditional ‘mas’, the French word for farmhouse.

To transform a 250 m2 old farm into a destination for future family vacations, the couple hired V8designers and Frög Architecture who completed the renovation in 2014. Despite a vast 8-month renovation of the building, its heritage as a farm is still visible as layers of history such as the chiselled masonry, the animal drinking trough and pump have been kept.

A garden dispersed over two hectares is planted with olive trees, pine trees, figs, plums, and plane trees. During the warm hours, a shaded terrace provides shelter from the sun. And with the region's 300 sunny days a year a cold dip in the pool is indispensable.

THE AREA
It was the urge for sun, flavour and nature that brought the family to Saint-Rémy. Three months a year the family resides in Provence. Slow living is on the agenda as opposed to a more hectic schedule in Strasbourg.

Home to Van Gogh during his time in the mental asylum and to flourishing morning markets, Saint-Rémy is quite the tourist magnet during summer. Yet, Saint-Rémy evokes a certain calm for the family. Hour-long lunches are enjoyed in the small courtyard under the 200-year-old plane tree, a symbol of Provence. And even more hours are spent preparing family meals in the black steel kitchen from Vipp.

INTERIOR
A profound passion for contemporary art, photography and design is present throughout every room of the house. Four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a living and dining room plus a kitchen all boast a meticulous selection of design and art pieces contrasting the historic frame of the house.

Monique has done the interior decoration and chosen a mix of vintage pieces, mid-century modern Scandinavian furniture, local ceramics fused with a collection of contemporary photography.

Once home to cows and sheep, the office is now a sanctuary for Régis where he can work remotely and develop his polaroid. Two porcelain doll faces are scouting over the office in the photographs by Patrick Bailly Maître-Grand. The exposed beams are from the original ceiling while the office chair and globus, standing tall on the vintage Walter Knoll desk, are from Regis childhood home.

While rarely used, the indoor dining area is no less accomplished. The space pays homage to wooden furniture with a series of Friso Kramer chairs and a Jean Prouvé table. A wooden corbel by Hans Wegner and a contemporary type of case by Stena Holsov holds vintage treasures and family polaroids.

An authentic fireplace dominates the living room, where the couple find themselves reading the books from their hidden library. A small office setting is made up by a ‘Fantome’ vintage chair by Dorner Design and a sixties inspired desk found at the Isle sur la Sorgue flea market.

THE KITCHEN
"I have known Vipp's products for decades and to me it equals quality. So, when I heard that Vipp had made a kitchen, we decided to go see it next time we were in Copenhagen," Monique explains and continues;
"The mat surface with its unique tactility was what we fell for. And the floating tabletop is incomparable."

The industrial look of the black kitchen is softened up by a graphic layout of diamond shaped Mutina tiles; white for the walls and green for the flooring.

Wooden cutting boards and trays offer another graphic element when placed side by side along the kitchen counter. A local carpenter has crafted the wooden doors for the kitchen’s tall cabinets.

TYPE OF HOUSE Converted farmhouse from the late 18th century
ARCHITECT V8designers and Frög Architecture and local architect Cédric Dartois