Charming, Bright Country Home in France
It was the barn that sealed the deal for Alon and Betsy Kasha. When the Parisian couple was searching for a family retreat in Normandy, France, they fell in love with a home that was part of an old village rectory — the gardener's house and the attached barn. Although the barn was in poor shape, they were drawn to its high ceilings and exposed rafters. As the owners of a + b kasha designs, they had plenty of experience renovating turnkey apartments in Paris and couldn't wait to try their hand at a country home of their own.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Alon and Betsy Kasha
Location: Eure Valley in Normandy, France
Size: 2,500 square feet
That's interesting: When the Kashas first purchased this house, the barn still had its original dirt floors and mud walls.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Alon and Betsy Kasha
Location: Eure Valley in Normandy, France
Size: 2,500 square feet
That's interesting: When the Kashas first purchased this house, the barn still had its original dirt floors and mud walls.
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Most of the exterior of the house was preserved in its original style, with the gardener's house and the barn still connected. The barn now holds a family room, three bedrooms and two bathrooms.
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The living room is on the ground floor of what was once the gardener's residence. Two antique Le Corbusier leather chairs and a 1930s leather and metal club chair create a casual seating arrangement around a zinc-topped coffee table. A French artist made the floor lamp with recycled materials.
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The family used a lot of existing furniture from their previous home, but in different rooms and different ways. A walnut commode, used for food storage in their old kitchen, now holds games and puzzles in the family room.
Desk: custom; sofa: Habitat |
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A guest bedroom on the ground floor of the barn looks onto one of the home's many gardens. Embroidered bedding from Paris mimics the engravings on an antique light fixture.
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Alon and Betsy chose their master bedroom based on its unique architectural details. "Its pitched ceiling with beautiful old beams creates a tranquil and calming space," Betsy says. The table holding a portion of their book collection is an antique Chinese daybed. The couple cut the legs down and used it as a coffee table in their first house.
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This bedroom is one of the only rooms in the house with a nonneutral color.
Wall paint: Borrowed Light, Farrow & Ball; rug: Saint Maclou; bedding: Caravane |
