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Most of the furnishings are secondhand or otherwise creatively sourced. The desk in Léontine’s bedroom was picked up at a technical school in Caen, where it was a cabinetmaking student’s final project. The used dining table was bought online, and half of the chairs came from a Parisian bar that was being renovated, the other half from a charity flea market. The 1930s armchair in the living area, colorfully reupholstered, belonged to Isabelle’s grandparents.
Designed by architect Jean-Baptiste Barache of Arba-, the 1,200-square-foot home floats above the ground, respectful of the nature surrounding it. “We tried to reduce the boundaries as much as possible,” says Barache. Sliding glass doors at the back of the house, mirroring those in the front, open to a view of the garden and the limestone quarry.
Donate, Isabelle’s mother, takes in the view from the dining table over a cup of coffee. “You can quietly take your breakfast here and wait for the sun to come into the room, looking out at the beautiful old cherry tree,” says Isabelle. “When the weather is nice, with the sliding doors open, we feel directly in contact with the garden.”
The size of the house and the layout encourage spending time together, another welcome change from the couple’s life in Paris. “In our former house, we were all in our private spaces,” says Patrice. “Here we spend time in the central areas. It’s basically one floor, and you can call out to each other easily.”
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