Houzz Tour: 1900s Elegance in a French Manor House
Before and after photos show how a modern take on traditional decor feels fresh and elegant in this airy home
Agnès Carpentier
24 January 2023
Searching for a charming property in the countryside, a Parisian couple and their two children fell in love with this three-storey, 1900s-style brick manor house close to Pont-l’Évêque in Normandy. The house sits on a hill and nestles into the surrounding landscape.
The family turned to interior designer Flore Guenoun-Delessard to oversee the renovation. Flore is passionate about reinventing family homes with delicate and contemporary touches and catered to all of their wishes. “It’s always important for me to combine functionality and simple, unpretentious decor with light, refinement and everlasting charm,” she says. “With that in mind, I mix contemporary and antique furniture, art and artisanal pieces and natural touches until the true feel of the property is revealed.”
The family turned to interior designer Flore Guenoun-Delessard to oversee the renovation. Flore is passionate about reinventing family homes with delicate and contemporary touches and catered to all of their wishes. “It’s always important for me to combine functionality and simple, unpretentious decor with light, refinement and everlasting charm,” she says. “With that in mind, I mix contemporary and antique furniture, art and artisanal pieces and natural touches until the true feel of the property is revealed.”
House at a Glance
Who lives here? A Parisian couple in their forties with two daughters aged 11 and 3
Location Near Pont-l’Évêque, Calvados, France
Size 210 sqm over three floors
Project date March 2020 to March 2021
Interior designer Flore Guenoun-Delessard of MaisonFlore
Contractor Philippe le Guevel
Carpenter William Layné
Renovation + fixtures and fittings budget €285,000 (around £253,000); detailed works budget at the end of the article
Photos by MaisonFlore
Who lives here? A Parisian couple in their forties with two daughters aged 11 and 3
Location Near Pont-l’Évêque, Calvados, France
Size 210 sqm over three floors
Project date March 2020 to March 2021
Interior designer Flore Guenoun-Delessard of MaisonFlore
Contractor Philippe le Guevel
Carpenter William Layné
Renovation + fixtures and fittings budget €285,000 (around £253,000); detailed works budget at the end of the article
Photos by MaisonFlore
Ground floor before.
This beautiful three-storey building had already been renovated and the new owners found it cosy as it was, but asked for more light in the space and less ornate decor. Flore combined the living and dining areas and replaced all the windows.
To bathe the interior in light, she suggested opening up the kitchen to the living room to create a coherent L-shaped room. “Combining the rooms also gave this area great flow,” she says.
Ready to renovate? Find reviewed interior designers in your area on Houzz.
This beautiful three-storey building had already been renovated and the new owners found it cosy as it was, but asked for more light in the space and less ornate decor. Flore combined the living and dining areas and replaced all the windows.
To bathe the interior in light, she suggested opening up the kitchen to the living room to create a coherent L-shaped room. “Combining the rooms also gave this area great flow,” she says.
Ready to renovate? Find reviewed interior designers in your area on Houzz.
Ground floor after.
Interior design was the main focus of the project, but Flore also came up with an energy budget for the building. Even though the heat pump was relatively new, she recommended insulating the walls on the second floor and the ground floor, where she noticed some colder areas. “We also had the fireplace redone, as it was elevated and rather odd, but we put the stove back inside because it was very useful,” she says.
The electrics and plumbing were also replaced, as was the flooring on the ground floor. The original tiles were not meant to be replaced, but were removed as they were too uneven. The floor was lowered by 30cm, covered with thick insulation and then finished in solid oak. “We used three board sizes with different spacing between each and opted to nail them down to echo the originals,” Flore explains.
Interior design was the main focus of the project, but Flore also came up with an energy budget for the building. Even though the heat pump was relatively new, she recommended insulating the walls on the second floor and the ground floor, where she noticed some colder areas. “We also had the fireplace redone, as it was elevated and rather odd, but we put the stove back inside because it was very useful,” she says.
The electrics and plumbing were also replaced, as was the flooring on the ground floor. The original tiles were not meant to be replaced, but were removed as they were too uneven. The floor was lowered by 30cm, covered with thick insulation and then finished in solid oak. “We used three board sizes with different spacing between each and opted to nail them down to echo the originals,” Flore explains.
This is what the living-dining room looked like at the time of purchase, with the previous owners’ decor.
The new owners favour sleek design and family furniture. The father is also an art enthusiast, as evidenced by the large painting pictured here, which he bought at an auction, and the piece by street artist Levalet displayed to the right of the fireplace.
Flore used the large canvas as the starting point for the rest of the decor, which looks as though it was put together bit by bit over the years. “The family bought everything for this house. A great part of my job is rummaging for antique pieces and putting them together to suit my clients’ wishes as much as possible,” she says.
To make interiors feel both modern and authentic, Flore selects unique pieces from different eras in styles. “The chandelier came from a flea market in Sarzeau, north-western France; the Louis Philippe mirror is from Selency; the Scandinavian coffee tables are from Pamono, and the sofas were new from La Redoute,” she says.
Her master stroke? “Surprising the homeowners with a real 1950s cocktail chair that I found for €180 (£156),” she says, referring to the green armchair in the corner.
Flore used the large canvas as the starting point for the rest of the decor, which looks as though it was put together bit by bit over the years. “The family bought everything for this house. A great part of my job is rummaging for antique pieces and putting them together to suit my clients’ wishes as much as possible,” she says.
To make interiors feel both modern and authentic, Flore selects unique pieces from different eras in styles. “The chandelier came from a flea market in Sarzeau, north-western France; the Louis Philippe mirror is from Selency; the Scandinavian coffee tables are from Pamono, and the sofas were new from La Redoute,” she says.
Her master stroke? “Surprising the homeowners with a real 1950s cocktail chair that I found for €180 (£156),” she says, referring to the green armchair in the corner.
The wall with the bookcase in this before image was knocked through to connect the kitchen and dining room.
Removing the wall allowed Flore to turn the table 90 degrees, which makes it feel less cramped. A mirror brightens the immaculate backdrop, with new black cast-iron radiators standing out. “In a real deco move, we opted for beautiful rococo-style cast-iron models that give the main room character and authenticity,” Flore says.
The designer found a wooden table and three pairs of vintage bistro chairs with curved silhouettes. “I bought them from a second-hand dealer who specialises in vintage bentwood chairs,” she says.
Perhaps predestined by her first name, Flore loves plants and flowers, both green and dried, and suggested putting some around the living area. “They add a natural touch by contrasting the squareness of other objects with their unstructured, organic shapes,” she says.
The designer found a wooden table and three pairs of vintage bistro chairs with curved silhouettes. “I bought them from a second-hand dealer who specialises in vintage bentwood chairs,” she says.
Perhaps predestined by her first name, Flore loves plants and flowers, both green and dried, and suggested putting some around the living area. “They add a natural touch by contrasting the squareness of other objects with their unstructured, organic shapes,” she says.
The new owners wanted the kitchen to be discreet and sophisticated once it was connected to the living room. So they opted for a run of pale oak cabinets and a dresser. “The black tones of the china cabinet and gas stove match the charcoal black of the radiators,” Flore says.
Carrara marble worktops, Motte Décoration. Kitchen, Neptune.
Carrara marble worktops, Motte Décoration. Kitchen, Neptune.
The couple opted for a Carrara marble worktop for a homely feel. “The kitchen designer initially warned them against it, because marble is sensitive to contact with acidic substances, but they insisted and have no regrets,” Flore says. “It turned out to be more resistant than expected, judging by their first feedback after the installation.”
The owners had hoped to find a magnificent wooden staircase under the red carpet. Unfortunately, it turned out that it had concealed damage to the steps, so the owners decided to cover them with a new navy carpet.
Renovating the pitch pine floor upstairs didn’t work out as planned either. “The owners wanted to sand it down, but it turned out to have a reddish colour, so we decided to paint it white instead, which ended up making the centre of the house brighter. That was a really nice surprise,” Flore says.
Since the owners loved the original toile de Jouy wallpaper, Flore found a non-woven wallpaper in the same style that brings a fresh take on the look.
Since the owners loved the original toile de Jouy wallpaper, Flore found a non-woven wallpaper in the same style that brings a fresh take on the look.
First floor after.
The first floor has two large bedrooms, two bathrooms and an office. The floor plan remained the same.
The first floor has two large bedrooms, two bathrooms and an office. The floor plan remained the same.
To create the soft and luminous ambience the owners wanted, Flore put together a white scheme highlighted by a few hints of colour to match the living areas. A Persian rug warms the feet while the small desk acts as a nice transition between the two windows. The fireplace is newly painted white, and Flore had the old floor tiles in front of it cleaned.
Long linen curtains adorn the sash windows. “We didn’t want to change the windows, which were new and double-glazed,” Flore says. “I always try to keep as many historical or high-quality elements as possible.”
Long linen curtains adorn the sash windows. “We didn’t want to change the windows, which were new and double-glazed,” Flore says. “I always try to keep as many historical or high-quality elements as possible.”
Flore hadn’t planned to redo the master bedroom. “But once the [other] rooms were decorated to their taste, it really didn’t fit with the rest of the house,” she says.
All its features of the new bathroom, from the metro tiles to the linen curtains, dark wood chair and marble-topped vanity unit, were hand-picked to add old-fashioned charm. “The homeowner took the opportunity to treat herself to floor tiles that are a replica of the ones that were in her grandmother’s house – a real memory trigger,” Flore says.
The vanity unit resembles a washbasin countertop from the 1900s, when people bathed from a jug. It is, however, brand new, made by a carpenter based on Flore’s drawings. “I love period furniture, but I regularly use tailor-made cabinets and bathroom furniture. It allows me to optimise the available space down to the last centimetre and get the design just right,” she says.
The unit is made of walnut-stained oak with a Carrara marble top and an antique-style tap.
Carrara marble worktop, Motte Décoration.
The vanity unit resembles a washbasin countertop from the 1900s, when people bathed from a jug. It is, however, brand new, made by a carpenter based on Flore’s drawings. “I love period furniture, but I regularly use tailor-made cabinets and bathroom furniture. It allows me to optimise the available space down to the last centimetre and get the design just right,” she says.
The unit is made of walnut-stained oak with a Carrara marble top and an antique-style tap.
Carrara marble worktop, Motte Décoration.
The second room on the first floor, seen here before works, is a 16.5 sq m space that’s identical to the master bedroom.
The homeowners wanted to preserve the overall coherence on each storey, so were keen to use the same palette as in the main bedroom.
“They wanted a simple interior with few objects, lots of floor space and white tones to foreground the dark colours of the antique furniture with its beautiful curved shapes, which they especially love,” Flore says.
“They wanted a simple interior with few objects, lots of floor space and white tones to foreground the dark colours of the antique furniture with its beautiful curved shapes, which they especially love,” Flore says.
Second floor after.
The owners set this storey aside for their daughters, aged 11 and 3. Flore left the layout as is, but renovated the rooms.
The owners set this storey aside for their daughters, aged 11 and 3. Flore left the layout as is, but renovated the rooms.
Its interior is softened by a very light pink on the walls with contrasting white beams. “The Jieldé lamp was in her parents’ flat in Paris. They wanted to sell it, but she asked to keep it,” Flore says.
Flore found a vintage 1940s Danish wardrobe through online flea market shop, Selency. Its painted flowers add a feminine touch. As the room was very big, she also suggested adding a living room corner.
For the three-year-old daughter, Flore went for a soft, vintage ambience with a metal, antique-style bed and a toy chest from a flea market.
She hit the nail on the head with this Betsy print for the Liberty bed linen. The owners were even able to match it with two recycled braided bed bumpers.
She hit the nail on the head with this Betsy print for the Liberty bed linen. The owners were even able to match it with two recycled braided bed bumpers.
Now, in keeping with the rest of the house, it features a lot of white, with touches of grey and ecru highlighted with golden tones.
The room has the same overall feel as their bedrooms, with pale pink and shades of white. A bath replaced the shower, another vanity unit was built to match the model on the lower floor, and the old walls were preserved as a charming element.
Detailed budget
Work, broken down into (not including labour):
Tell us…
What do you like about this French home makeover? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Work, broken down into (not including labour):
- Paint + tiling + insulation: €90,000 (around £80,000)
- Electrics: €20,000 (around £17,700)
- Plumbing: €25,000 (around £22,200)
- Brickwork: €20,000 (around £17,700)
- Kitchen: €30,000 (around £26,600)
- Furniture: €35,000 (around £30,000)
Tell us…
What do you like about this French home makeover? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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Just beautiful.
Dreamy place!
Gorgeous
wonderful!!!