Houzz Tour: A Bright, Rustic Cottage on a Beautiful Outcrop in France
A quaint medieval cottage in the picturesque Dordogne Valley offers historical charm and modern comforts
Houzz
25 August 2014
Lifestyle blogger Stephanie Brubaker wakes up each day to a view of a castle next door. ‘It’s surreal. I don’t care too much that the church bells ring at 7 every day. The view more than makes up for it,’ she says. She fell in love with Beynac, France, and the rustic cottage, La Maisonnette, almost instantly. ‘It may sound strange, but we felt more at home in Beynac than we did almost anywhere else in the world.’
It’s been four years since her love affair with the area and the house began, yet the small-town appeal of the village is still going strong. ‘All it took was 24 hours and my husband was already making arrangements to view La Maisonnette with the local estate agent,’ says Brubaker. ‘And yes, there is only one in this tiny village.’
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Stephanie Brubaker, her husband and their children
Location Beynac-et-Cazenac, France
That’s interesting The cottage is located in a protected heritage area within original medieval city walls, which means the Brubakers would need the approval of the chief architect of France should they decide to change the exterior.
It’s been four years since her love affair with the area and the house began, yet the small-town appeal of the village is still going strong. ‘All it took was 24 hours and my husband was already making arrangements to view La Maisonnette with the local estate agent,’ says Brubaker. ‘And yes, there is only one in this tiny village.’
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Stephanie Brubaker, her husband and their children
Location Beynac-et-Cazenac, France
That’s interesting The cottage is located in a protected heritage area within original medieval city walls, which means the Brubakers would need the approval of the chief architect of France should they decide to change the exterior.
La Maisonnette is the gable-roof cottage on the left of this image. Next to it is a well-maintained chateau built in the 12th century.
Lush vegetation gives the front entrance a colourful touch of pink and green while providing privacy.
A basket of shopping sits by the door. The bread and produce were all bought from the town’s farmers’ market. ‘The Monday market is the best time to shop for ingredients. But if you need a basic item or two, the small convenience store is the place to go,’ says Brubaker. This very same kitchen area used to house the village’s town oven, where village serfs would pay their lords a fee for its use when baking bread. Brubaker, an avid baker and cook, loves this historical aspect of the cottage.
Pendant lights: Titan 1, Design Within Reach; wood kitchen cabinets: village carpenter; countertop, splashback: Pierre de Burgogne
Pendant lights: Titan 1, Design Within Reach; wood kitchen cabinets: village carpenter; countertop, splashback: Pierre de Burgogne
Tolix chairs paired with what used to be an old church pew make an eclectic ensemble held together by a live-edge table. The mix of chairs and the roominess of the bench are perfect for the family and their guests.
Brubaker kept the limestone walls and the beamed ceilings on the ground level of the cottage; the home’s exteriors and ground level blend perfectly with the other historic homes in the village. But the rest of the cottage has been updated to reflect the modern needs and global travel patterns of the family. ‘The sideboard came with the home and dates back to the 17th century. We can’t bear to move it,’ says Brubaker.
This image shows the master suite on the third floor, a converted attic. The process of ‘squeezing the furniture up the narrow stairs’ required knocking down a small area and building the entire floor around the bed – and around the claw-foot tub, which Brubaker really wanted included. ‘Putting the bed and tub on the third floor – and installing an air conditioner – required efforts of epic proportions. No wonder only a few people have AC here,’ says Brubaker.
The claw-foot tub sits by the window, creating a perfect soaking and reflective nook. The view outside the window looks out onto the lush, castle-dotted valley. Only one house across the valley is visible from the tub, so privacy isn’t a concern.
Check out more fabulous freestanding tubs
Check out more fabulous freestanding tubs
Terry-cloth bathrobes and the day’s clothing usually hang on coat hangers by the bath. Walls are kept bare and free of hooks. ‘I could finally breathe once the bath and queen bed were in their rightful places,’ says Brubaker. ‘There’s no turning back now.’
The Brubakers, who travel throughout the year, live here on and off. Holidaymakers who rent the space on a weekly basis ensure the home is always occupied. This guest bedroom comes alive with a colourful summer bedspread folded by the foot of the bed.
Twin beds in the guest room maximise the space and make room for a shared end table. The beds’ placement also gives easy access to the window. Brubaker points out that all the armoires, tables and wood furnishings in the house were purchased in vintage shops around town.
‘I sometimes crack open the window and let the breeze from the valley go through the room as an owl hoots nearby. It’s incredibly calm and peaceful here,’ says Brubaker.
Indulge in more dreamy bedroom views
Indulge in more dreamy bedroom views
Every corner of the house can inspire your inner artist, Brubaker says. The town has served as an artists’ mecca, hosting artists such as Camille Pissarro and Henri Cartier-Bresson.
The home’s picturesque location means the Brubakers often find themselves exploring little paths around the village, dining alfresco on regional cuisine or touring a nearby castle or two.
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. If you would like your home to be featured, please send information and photos to ukeditor@houzz.com.
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. If you would like your home to be featured, please send information and photos to ukeditor@houzz.com.
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I love this house so much that it hurts!!!
Beautifully done and all the character preserved, just modern alongside without destroying its beauty. We have a 15th century place in France we are about to renovate so this is inspiring.