Charming, Bright Country Home in France

It was the barn which 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 a part of an old village rectory — the gardener’s home along with the attached barn. They were attracted to its high ceilings and exposed rafters, even though the barn was in shape. Since the owners of a + b kasha layouts, they had plenty of experience renovating turnkey apartments in Paris and could not wait to try their hands at a state home of their own.

at a Glance
Who lives here: Alon and Betsy Kasha
Location: Eure Valley at Normandy, France
Size: 2,500 square feet
That’s interesting: When the Kashas first purchased this home, the barn had its original dirt floors and sand walls.

A+B KASHA Designs

The majority of the exterior of the home has been maintained in its original fashion, with the gardener’s house and the barn connected. The barn now holds 2 bathrooms, three bedrooms and a family room.

A+B KASHA Designs

The room is located on the ground floor of what was formerly the gardener’s residence. Two antique Le Corbusier leather chairs plus a 1930s leather and metallic club chair make a casual seating arrangement around a zinc-topped java table. A French artist created the floor lamp using materials.

A+B KASHA Designs

The ceiling beams in the gardener’s house and the barn are some of the Kashas’ preferred features. Though some original details were preserved, the couple changed both structures’ layouts to reflect a contemporary way of life. They removed several walls to open up and join the kitchen, dining and living room into one great room.

Lighting fixture: made of silicon chip boards with a French designer

A+B KASHA Designs

The family needed a sensible and organized kitchen which would reflect their casual way of life. Simple white lacquered cabinetry is easy to wipe clean, and a butcher block countertop adds a rustic counterpoint. Open dishes and shelving homes serveware, and chimney stores food.

Dining chairs: 1960s Italian leather and chrome; table: Mario Bellini for Cassina

A+B KASHA Designs

The couple chose their light palette for the walls and cut out of Farrow & Ball. The distinct white colors draw attention to the house’s clean lines and play the pure light that floods your south-facing home.

Wall paint: Wimborne White, Skimming Stone and Elephant’s Breath, Farrow & Ball

A+B KASHA Designs

The family used lots of existing furniture out of their previous home, but in different rooms and unique ways. A walnut commode, used for food storage within their old kitchen, now holds puzzles and games in the living space.

Desk: habit; sofa: Habitat

A+B KASHA Designs

The all-white walls create a relaxing and serene atmosphere, much like the surrounding village. There are not lots of windows at the upstairs portions of the home, however, the white hallways pull the light from one side of the home to the other.

A+B KASHA Designs

A guest bedroom on the ground floor of the barn appears onto one of the house’s many gardens. Embroidered bedding out of Paris mimics the engravings on a classic light fixture.

A+B KASHA Designs

Alon and Betsy chose their master bedroom based on its unique architectural details. “Its pitched ceiling with lovely old beams creates a relaxing and tranquil area,” Betsy says. The table holding a portion of their book set is a classic Chinese daybed. The couple cut the legs down and used it as a coffee table in their very first house.

A daybed in a different bedroom takes advantage of a cozy nook created by the house’s sloping rafters. Youthful pillows contrast with a more traditional rug — a great example of the couple’s signature fashion.

Bedding and cushions: Le Bon Marche; light: Ikea; daybed: Habitat

A+B KASHA Designs

This bedroom is one of the only rooms in the home with a nonneutral color.

Wall paint: Borrowed Light, Farrow & Ball; carpeting: Saint Maclou; bedding: Caravane

A+B KASHA Designs

The home’s gardens and yard were a massive draw for the Kashas. Although much of the property was wild and overgrown when they first purchased it, they tamed it into a large outdoor area they can enjoy almost year-round.

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