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Before & After: A French Castle Transformed for 21st-Century Life
Once at the heart of a 15th-century civil war, this castle has turned into a surprisingly contemporary family home
Situated in what is considered to be one of the most beautiful villages in France, the family castle of Apremont-sur-Allier was left untended over many years. Its heirs called on architect Olivier Chabaud to revive this jewel of French history. The goal: to transform part of the castle into a family home for a couple and their three children. The castle was at the heart of the Armagnac–Burgundian civil war in the 15th century, and the fortress was entirely destroyed before being rebuilt again between 1450 and 1500 in its current form. The oldest part of the building dates to the 8th century, while the most recent extensions were added in the 19th.
“In this approximately 10,000-square-metre castle, we arranged about 400 square metres in one of the wings into a functional and cosy living space for this family, who were hoping to turn it into their main residence,” says Chabaud. “We found different kinds of walls and materials due to the extensions that had been added over time. The goal was to transform these spaces into a comfortable living area adapted to this family’s lifestyle. We notably simplified the layout in order to benefit from more fluid circulation and as much light as possible, while preserving the spirit of this place steeped in history,” says Chabaud.
“In this approximately 10,000-square-metre castle, we arranged about 400 square metres in one of the wings into a functional and cosy living space for this family, who were hoping to turn it into their main residence,” says Chabaud. “We found different kinds of walls and materials due to the extensions that had been added over time. The goal was to transform these spaces into a comfortable living area adapted to this family’s lifestyle. We notably simplified the layout in order to benefit from more fluid circulation and as much light as possible, while preserving the spirit of this place steeped in history,” says Chabaud.
The architect turned this ground-floor space into a new entrance, leading inside from the garden.
Ready to renovate? Find an architect near you, browse images of their work and read reviews from previous clients
Ready to renovate? Find an architect near you, browse images of their work and read reviews from previous clients
After. “We created a cement staircase to the garden. Here we outlined a wrought-iron railing in an ultra-contemporary design,” says Chabaud.
After. In this multi-use space, timber-effect melamine creates a contemporary and warm ambiance, matched with a custom vanity in a rose tone.
After. Several rooms were combined to create this kitchen, which is wreathed in light. The space was completely revamped from floor to ceiling.
At the far end, the passage leading to the dining room was expanded to create more fluid circulation. “Expanding the passage between the kitchen and the dining room, but also between the dining room and the living room, made it possible to create an interplay of perspectives and volumes,” says Chabaud.
At the far end, the passage leading to the dining room was expanded to create more fluid circulation. “Expanding the passage between the kitchen and the dining room, but also between the dining room and the living room, made it possible to create an interplay of perspectives and volumes,” says Chabaud.
After. The kitchen cabinets are made of MDF in two different, intense shades of blue. These are matched with elegant white tiles with contrasting black tiles.
The splashback is finished in beige Zellige tiles that create a strong contrast to the oak benchtop. “Here the idea was to create a brilliant ambiance by simplifying the geometry of this space with its trapezoidal lines,” says Chabaud.
Upper cabinets and tall cupboards are housed in steel and wired glass, and offer the maximum-possible storage space. The door leading to the hallway, made of the same materials, blends subtly into the space while bringing light into the corridor.
The splashback is finished in beige Zellige tiles that create a strong contrast to the oak benchtop. “Here the idea was to create a brilliant ambiance by simplifying the geometry of this space with its trapezoidal lines,” says Chabaud.
Upper cabinets and tall cupboards are housed in steel and wired glass, and offer the maximum-possible storage space. The door leading to the hallway, made of the same materials, blends subtly into the space while bringing light into the corridor.
After. In the dining area, the large flagstones and existing ceilings were preserved. The large oak-and-chestnut table was designed-to-measure to ensure it integrated perfectly into the space, and the timber is paired with exceptional panelling. The building elements in this room were constructed out of wood from the castle’s sawmill, while inserts were made using stones recovered from the castle’s battlements.
“We had carte blanche to design the spaces, but we reintegrated many of the existing pieces of furniture, like the wooden chairs, which match this table perfectly,” says Chabaud. A crumpled-paper chandelier completes the decor of this vast dining room, alongside a black-metal console and a contemporary painting that breaks with the castle’s original feel.
“We had carte blanche to design the spaces, but we reintegrated many of the existing pieces of furniture, like the wooden chairs, which match this table perfectly,” says Chabaud. A crumpled-paper chandelier completes the decor of this vast dining room, alongside a black-metal console and a contemporary painting that breaks with the castle’s original feel.
After. Chabaud matched a light-coloured, Nordic-style timber floor with a display unit in shades of green. Crowned with the beams on the ceiling, this creates depth and vibrancy in the space.
Browse more beautifully designed bookshelves
Browse more beautifully designed bookshelves
After. Chabaud created a narrow opening between the living and dining rooms to create a visual interplay between the two spaces.
In the living room, he juxtaposed a large, minimalist bookshelf against the original features of the space to create a dialogue between historical and contemporary. The bookshelf was designed-to-measure and constructed from MDF and solid oak. The vertical panels curve at the top to echo the intersecting ribs in the ceiling above this eight-metre-long structure.
After. This luminous space was opened to create a large platform. The ceiling beams were whitened and painted grey in order to add a more contemporary touch to the TV room. These were matched with a pair of wicker chairs and two retro coffee tables.
Staircases border this corridor, which leads to the bedroom wing, on both sides.
The owners opted for a seagrass carpet in order to bring a warm and comfortable note to this space.
The owners opted for a seagrass carpet in order to bring a warm and comfortable note to this space.
After. This corridor is now beautiful with bright colours, bringing in as much light as possible and creating a soft and cosy feel. “Having softened the complex shapes of each space, notably under the roof, we opted for pure white walls and natural materials,” says Chabaud.
In the guest room, a spectacular, dreamlike wallpaper brings in vintage charm and elegantly ornaments the headboard. It is underscored with sky-blue paint to create a warm atmosphere. The flooring is a lush, off-white carpet.
This attic bathroom on the kids’ storey, in one of the castle’s keeps or fortified towers, is decorated with a camaïeu – where multiple tints of a single colour are used to create an image – of blues. This was paired with a vanity in shades of yellow to create a contemporary feel. The custom-made vanity was designed to fit the bizarre geometry of this space.
In this nursery, a wallpaper with an animal pattern combines with a beige carpet and pure white walls. A series of custom built-ins make it possible to store clothes and toys, while a storage bench in painted MDF serves as a reading nook.
This old storage room, transformed into a bathroom, combines a vanity in an intense blue with a green wallpaper sporting a botanical print. These contemporary elements are matched with an imposing wood door from the original castle.
Your turn
What do you love about this revived castle? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the renovation conversation.
More
Love before-and-after transformations? Get your next dose here with this Before & After: A Dried-Up Yard Now a Lush Entertainment Zone
Your turn
What do you love about this revived castle? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the renovation conversation.
More
Love before-and-after transformations? Get your next dose here with this Before & After: A Dried-Up Yard Now a Lush Entertainment Zone
Castle at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their three children
Location: Apremont-sur-Allier, France
Size: Around 400 square metres
Duration of works: Five months
Architect: Olivier Chabaud
The architect faced the huge challenge of modernising this castle for a family and their young kids while respecting its history. “In this wing, which encompasses four levels, certain rooms were particularly dark and tiny while others were gigantic. Therefore, we worked on comfort and safety above all when adapting the spaces to the life of a 21st-century family,” he says.
“Certain spaces were in very bad shape, while other parts had been renovated in the ’70s. The roof had been remade and numerous partitions were added in order to rethink the configuration of the rooms. Painting, electricity and plumbing were also completely redone.”