Before & After: An Abandoned French Barn Reborn
Upcycling, local craftsmanship and a little help from Houzz turned this disused barn into a bright and breezy home
Tired of his work in logistics and seven years of life in Paris, France, Frédéric Brillet felt it was time to return to his birthplace in the French countryside. Interior design and decor have been his passions since childhood, so Brillet decided to take on the challenge of one of his lifelong dreams: completely renovating an old French heritage building in a way that would respect both the place and the natural environment. Almost two years ago, he bought this old barn in the south of Gironde – an administrative unit in south-west France, centred on Bordeaux and next to his native Charente – then designed and coordinated its renovation.
Before. When Brillet discovered this old barn in April 2017, he fell in love with it and immediately made an offer.
After. Dating from around 1900, the building has a 120-square-metre floor area and is made of wood and local stone. Towering six metres at its highest point, its south-eastern side consists of oak beams and studs resting on a stone foundation and covered in lime cladding.
The summer after he purchased the property, Brillet obtained the permit to rezone the barn from an agricultural building to a residential one. He then took the time to refine his project and find craftspeople. “I selected those who were enthusiastic about the same things as me: keeping as much of the old look as possible and using materials that respect the environment, like the lime we used to cover the facade, walls and half-walls,” says Brillet, referring to one side of the building where the walls are made from timber part of the way up.
The summer after he purchased the property, Brillet obtained the permit to rezone the barn from an agricultural building to a residential one. He then took the time to refine his project and find craftspeople. “I selected those who were enthusiastic about the same things as me: keeping as much of the old look as possible and using materials that respect the environment, like the lime we used to cover the facade, walls and half-walls,” says Brillet, referring to one side of the building where the walls are made from timber part of the way up.
Before. In winter, the structural work finally began with demolition, which Brillet handled himself. “The grandfather of the farmer who sold it to me had used the barn as a stable and hayloft, but it had not been used in a long time. The exterior cladding was in very poor condition and rotting in some places, so I stripped it completely,” he says.
Brillet then moved on to the site preparation phase, during which the plumbing and electricity were hooked up. None of the wastewater from this home ends up in the public sewerage system. Instead, Brillet went for a completely natural solution: phyto-purification.
“I had a 3 x 3-metre basin dug and filled it with aggregates of various sizes, from gravel to sand, with a bed of reeds growing on top. A pump collects grey water from the shower and dishwasher as well as black water from the toilet. Everything is filtered by the basin and the water comes out completely clean. It’s a very efficient, odourless system,” he says.
Brillet then moved on to the site preparation phase, during which the plumbing and electricity were hooked up. None of the wastewater from this home ends up in the public sewerage system. Instead, Brillet went for a completely natural solution: phyto-purification.
“I had a 3 x 3-metre basin dug and filled it with aggregates of various sizes, from gravel to sand, with a bed of reeds growing on top. A pump collects grey water from the shower and dishwasher as well as black water from the toilet. Everything is filtered by the basin and the water comes out completely clean. It’s a very efficient, odourless system,” he says.
After. Brillet then had a local carpenter and a roofer reproduce the structure of the original exterior with natural materials including locally sourced timber, lime finish and wool insulation.
A maritime pine cladding and a new roof were fitted onto the original wood structure, which was sanded completely.
Before. On the eastern side, the building had an inset patio. “People here call it an estandate in the local dialect. This part of a barn is always on the east,” says Brilllet.
After. Of course, Brillet kept this regional feature, but made it a bit smaller in order to allocate more space to the interior. “I had a wooden frame installed at the rear of the patio. It secures a sliding glass door and a long fixed window strip to light up the interior,” he says.
The barn had few openings originally: there was the front door, a small window under the patio roof, and two other windows on the northern side. Brillet decided to open up the structure on all sides – these three tall windows with sliding louvres are on the southern side.
“These were inspired by the tobacco dryers in the region. The windows are double-glazed aluminium with thermal breaks,” he says.
“These were inspired by the tobacco dryers in the region. The windows are double-glazed aluminium with thermal breaks,” he says.
Before. Inside, the barn had been split in half lengthwise. One side housed the cattle stalls and the troughs where their meals were served. A raised floor made it possible to store feed underneath.
After. Brillet started by removing everything to make the most of the approximately 120-square-metre floor area. He imagined a large living room and kitchen that would take advantage of the space under the roof frame, flanked by two bedrooms, a bathroom and a pantry.
Before. The barn originally had a dirt floor and patchy walls. Brillet used 35-centimetre thick insulation on the ceiling, 25-centimetre thick insulation in the walls and 10 centimetres of insulation under the floor.
“To go further, I worked with a local heating engineer who installed a water-based under-floor heating system powered by a pellet boiler, which also supplies the hot water in the house.”
“To go further, I worked with a local heating engineer who installed a water-based under-floor heating system powered by a pellet boiler, which also supplies the hot water in the house.”
After. Brillet initially planned to install a solid wood floor, but he eventually opted for waxed concrete, because it’s tricky to find the right wood flooring for under-floor heating.
His kitchen is made up of Ikea carcasses with custom-made beech benchtops. The table was custom-made by a metalworker, and Brillet made the lamps himself from an old wooden crate and a zinc tub.
His kitchen is made up of Ikea carcasses with custom-made beech benchtops. The table was custom-made by a metalworker, and Brillet made the lamps himself from an old wooden crate and a zinc tub.
Before. The interior of the western side of the barn before work began.
After. Brillet included items that speak to him in amid the modern decor. For example, the wooden coffee table had belonged to his parents.
Brillet likes to use Houzz to find decor inspiration. “I got to know Houzz when I was still in Paris, and seeing the images of certain completed projects motivated and reassured me a lot,” he says. “Subsequently, during the work, I found a lot of inspiration in the achievements presented on Houzz. For me it is a gold mine for interior design and decor.”
The large living area draws light from the east and south. Opposite the windows are the pantry, toilet, guest bedroom, bathroom with a walk-in shower, and the master bedroom.
Brillet took advantage of the full height of the building to embrace a magnificent cathedral ceiling in the master bedroom. He topped the other rooms with a mezzanine that leads to an extra storage room under the roof. Where is this space, you ask? “The bookcase slides to give me access to my secret room,” he says.
Brillet took advantage of the full height of the building to embrace a magnificent cathedral ceiling in the master bedroom. He topped the other rooms with a mezzanine that leads to an extra storage room under the roof. Where is this space, you ask? “The bookcase slides to give me access to my secret room,” he says.
Underneath is a distinctive collection of furniture and decor: a metallic chest of drawers, an old cinema projector Brillet received as a gift and a bird’s cage that he transformed into a lamp. A bunch of keys hang from a post riddled with holes from the joists it once supported: “My grandfather’s master keys, which I am very attached to,” he says.
The master bedroom
Brillet’s room is very ‘him’ – minimalist and bright. The painted yellow square on the wall, which serves as a headboard, was another idea he saw on Houzz.
Timber ceiling beams make a rustic design statement
And just as Brillet upcycled his grandmother’s good linen sheets and transformed them into duvet covers, he used the fabric from an old mattress to hide his wardrobe.
The bathroom can only be accessed through the two bedrooms. It houses a vanity, toilet and large walk-in shower. The partition was made by a metalworker.
A darker waxed concrete creates a contrast on the shower wall and basin splashback.
A darker waxed concrete creates a contrast on the shower wall and basin splashback.
Brillet made the vanity unit himself out of a sideboard he found at an online second-hand market. The mirror had belonged to his mother, and he designed the pendant lights himself from two old mason jars that once belonged to his grandmother.
Brillet originally planned to install a wooden deck in the patio area, but eventually came to appreciate the raw concrete that extends into the interior flooring.
The furniture here is also a continuation of the interior, all found at second-hand markets or handmade – just as Brillet likes it.
The covered patio area
Brillet made the pendant light using a bottle dryer, which reminds him of his roots and his vintner father and brother.
Brillet left us with touching parting words: “I thank Houzz and your whole team for your work and the visibility you give to all these magnificent places around the world.”
Your turn
What do you love about this converted barn? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Go inside an Australian home with this Before & After: How a Bedhead Led a Classic Bedroom Makeover
Your turn
What do you love about this converted barn? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Go inside an Australian home with this Before & After: How a Bedhead Led a Classic Bedroom Makeover
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Frédéric Brillet
Location: Gironde, France
Size: 120 square metres
Designer: Frédéric Brillet
“I took great pleasure in managing the project, which concluded last February [2019],” says Brillet of the renovation, which took 13 months to complete. “Of course, I took the opportunity to get my hands dirty, from the demolition to doing the decor, which made the experience even more rewarding. Houzz inspired me a lot in the design, so I want to share my achievement with you today,” he says.