The New Old House: A 1,300-Square-Foot French Farmhouse Rehab in Tellières-le-Plessis

A stone farmhouse in Tellières-le-Plessis, France, sat forgotten for over 15 years—long enough for the forest to start taking it back. Then a Parisian couple took it on, enlisting Paris firm Les Ateliers Permanents to restore the house while maintaining historic details. “From the very first visits, we shared the desire to preserve the spirit of the place—to intervene without erasing,” says Chloé Morin, principal architect along with Enzo Fruytier and, recently joined by François Gastesoleil of Gastesoleil.

The renovation was modest in scale (1,300 square feet) but exacting in execution. New openings were cut; exterior joinery replaced; wattle-and-daub partitions stripped back; lime renders redone; with 12 inches of wood-wool insulation in the roof and 6 inches on select north and west walls. Join us for a closer look.

Photo Philippe Billard for Les Atelier Permanents.

Above: Outside, the work began with extensive clearing after 15 years of abandonment. Above: The architects implemented a careful landscape intervention to restore the surroundings—less of a garden project than a reset, making room for the house to reappear out of the foliage. Above: The dining area was originally a detached workshop. The architects created a large opening in the stone wall, installed a new floor, and insulated the walls. The floor is poured concrete which has been sanded and sealed. The pendant and furniture are all vintage. Above: The kitchen is constructed of aerated concrete coated in plaster and lime wash. The floor tiles date back to the 1970s from a previous renovation. The oven is from Ariston, the cooktop from Miele, and the vent hood is from Airlux. Above: The countertop is poured concrete. Above: The wood-fired boiler stove system is new—heating the cast-iron radiators throughout the house. This system replaced the old oil-fueled boiler. “This type of system was widely used in the past, and we chose to install it in this house because it makes perfect sense here,” explains Chloé. Above: A large cut of carpet functions as area rug and the bedroom is kitted with vintage lighting. Above: The walls are finished with lime wash mixed with a natural colored pigment. Above: A 1970s vintage table lamp. Above: The traditional sink was found in one of the outbuildings on the property—most likely a sink installed in the 1950s. The floor tiles, most likely from the 1970s renovation, were left as-is. Above: Wall partitions were pared back to reveal the original structure. Above: An ash wood built in wall houses a basic wash basin. Above: A wall alcove above the bed serves as storage. Above: A view of exterior stone details. Above: Plans for the second floor. Above: Plans for the first floor.

For more historic renovations in France, see our posts:

• The New Provencal Style: An Artfully Reinvented French Mas
• Bioclimatique: An Arles Farmhouse-Turned-Artist Residency with Sustainability in Mind
• Maison Légère: Restoring Balance and Harmony in France
• Artist Heather Chontos at Home in Her 18th-Century Stone Farmhouse in Southwest France
• En Résidence: A Guest House and Residency at Château de la Haute Borde in the Loire Valley