Exploring a 'natural home' in the south of France

Close to Uzès in the Gard, on the edge of a village surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, stands this former farmhouse, parts of which date back to the 18th Century. It is a sublime example of a natural home.

The house is slightly tucked away from the road and there is nothing to disturb the peace and tranquillity. Entering through an old wooden door set in a stone wall, the visitor steps into a charming courtyard, presided over by a large and ancient fig tree, beneath which the owner, Josephine, an antiques dealer, and her guests seek shade on hot summer days.

Josephine’s home is a cornucopia of French vintage and antique furniture combined with objets trouvés. Revering the craftsmanship of the past, she loves nothing more than to trawl through local flea markets in search of the next treasure.

Despite Josephine’s passion for antiques, nothing in this house is surplus to requirements, and the look she has created is pared down, relaxing and, above all, natural.

From the front door, a white wooden staircase with open treads leads up to the spacious living room, which during the daytime is flooded with natural light pouring in from its many windows. Untreated original wooden floorboards and white-painted walls form a plain backdrop to this bare-boned room. Neutral tones of cream and white, combined with wood, leather and linen, establish a soothing atmosphere.

At perfect ease alongside the antique wooden tables and sideboards and armchairs upholstered in vintage French linen is a modern cream leather sofa. This single signature piece gives the room an interesting contemporary edge.

Elsewhere on the ground floor, an old, glass-paned door opens straight into the kitchen. Its low, vaulted stone ceiling, now painted white, reveals that this space was once the cellar, or cave, used to house farm animals. Sandwiched between antique wooden cabinets is a capacious range oven, which is more or less the only modern feature of the room. The wall opposite is covered with open shelves, also antique, and is home to an impressive collection of mismatched vintage china. The large traditional porcelain sink adds to the rustic feel of the space.

At the opposite end of the kitchen is a small, informal dining area. Apart from a new, floor-to- ceiling, metal-framed window, installed to give a view over the garden, the room’s original structure has been left untouched. The walls are a rough whitewashed stone, creating the ideal backdrop for a French bistro table and a set of simple folding chairs.

The adjacent dining room is sparsely furnished. A well-worn table takes centre stage, surrounded by antique, white-painted wooden chairs. Original terracotta floor tiles stay cool in summer, while the huge open fireplace keeps everyone snug in winter.

Along with Josephine’s office, the master bedroom is upstairs. Containing only a modern wooden four-poster bed and a few chairs and stools, it is as calming a space as can be imagined.

At the end of the bed, a large olive branch hangs from the ceiling like a chandelier. A metal-framed door leads onto the sun-flooded terrace – a lovely spot for an early morning coffee.

In keeping with the rest of the house, the guest accommodation is simply furnished with flea-market finds. Antique French linens cover the bed, while an upturned zinc dolly tub, once used for washing clothes, serves as a bedside table. Josephine has left one wall unplastered and unpainted to showcase the original stone structure of the building. The rest of the room, including the floor, is painted white.

Old pieces given a new lease of life

Created out of the original cave, with its stone walls painted white, the ensuite bathroom has a fairytale feel. One tiny window allows soft light to filter through. There is just enough space for the antique bathtub to stand in the middle of the floor. Alongside, piled high with towels, a rattan peacock chair adds the finishing touch to this unusual space.

Josephine has collected all sorts of antique furniture and objects – some practical, others purely decorative – and combined them in an inspired but uncontrived way to create her take on the natural home. 

Recycling is a key element: old pieces are given a new lease of life through the way they are displayed or by the new roles they assume. Texture and colour play their part, too: a mix of wood, leather and linen and a limited palette of neutral colours, such as white, beige and cream, keep the look harmonious.

The Natural Home by Hans Blomquist, published by Ryland Peters & Small (£25)

Photography by Debi Treloar © Ryland Peters & Small