Steel Elements Bring a Sheen to This 1300s French Townhouse

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Project Details:

Location: Lagrasse, France

Footprint: 1,044 square feet

Interior: Vipp

Interior Designer: Julie Cloos Mølsgaard

From the Designer: "Nestled in a lush river valley and surrounded by winding medieval streets and ancient stone bridges, Lagrasse is now home to a centuries-old townhouse reimagined by Vipp. The historic structure has been transformed into a sanctuary where modern design meets old-world charm. With reverence for the original architecture and historical detailing, local architects have carefully restored the building, adding contemporary touches that echo Vipp’s Scandinavian design language.

"Lagrasse sits along the banks of the Orbieu river, its cobblestoned streets framed by the forested hills of the Corbières region. Known for its tranquil atmosphere, the village has no traffic, no noise, just narrow streets, shaded squares, and the occasional chime of abbey bells. Overlooking the village’s central square, Halles de Lagrasse, Vipp Townhouse invites guests to step into an environment where history lingers in every stone, and the slow pace of village life encourages pause and reflection. For centuries, Halles de Lagrasse thrived as a lively marketplace before serving as the town hall and post office.

"Two years in the making, the project was guided by strict conservation rules. The building, dating back to the 1350s, has served as a private residence for centuries. With its thick stonewalls, small medieval windows, and sloped tiled roof, the house has been preserved in spirit, while carefully modernized in function. The facade of the townhouse maintains its original aesthetic but has been updated with new windows and a front door in a muted green color.

"While the exterior of the house draws its character from its medieval surroundings, the interior reveals a quiet contrast. Involved from the project’s inception, Julie Cloos Mølsgaard, Danish interior designer and longtime Vipp collaborator, has transformed the ancient shell into a home where Vipp furniture, a tactile material palette, customized interior solutions, and locally crafted objects come together.

"Accessed from the entrance facing the Halles de Lagrasse, the three-story townhouse opens into a lounge area, where a powder room and storage space are discreetly tucked away behind a wooden wall. The entire ground floor is laid with coarse pebbles, referencing the original cobblestones of the village square. Anchored by Vipp’s V3 kitchen island, the first floor features a dining area with the round Vipp Cabin table and a special edition of the Vipp Swivel chair, upholstered in a Pierre Frey fabric, created especially for this property, on one side, and access to a spacious terrace on the other. The third and top floor houses the primary bedroom and bathroom, where a freestanding shower in locally sourced red marble draws the eye. A rectangular window inside the shower frames views of the ancient rooftops. The bathroom and bedroom flow together as one generous suite, complete with a bespoke bed frame, a Vipp bath module and washing station, and a round Vipp Cabin table flanked by the Lagrasse Swivel chair."