Located in Veset, France, the Maison Simon residence was a joint project between Mathiew Noel and Elodie Bonnefous Architectes. Between the two of them they designed a home with a simple silhouette to blend unassumingly into the countryside. Clad in clear vertical siding and a deep charcoal metal roof, the home features a mostly private facade with just enough window glazings to allow the panoramic countryside to seep visually into the inner zones.
From a distance, the residence takes on the appearance of a long standing farm building settled comfortably into the surrounding pastures rather then a new and contemporary home.
The home is closely situated to the original building of the site and the two share a similar shape, although the new residence is decidedly less traditional in detail. Even so, the harmony between the two opposing styles is complete.
Even the visible steeple of the long standing church in the nearby town does not seem out of character with the new Maison Simon residence.
The pitch of the roof is kept steep so that the winter’s snow can easily slide off of it, rather then piling up and creating too much weight.
On the private side of the home, a deck runs the length of the building.
The deck is part of the overall footprint of the building rather then an add on. This means the decking runs under the vertical siding rather then being separated from it. The roofline mimics the depth of the narrow portion of the deck only.
Inside the residence, a freestanding wood stove keeps the place warm in the winter. The stove is centrally located between four large light pendants.
The fireplace is also lined up with the edge of the hallway to create a division to the traffic zone. The hallway is lined on both sides with bookshelves for the homeowners extensive collection. This shelving continues as a privacy wall for the kitchen zone. The hallway is kept light by the window on the end and doors between the shelving lead to two bedrooms on one side and a laundry room, bathroom and toilet room on the other.
Aside from providing much needed storage space, the bookshelves also have the added benefit of providing sound insulation to the 5 rooms that lead off of the hallway.
The shelving is built using knotty pine with a clearcoat finish. The pale Pine provides a neutral backdrop to the various colours of the bookbindings.
The two bedrooms on this end of the home are each large enough to hold a queen sized bed and each have their own access to the deck.
The bathroom is divided into two rooms with the toilet in one and the shower and vanity in the other. The shower features a rainshower while the vanity has an all in one counter and sink. The wall tiles are installed in a contemporary stacked pattern and this modern touch is repeated in the floating vanity.
The Master Bedroom and ensuite are located on the opposite side of the social zone. It too has access to the deck but from the other end. An outdoor shop complete with a utility room shares a wall with the Master Bedroom.
Mathiew Noel & Elodie Bonnefous Architectes via Home Dsgn
Photography by Mathieu Noel
