PARADISE FOUND

Justine and Julien Seven Delon opted out of city life with a move to Provence

A desire to escape their frenetic city lifestyle led this family to a traditional farmhouse in Provence

Four years ago, Justine and Julien Seven Delon opted to swap their fast-paced life in Paris for a much gentler mode de vie in Provence. ‘We had noticed how much our children, Malo and Elia, loved being surrounded by nature, which had planted the seed of the idea that we might move to the countryside,’ recounts Justine. Then fate intervened when the couple spotted an advertisement for a traditional Provençal farmhouse in the Vaucluse, 40 minutes from Avignon. ‘We fell in love with the photographs of the old stone building with its green shutters, set in a large plot of land with beautiful trees,’ Justine recalls.

Ten days later, the couple took the TGV from Paris to visit the property. ‘Suddenly, what had been something of a pipe dream became a reality. We said to ourselves, this is it, we are going to move here,’ affirms Justine. Surrounded by fields of lavender, sunflowers and wheat, the house offered the peace and calm they craved, yet it is less than three hours by train to Paris, making it possible to occasionally commute to the capital for business meetings (Julien is the creator of the Mind Meditation app, while Justine runs her own decoration and interior design company, Ginger House @gingerhouseproject).

RENTAL POTENTIAL

La Maison Rousse, or The Ginger House, is in fact the name the couple gave to the farmhouse due to the rich, flame-like hue the stone acquires just before the sun sets. Justine describes the building as being in good condition when they arrived, but they needed to replace the roof and also make some alterations: ‘We partitioned off one end of the building as a separate guest house with two bedrooms, so that we could rent it out to visitors, and we also added a salt water pool,’ she explains.

The family’s former home was a tiny 60-square-metre apartment in Montmartre, so when it came to furnishing the 320-square-metre farmhouse, Justine and Julien were more or less starting from scratch. ‘We were passed down pieces by our families and we have also picked up lots of vintage furniture in flea markets and antiques shops,’ notes Justine, who wanted to give the spaces a relaxed, laid-back feel. ‘When we are away, we also rent out the main house, so it was crucial that nothing is too precious,’ she adds.

GOING GREEN

A natural feel pervades, thanks to pieces in timber, wicker and sisal, as well as paint colours in different shades of green – a nod to both the colour of the shutters and the hues of the landscape beyond. Striking lights add to the charm of the interiors, including the sitting room’s delicate, flower-like pendant. ‘I placed an emphasis on sourcing beautiful lights; I love unusual pieces,’ Justine explains.

At the weekend, the family is regularly joined by Parisian friends who need to recharge their batteries, and in the warmer months, a typical schedule involves a Saturday morning trip to the local market in Pont-saint-esprit to buy lots of delicacies for leisurely meals; downtime relaxing by the pool and the odd trip to local villages for some flea-market shopping. ‘It’s a simple existence,’ says Justine, adding, ‘Sometimes, it takes very little to feel happy.’

TERRACE A canopy of wisteria provides natural shade for the space, which is furnished with metal pieces and an old farmhouse table that was left by the previous owners. The salt water pool has hugely contributed to the family’s enjoyment of their home. Batignolles metal garden chair in Peacock Blue, £54.50, Maisons du Monde. Try Vinterior for a vintage French farmhouse table LIVING AREA A collection of vintage rattan and wicker furniture in scaled-down proportions provides an inviting area for the children. Selency has vintage rattan and wicker furniture. The Ferm Living poster is discontinued but a vintage botanical school chart from Etsy would work. Try Ultimate Flex Festoon lights in White, from £59.99 for 5m, Lights4fun

LIVING AREA This cosy space with its stunning French doors opening out to the terrace contains zones for adults and children. Earthy tones come in the form of textiles and a striking, flower-shaped pendant light. Blade M ceiling light, €220, Georges. Follow the Rainbow wall rug in Choko, £99, Oyoy Living Design. Try the Izzy sofa, from £1,060, Sofa.com. Find a similar vintage lounge chair at Pamono. Have a look at the Jute Bouclé rug, from £249, West Elm. Bobby floor lamp (currently available in a multicoloured version), £75, Habitat KITCHEN The simple units, which were installed by the previous owners, are positioned in the enormous hearth where there would once have been an open fire. For a similar colour, try De Nimes dead flat, £66 for 2.5ltr, Farrow & Ball

DESIGN TIP ‘We have brought nature indoors with lots of natural materials, such as rattan, wicker and sisal’

MASTER BEDROOM The vivid green walls are both restful and dramatic. Moroccan bench, £16; woven basket lampshade, £64, both Design Vintage, will achieve a similar effect. CHILDREN’S ROOM A wall in green is a good foil to the patterned paper. Danique wallpaper, €90 a roll, Lilipinso. Minnen metal bed (currently available in White or Turquoise), £75, Ikea