TALES AND TRADITION
Local customs and family folklore have been at the heart of the restoration of a historic Breton farmhouse
Local customs and family folklore have been at the heart of the restoration of a Breton farmhouse
to keep warm – I’m sure that Corentin’s grandmother would have done the same with her children.
“Over the years, we’ve gradually made improvements,” she continues, “but we always try to be sensitive to the building and its history. I love wallpaper, for example, but it wouldn’t feel right to use it here; besides, it is relatively expensive and we couldn’t justify that luxury. Instead, we’ve kept the texture with exposed stone and added dashes of colour with a few painted walls. Keeping it simple also means I can easily add decorative art, cards and photos without it looking too busy.”
Cheerful frugality is not a new concept here, as Liz explains: “During the time that Louise lived in the cottage, it was managed and maintained in a ‘make do and mend’ fashion, regardless of whether things matched or not, and we’ve tried to celebrate that part of its history. So when we took down the wall between the entrance hall and the living area to make one large space, we didn’t worry that it resulted in chequerboard floor tiles in two different colourways sitting side by side.”
In fact, Liz has played homage to that striking, mismatched flooring with a large painted chequerboard pattern in the bedroom – it looks like a rug and is slightly off-centre to continue the quirkiness. “When I decorate a space, I want to work with what’s there, adding my own twist,” she says. “I also like to incorporate antiques and vintage pieces alongside upcycled items from around the farm – it’s been a good way to keep
the costs down while giving our home more personality.
“As we planned to have more children, we knew we’d outgrow the property,” Liz admits. “So we converted the piggery next door and now rent out our cottage as a holiday destination. We’ve created more individual gîtes within the hamlet, too. I figured that if I’d fallen in love with this location, even though my own upbringing was pretty bucolic, others would as well.”
During the winter months, the couple close the business down for a few weeks so they can have the farm all to themselves. “We love coming back to the cottage: we light candles and make mulled wine for the grown-ups and spiced cider for the children, then gather around the fire and remember what wonderful characters Louise and Isidore were, and the stories they told,” Liz says. “We rarely go to Ireland at this time of year, but when we visit in summer I try to bring a little bit back with me, such as Irish turf to burn in the fire – that smell takes me right back to my childhood. It truly is magical here, and I am so glad we can pass memories from both sides of the family on to our children, while at the same time creating new ones ourselves.”
La Maison de Louise is available for holiday rentals (roselouisemarie.com).
Enjoy house features, interiors inspiration and more in CL’S free weekly newsletter. To sign up, go to countryliving.co.uk/newsletter.