Some houses tell a story before you even cross the threshold. In Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Villa Solea is one of them. Handed down from generation to generation, it watched an entire family grow up before becoming, today, the main home of a young family. A precious legacy, and the starting point of my whole approach.
The starting point
The house once belonged to its owner’s great-grandfather. When I first arrived, it seemed suspended in time: light that struggled to come in, old-fashioned cupboards and, under the roof, a raw attic of stone and wood. Behind this frozen appearance lay immense potential and an intact soul.
170 m² redesigned as a whole
Renovating a family home means finding the right balance between what you keep and what you transform. The old beams, witnesses to its history, were preserved and enhanced. Eight months of renovation were needed to transform the house, from the ground floor right up to the roof. Non-load-bearing partitions were opened up to free the volumes and let the light flow, and the floors were entirely redesigned.
On the ground floor, the kitchen and living room were completely renovated to let the light in and open up new perspectives. A guest toilet was created, and a laundry area was fitted out next to the cellar to make the family’s daily life easier.
Upstairs, a hallway leads to three bedrooms: two children’s rooms and, at the end, the master bedroom, designed as a retreat.
From attic to wellness retreat
This is undoubtedly the most striking transformation of the project. The former attic now houses a bathroom and a cosy lounge dedicated to relaxation, where the original stone meets herringbone parquet. In the bathroom, the original beam still watches over the room, alongside a backlit mirror and a walk-in shower with an arched niche. A space both raw and refined, designed as a moment of escape.
The softness of materials
To dress the house, I chose authentic, living materials: lime plaster, wood, zellige tiles and touches of brass. From the living room to the bedrooms, the same atmosphere unfolds: serene, warm and made to last.
In a family home, every wall tells a story. My role was to write the next chapter, without ever erasing the previous pages.
“I am delighted to have called on Laurie for the renovation of my house. She understood my tastes and needs with great attentiveness and professionalism. A big thank you for her work!”
The owner of Villa Solea – Google review ★★★★★ (translated from French)
Villa Solea, Saint-Paul-de-Vence · 170 m² · Complete renovation · 8 months · 2025
Do you have a characterful home to renovate?
Family home, villa or apartment, I take care of every project as a whole, turnkey, in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Vence, Nice, Cannes and across the French Riviera. Discover my approach to interior architecture, or see all the photos of Villa Solea.