An Old Barn Is Transformed Into An Elegant, Unfussy Vacation Rental

Situated between the Alps and the Mediterranean, the Drôme Provençale is a landscape of rolling fields, tree-covered peaks, and impossibly lovely villages. La Grange de Fer, which sits amid acres of lavender in the valley of Saint-Ferréol-Trente-Pas, is the project of Myriam and André Servan. André grew up on a farm in the area, and Myriam hails from the village of Villedieu, located at the foot of Mont Ventoux in nearby Provence. Having renovated their own house down the road, the two were well equipped – with the help of local masons and carpenters – to transform an old barn into a two-bedroom vacation rental.

Once they brought the building structurally up to snuff, the couple set about creating a suite of chic interiors, rooms that rely on a sophisticated simplicity, rather than rustic charm, to make guests feel at home. “The challenge,” notes Myriam, “was to find the balance between comfort, functionality and aesthetics. I wanted elegant, not ostentatious; authentic, not dusty.”

While architectural touches, such as the massive, rough beams that slice across the ceiling, telegraph an in-the-country vibe, Myriam’s black-and-white palette makes for a truly unfussy, tailored look that wouldn’t be out of place in the city. “Mixing the old and the contemporary is, for me, the winning combo,” shares Myriam. “It’s not rocket science, but you have to have the right balance.” Her success is evident throughout, from the pairing of shapely bentwood stools with a hefty island constructed of repurposed oak in the kitchen to the conversation-and-cocktails-ready living room with its comfy sofa and sculpture-like chairs the couple picked up on a trip to Mali. Flea market finds – stoneware jugs, chandeliers dripping with glass pendants – also soften the crisp, contemporary aspect of these rooms.

The restraint and polish of Myriam’s approach is more than just an interior design scheme. It is a show of deference to the landscape beyond these walls. “In spring and summer, the interior disappears to allow you to focus on the spectacle outside.” Bien sûr! Why ask for more?

Photography by Yann Deret.

Like what you see? Get it first with a subscription to aspire design and home magazine.

aspire design and home is seeker and storyteller of the sublime in living. It is a global guide to in-depth and varied views of beauty and shelter that stirs imagination; that delights and inspires homeowners as well as art and design doyens. Collaborating with emergent and eminent architects, artisans, designers, developers and tastemakers, aspire creates captivating content that savors the subjects and transports with stunning imagery and clever, thought-provoking writing. Through lush and unique visuals and a fresh editorial lens, aspire explores what is new and undiscovered in art, interiors, design, culture, real estate, travel and more. aspire design and home is an international narrative and resource for all seeking the sublime.