French Barn Converted into Artist’s Studio

This dreamy atelier lies beside the artist’s home in Brittany, France. Once a 17th-century barn, the space was converted into a studio by the Parisian office Modal Architecture. The architects gutted the interior of the dilapidated barn but left the schist stone exterior in tact. Rustic yet welcoming, the new space retains its weathered wooden door, but now also has a glazed glass door installed behind the original. Inside, the floors are redone with concrete and the walls are patched and insulated with lime. Washed in white, the space has a contemporary look and reflects the natural lighting that comes in through the new windows and skylight. The studio features tools specific to the arts of drawing, engraving, and printmaking, as well as a corner desk and a birch plywood unit with cabinets, a sink, and a wrap-around work counter. Cut in the same shape as the gabled roof, the built-in storage is particularly striking. Nonetheless, the nicest thing about the updated space is that one can now use it to enjoy views of the yard, which is part of the Armorica Regional Natural Park, with the comforts of electricity and running water.