A Shoemakers Workshop Gets Renovated into a Family Home

Originally a shoemakers workshop, this small building was left in a state of disrepair after a fire in 2012. A year later it received a new lease on life, as it was refurbished and converted to a small family home. The house is set among the countryside of Chaumont-Gistoux, Belgium.

The original structure was built back in 1950 for a shoemaker. Over the years it’s had a number of annexes added to it, giving it the appearance of a “homewood woodstock cottage”, as the architects put it. After the fire in 2012, the owners contacted the firm Aurelie Hachez Architecte to help them renovate the building.

The remains of the existing roof had to be completely replaced. This provided them with the opportunity to increase its height, creating a larger space for the bedrooms. According to their architects, the clients had a limited budget (there’s no mention of the overall cost though) for the works.

The project, like most projects, was a balancing act between the available funds and meeting the clients needs. In places cheaper material finishes have been used, like OSB, which has been used to line some partition walls and doors. The walls were striped back, revealing the original brickwork and painted white to help balance out the warm tones of the wood.

The first floor of the house now contains a large open plan living area, featuring the living room, a spot for dining and a kitchen. A laundry room and downstairs toilet are found just beyond the kitchen. At the opposite end of the home you’ll find a second bedroom and a bathroom.

The loft contains the master bedroom. It features a series of translucent screens that can be used to partition it off from the rest of the loft. Throughout the home, its odd shape has been in-filled to create storage and shelving. The total area amounts to 969 square feet (90 square meters).

For more small houses check out Block Village, a small home that features glass partition walls. Or, Villa Matilde, an affordable redesign in Brazil by Terra e Tuma. See all small houses.

Via ArchDaily
Photos: Maxime Delvaux