How do you renovate a village house in Morges, Saint-Prex or Aubonne?

The historic centres of Morges, Saint-Prex and Aubonne still have many village houses, often terraced, with thick stone walls, exposed beams and narrow windows. These houses have real charm, but they also come with constraints: narrow and deep plans, dark rooms in the middle, steep stairs, split levels and old services.

Bring the light in

Light is often the first challenge. Several options exist without touching the facade:

• opening some interior partitions or replacing them with glazed screens, after checking the structure with an engineer;
• using light tones and materials that reflect light, such as lime or clay plasters;
• designing layered lighting for the central rooms.

Reveal the character without freezing the house

Stone, wood and beams are assets worth highlighting, combined with a contemporary kitchen, bathroom and storage. In Aubonne, the medieval village house at Porte du Château was turned into a true refuge. In Lausanne, the Mornex village house, about 100 m², combines a modern, warm look with biophilic design.

Facades, structure and authorisations

In historic centres, work on facades, windows or roofs calls for particular care. Changing an opening, a load-bearing wall or the use of a room may require an authorisation. We check this from the concept phase, prepare the file if needed and work with an architect and an engineer when the structure is involved. Confirmation must come from the commune.

Key takeaways

• Light is gained first from the inside: partitions, colours and lighting.
• Old stone and wood sit well with contemporary fittings.
• Facades, windows and structure are checked early with the commune.