Contemporary Living in A Restored Winemaker’s House in Burgundy

In the heart of Burgundy, in the small village of Deux Rivières in the Yonne department, a former winemaker’s house has been carefully brought back to life. The restoration, led by Fabrizio Fiorentino of Atelier FCA, transforms the historic building into a warm, contemporary holiday retreat without erasing its rural soul.

Home to around 1,200 inhabitants, Deux Rivières is a well-preserved medieval village, shaped by its river, and known for its ceramics tradition, which has flourished since 1945.

Within this quiet, stratified landscape, the project unfolds with restraint. Nothing is forced; instead, the architecture works by subtraction, balance, and quiet reinterpretation.

The property comprises two distinct volumes: a 160-square-meter main house spread over two levels and a 120-square-meter barn, which will be restored in 2026.

Designed as a leisure residence for a Franco-Irish couple based in the United States, the house is both a return to roots and a place designed for gathering. More than a private refuge, it is a setting for long holidays, shared meals, and animated evenings with family and friends.

The renovation unfolded in phases. The first intervention in 2015 focused on the ground floor and the complete roof renovation. In 2023, as the owners relocated back to Europe, the project continued upstairs, reshaping the attic into intimate living quarters.

Material choices remain deliberately understated: natural oak flooring and joinery, exposed brick walls, and softly plastered surfaces create a warm, contemporary interior that remains in dialogue with the building’s rural character. Color is used sparingly, as a balancing device rather than a statement.

The atmosphere is calm and grounded. Light moves gently across textured surfaces, revealing the subtle interplay between old and new.

The spatial organization immediately reveals the home’s social vocation. Bedrooms are deliberately compact, allowing generous common areas to unfold across the ground floor.

Here, the living area revolves around a large open kitchen anchored by an oversized central counter, the true heart of the home. This multifunctional surface becomes a breakfast table, dinner prep station, work desk, and gathering point.

Adjacent dining and lounge areas flow seamlessly together, while a guest bedroom and bathroom complete the level. Spaces remain permeable and adaptable, equally suited to quiet mornings or lively dinners.

Upstairs, the former attic, once a storage space, has been transformed into a more intimate realm. Two bedrooms, a bathroom, a TV lounge, and a master suite with its own bath occupy this level.

Yet the most striking feature is the height: nearly six meters at the apex, defined by preserved original wooden trusses.

Preserving the exposed beams created a paradox. How do you create intimacy within such vertical grandeur? Rather than concealing the structure, the architect chose to highlight it.

The wooden trusses emerge as a defining presence, living elements that anchor the house in its past. To restore a sense of scale, bespoke carpentry interventions subtly recalibrate proportions, carving out cozy zones within the volume and framing unexpected sightlines.

Initially met with some skepticism by the clients, this approach ultimately became one of the project’s most appreciated features.

His international experience includes collaborations with leading contemporary firms such as Ateliers Jean Nouvel, Shigeru Ban, Beckmann & N’Thépé, and Wilmotte & Associés.

In 2014, he founded Atelier FCA, a studio working across architecture, interiors, and exhibition design. His practice is marked by a measured approach attentive to context, proportion, light, and material, qualities clearly reflected in this Burgundy home.

photography by Juan Jerez.