Danish designer Julie Cloos Mølsgaard has redefined a 14th-century townhouse in Lagrasse, France, for homeware brand Vipp. The property, now known as the Vipp Townhouse, becomes the brand’s 12th guesthouse. Located in the Corbières region, often named among the most beautiful places in France, the townhouse has been reconfigured with a careful balance of history and contemporary design. Statement details, including a red marble shower, sculptural staircase, and aluminium kitchen, highlight the renovation.
A design language rooted in context
Mølsgaard’s approach centred on a restrained palette of wood, stainless steel, marble, plaster, and pebble floors. “The idea was to create a sense of calm and coherence, a home that respects its surroundings and lets the history of the space form the foundation of design,” she explained. The ground floor now functions as a reception and lounge area. Above it, the kitchen and dining room open onto a terrace, while the top floor houses the bedroom suite. Each level offers its own identity yet remains tied together through cohesive material choices.
A sculptural staircase dominates the lounge. Crafted in cast concrete with a zigzag profile, it cantilevers from the wall and is complemented by a geometric metal screen designed by local craftsman Alejandro Berconsky. “The staircase acts as a sculptural, connecting element, almost like an integrated art piece, tying the three levels of the house together while paying tribute to local craftsmanship,” said Mølsgaard.
Blending Vipp identity with local character
On the first floor, the design centres around Vipp’s V3 kitchen island with anodised aluminium fronts and a stainless-steel top. A circular dining table stands alongside Vipp Swivel chairs, upholstered in a Pierre Frey fabric chosen to match the green-painted windows. The bedroom features a custom timber bed and a striking round marble shower. Subtle nods to heritage appear in walls painted the same warm white as the nearby Lagrasse Abbey. Storage and functional areas are neatly concealed, with mirrored doors and wooden partitions maintaining the visual flow.
According to Kasper Egelund, CEO of Vipp, this project extends the brand’s design-led hospitality philosophy. “The transformation of Vipp Townhouse acts as a bridge between the historical memory of this building and its future, as a cultural getaway in the village of Lagrasse, and as a new chapter in Vipp’s guesthouse story,” he said. With properties already in Italy, Denmark, Tasmania, Mexico, and Sweden, this addition reinforces Vipp’s ability to adapt design narratives to diverse and culturally rich settings.