Kitchen at the Heart of History

Danish designer Julie Cloos Mølsgaard has transformed a fourteenth century townhouse in the south of France into Vipp’s newest guesthouse, creating a contemporary refuge that celebrates both design innovation and historic character.

Located in Lagrasse, one of the Corbières region’s most picturesque villages, the Vipp Townhouse becomes the brand’s twelfth guest stay and a striking example of its ongoing expansion into hospitality.

GALLERY

Mølsgaard’s approach centres on material clarity and architectural restraint. The interior is shaped by a palette of wood, stainless steel, red marble, plastered walls and coarse pebble floors. These elements sit lightly within the aged fabric of the building, allowing its texture and history to guide the renovation. The designer notes that the intention was to create calm and coherence, offering a home that respects its surroundings while presenting a refined design language.

The kitchen takes pride of place on the first floor where it opens directly to a roof terrace. Mølsgaard identified this level as the natural heart of the house, envisioning guests collecting produce from the village square and preparing meals before dining outdoors. This connection between function, atmosphere and locality anchors the project.

At the centre of the kitchen is Vipp’s V3 island, a modular system defined by anodised aluminium fronts and a slender stainless steel surface. Its vertical ridged panels catch the soft light that enters through original openings while the raised cylindrical legs create a subtle sense of lift. The choice of extruded aluminium instead of the powder coated steel used in previous Vipp iterations gives the island a lighter presence. The freestanding modules, including wall and tall units, maintain the rhythm of the space without overwhelming the existing structure.

While the townhouse features sculptural moments such as a red marble shower and a sinuous staircase, the kitchen is the project’s anchor. It is a measured balance of contemporary detailing and heritage context. According to Vipp CEO Kasper Egelund, the transformation offers a new expression for the brand, one that bridges the building’s historical memory with its future as a cultural escape in Lagrasse.

Images courtesy of Vipp via Dezeen