Julia Rouzaud’s three-story Napoleonic hunting lodge is a real-estate unicorn. “It was the size that blew us away,” she says. In particular it was the amount of space (3,200 square feet) in proximity to Paris that was the selling point for Rouzaud and her husband, Julien.
The 19th century gem is in Rueil Malmaison, a suburb located roughly 20 minutes by car outside the city, which is best known as the site of Joséphine Bonaparte’s first home. For someone who moodboards for a living—Rouzaud is the founder of Goodmoods, the first freely accessible trend book–slash–creative agency that tailor makes shoppable, digital collages—dreaming up a vision for the ranchlike estate wouldn’t be a challenge.
Still, the majority of the couple’s budget went toward purchasing the property, so they had to keep the renovations light. They painted walls, landscaped, and repaired dilapidated window frames, doors, and flooring, leaving the layout and classic turrets, alcoves, and cornice ceilings unchanged. The structure’s solid bones had been reinforced by previous owners in the 1950s in the form of a striking steel framed bay room that now overlooks the lush garden—an addition that doubled the size of the house, which was key for creating enough space for children Manon (13), Léon (7), and Jacques (4) to run around. “There really are two vibes,” explains Rouzaud.
HOME TOUR
In her family home just outside Paris,
Julia Rouzaud merges two eras
that don’t typically collide.
Past Perfect
Photography by Julien Fernandez
Words by Lydia Geisel
Styling by Amandine Berthon
August 26, 2021
