RILUXA CLIENT PROJECTS

The Remarkable Restoration of an 18th Century "Hôtel Particulier"

From the majestic spiral staircase with its quirky paintings to the glistening chandeliers and French Renaissance facade, it’s hard to believe that this extraordinary building is, in fact, a family home!  

“Hôtel particulier” is the term used for the graceful private mansions found dotted around large French cities, which were built for aristocrats in the 17th and 18th centuries. These grand townhouses are freestanding family homes, typically centred around an enclosed garden. Benjamin, the owner of this refined “hôtel particulier” in Bordeaux and head of a well-known interior décor company, filled us in on the ups and downs of the restoration process and gave his advice on how to tackle a bathroom renovation project.

Read on to learn about Benjamin’s experience and to discover the interior of a beautifully restored 18th century French mansion.

First of all, tell us a little bit about yourself - are you a homeowner or a design professional and where do you live? 

My name is Benjamin, I’m 46 years old and I run an interior decoration company. I recently moved out of Paris with my family to settle in Libourne, in the Bordeaux region, next to Saint Emilion.

Tell us about your renovation project - how long did it take and did everything go as planned, or were there any unpleasant surprises along the way?   

We’re delighted to own a magnificent 18th century “hôtel particulier”, from 1756 to be precise. It’s a private residence, therefore it’s not a tourist hotel open to the public, as we’ve been asked before! We are fortunate enough to be located in the heart of Libourne, alongside a large pedestrian street, with a garden that’s an oasis of calm.

The house itself is 450m2, with a main house and an annex. We purchased it from an older owner who had kept it in quite good condition but decorated in a very classic style. No major renovation work was needed; the décor just wasn’t to our taste. The changes we did make were redoing the bathroom and modifying the kitchen, wallpapering, sanding the parquet floors, and a little plumbing. In the end, what we did was refresh the entire home but we didn't alter the layout in any way.

As we’re not from this region, choosing companies to work with was a bit of a shot in the dark. There were a few setbacks during the process, especially with the plumber in charge of the plumbing and tiling. That part was a total disaster! First, we had water damage, and then he abandoned the job, so we had to find someone else at short notice. Thankfully everything went smoothly with all the other companies.

The work ended up taking a year in total to complete, which I have to admit we found rather long. We’ve had work done quicker in Paris in the past, but I think the special circumstances played a role. Companies have been overwhelmed since the pandemic and lockdown; homeowners are more eager than ever to renovate and to feel good in their homes.

We haven't completely finished the work yet as we still have another 80m2 of the house to renovate. We’re waiting for the painting to be completed and for some companies to become available to call this a finished project.

Tell us the story of your relationship with Riluxa - how you found us and how has your experience been?

I found out about Riluxa simply by searching online. On the internet, you really have to pick and choose carefully – you'll find everything at every price point and it’s very competitive. I was on a mission to find high-quality products, which brought me to your site. When I saw the range of products available, the product images and the reviews of other customers, it gave me the confidence I needed to order online. And I certainly haven’t been disappointed!

What Riluxa pieces have you used in your project? 

I bought a large Nantes freestanding bathtub in white Solid Surface (180cm), as well as a black floor-mounted bath tap. The bathtub shape is quite distinctive with its sloping sides, but this makes it extremely comfortable. I’m tall and this bathtub is perfect even for my height, it allows a lovely deep soak!

Riluxa products used: a Nantes Freestanding Bathtub in Solid Surface and a Dornbracht Freestanding Bathtub Tap. 

What attracted you to these specific pieces? 

My main reason to choose this bathtub was that I wanted something simple and timeless. What I love about the Nantes bathtub is that it’s straight to the point, pretty to look at and there’s no excessive embellishment to it. Thanks to these neutral features, I have no doubt that this bathtub will age well and will still be relevant in ten years' time.  

Closeup Image of the Nantes Freestanding Bathtub in Solid Surface

Since I work in the interior decor industry, I know first-hand that fashions come and go. At the moment, for example, vintage fashion is all the rage, but where will we be in five years' time? I personally like white tones and always favour natural looking features which is why I really appreciate the timelessness of these Riluxa pieces.

What design style were you going for - and what influenced the choice? 

For the bathroom, we opted for a simple and understated style. To do this we used marble-effect tiling with a cement-look carpet under the bath. This bathroom is for the men of the house, so we wanted to create something quite clean and modern to contrast with the rest of the house, which has a more antique look, with parquet floors, mouldings etc. 

Tell us what you think of your project now that it's finished. 

I think that if we were to do the bathroom again, we wouldn’t change a single thing.

When we started the work, we were actually still living in Paris, so we had to make some big decisions not only quickly but also from a distance. We chose the materials as best we could under these circumstances, but it really wasn't easy to plan an entire bathroom. Now that it’s done, however, we are truly delighted with the outcome. We brought in decorative elements throughout the room to add touches of warmth - on the shelf alongside the bathtub and on the wall, for example.

Is there anything else you’d like to convey to our readers? Do you have any advice for future customers wanting to create their dream bathroom?

We’re very fortunate to have a large bathroom and working with so much space really made a difference. However, not everyone has the luxury of space and I also find that there are so many styles to choose from that it’s easy to get lost in it all sometimes. So, my advice would be to work with a project manager or architect to create your dream bathroom. Above all, it’s essential to make sure that the company you choose is reliable and has good references.

I think we were unlucky with our contractors due to the fact that we were in a hurry to get the work started. Nevertheless, it’s important to bear in mind that even with the best advice, you can still end up with a poor supplier and sometimes it’s purely bad luck! After our misfortune with the plumber who let us down, we didn’t pay him the full fee, so we were able to use what was left to pay another company.

One thing to remember is that getting work done on a house is most likely going to be stressful and sometimes inconvenient, but the result is (almost) always worth it!

Benjamin regularly shares photos and videos of his beautiful family home on Instagram, make sure to follow him here for inspiration: @un_hotel_si_particulier.

If you would like your bathroom project to be featured on Riluxa's Client Projects Showcase, tag #riluxa @riluxa on Instagram or upload your images directly by clicking here. We love nothing more than seeing how our customers have used Riluxa products to create their dream bathrooms!