Stepping into this house is like travelling back in time, to the early days of Art Nouveau. BARNES Yvelines is exclusively handling the sale of this villa, which features in many architectural history books.
Push open the gate of La Hublotière and you'll find yourself in freefall into a history book. This time capsule in Le Vésinet was the very first Art Nouveau villa designed by architect Hector Guimard. The various owners over the decades should be applauded for keeping this truly unique jewel intact since its construction in 1896. And so should the current owners, for returning it to its original splendour. They have spent years travelling across France to find antiques and artworks to display in this magnificent setting.
The front façade alone deserves an architectural dissertation on its elegant symmetry. As for the rear façade, it's quite the opposite - playing on asymmetry, with the staircase windows daringly framed on the bias.
The design is full of curves and plant motifs. In fact, this is the central, founding element of what would later be called "Style Guimard". From the front street gate to the ironwork on the roof railing, La Hublotière speaks to those who see it as an array of ingenious visual effects. Needless to say, it's registered as a regional historical monument on the Inventaire supplémentaire des Monuments historiques.
Hector Guimard did not stop at designing the exterior - he also created the interior layout to make this 4,952 sq ft house a light-filled, family-friendly, pleasant place to live no matter the season. It reveals an incredible level of modernity in its late 19th century features, which haven't aged a day.
Of particular note is the teak spiral staircase that serves every floor, going all the way up to the panoramic rooftop terrace (clearly the concept already existed in 1896!). The staircase features another allusion to nature, a theme dear to disciples of Art Nouveau - it evokes the growth of a tree with the landings increasing in size as you climb.
La Hublotière is a celebrity. It's such an important milestone in the history of architecture that students in this discipline from all over the world know about it. It's been fitted out with all the comforts of a modern family home, with 4 main bedrooms and a 2-bed apartment. The half-acre of grounds are the perfect place for children or grandchildren to learn how to ride a bike. This magnificent home is waiting for future owners to fall in love with it and take a journey back in time every day, just 30 minutes from Paris.
BARNES Yvelines is the sole agency handling the sale of this villa. Price: €3.9 million.
--
Contact :
BARNES Yvelines - 48, avenue Jean-Baptiste-Clement, 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt - FRANCE
Tél. : +33 (0)1 55 61 92 88 - Barnes-yvelines.com
Voir cette page en Français