Iron Man 2 actress Scarlett Johansson snaps up Louisiana farmhouse (complete with rusty old barn)

When most Hollywood stars decide to buy a house in the country, it's fair to say they opt for a substantial pile complete with all the trimmings of pool and tennis court.

But a small farmhouse with a rusty old barn? In Louisiana?

Well, that's what Scarlett Johansson and husband Ryan Reynolds have plumped for in their latest real estate acquisition.

Even by U.S. standards, the two-storey building with a separate garage is fairly small. But this seems to be the kind of house the couple, who married in 2008, prefer.

Their previous Los Angeles home had only four bedrooms and five bathrooms, which was considered to be conservative for the Hollywood scene.

The 25-year-old Lost In Translation actress and her husband had restored the colonial style building to its former glory as well as updating it with a variety of eco-friendly touches such as solar heating.

Having a smaller home means fewer household chores which is a consideration for Scarlett.

The Iron Man 2 actress has suggested that she even leaves some domestic duties to Ryan.

She said: 'I wouldn't say that cleaning is something I like to do, or ironing. I can't remember the last time I ironed, actually. Does anybody actually iron any more? Men iron more than women these days.'

But while doing the cleaning might not be her bag, the actress insists she does 'love' cooking.

The actress said: 'I love to cook and bake, I love to be domestic in that way because you know what goes into the food you eat.

'I like cooking alone - I find it very therapeutic. I put on some music, maybe have a glass of wine and make something like a turkey Bolognese or a nice frittata.'

Whatever his chores in the house, Ryan had better be pretty handy with a mower as the farmhouse is surrounded by extensive, lush lawns.

Although Louisiana is constantly in the news because of the ongoing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico it is growing in popularity with a number of celebrities including Sandra Bullock as well as Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Bullock bought a 6,000sq ft home in New Orleans which is where her adopted son Louis is from.

Team Pitt-Jolie also own a house in the French Quarter of New Orleans.

 

Both Brad and his son Maddox are big fans of New Orleans Saints football team so living close by is useful when it comes to seeing a game. The Daily Mail