a French family christmas

Running around today shopping; preparing for my eldest coming home this evening YAY!; posting packages ..... so - for the moment - I bring you some lovely images of a house in the South of France decorated for a family Christmas.

Candles, a tree, a nativity crèche set up in the kitchen, chandeliers swathed in muslin and garlands of green and crimson.  A grand setting but a fairly simple approach to decorating.  But as you know, true French elegance is always simple!

Many French homes will set up a crèche at this time of year, the little figures used to illustrate the nativity story are called Santons and are collectors gold!

I hope your preparations are going well,

I'll be back soon with more

authentic patina

You may be surprised to learn how many large family homes there are in France, practically uninhabited, untouched for years but floating timelessly under the spell of an authentic patina. 

I have seen several homes that look a lot like these pictures, rows of near empty 'salons' with just a couple of rooms near the kitchen, furnished and heated for day to day living.

Time-worn, faded, scruffy, on it's way out .... call it what you will, this weathered finish has attracted decorators for years, inspired designers and painters to reproduce shabby furniture or aged patinas on walls. 

Maybe today that is the role they have to play, to inspire and remind ...

wishing you all a happy and inspiring weekend

All pictures with thanks to Mires Paris

the perfect french château

This is most likely as good as it gets!!    

In a Provençal village where we stay with friends each summer,  a château has been rescued, restored and  renovated to a finish that comes close to perfection.   It remains a private property, but photos are available as it is used for photo shoots and seminars.

In  June 2008 the remarkable transformation achieved by the owners was rewarded by the "Prix des Vieilles Maisons Françaises"  a prestigious prize created to recognise high quality restoration.

I don't think I need say more than  patina, colour, light, space, proportion,  perspective and perfect taste.  For the rest I'll let the pictures do the talking.

The Château de Moissac is available for for photo shoots, corporate seminars and  private receptions.

all pictures thanks to chateau de moissac

authentic french country style inside the home

Yesterday I put up some ideas for the french country style when it comes to choosing a house.  Today - if you don't mind - I though I'd do the same inside, using pictures from my home and from those of friends near here.

Once again, I don't pretend to be an expert on what is true French country style, I'm just telling it the way it is lived here: never about big, nor impressive, rather living simply and elegantly, using what you have to hand and making the home as comfortable and welcoming as possible.

Now, I'm a big sleeper (that's not a scoop!!) so to me a large comfy bed is really important, you all know about my feelings for old French linen - vital!! - but the bed is important too.  My favourite here is the old 'demi-corbeille' that I restored for our guest cottage.

Besides which I like to place a few flowers -  everyone sleeps better

in a setting that is prepared with care and attention.

We love open fires, we have two downstairs and one in our bedroom.  Real logs, real flames, a little extra work to clean out the ashes, but I certainly don't do that after every fire - life is too short - just now and again.

While we're on the subject of flames, candles are really important here too.  We use real candles in our dining room chandelier, lit most days, although our favourite time in the winter is Sunday morning breakfast:  a fire, candles, fresh croissant, the newspapers ......

when we eat outdoors candles are obligatory, love them!

Furniture is a happy mix here, quite a few old pieces, often found at

brocantes and re-upholstered by yours truly, using a mix of fabrics

in fact fabric plays a big role in giving the French look, and nothing can be more

French than toile de Jouy, see here at my friend Aude's house

Ceilings tend to be high in these  old houses, giving plenty of scope to play with curtains

The true French kitchen is hard to define, and somehow never really fits in to a 'label'.  

Of all the kitchens I know here, my favourite elements are the solid 

pewter sink and chippy chairs in Frederique's château!

Other vital touches include paintings on the walls, 

and propped up behind lamps;

unruly bouquets of flowers from the garden;

and a mix of old china displayed behind wire mesh cabinet doors.

Voila!  Ours is not a designer house, we don't lavish huge sums of money on our interior.

The priorities are comfort, elegance and most of all a warm welcome!

I'd love to hear about your priorities in furnishing and decorating your home

Thank you for stopping by

authentic french country style

'French country style' ...  it's a term that's used a lot, all over the world, but what is the true definition?  Is there such a thing?

I can't pretend to be a world expert on the matter but I do know about the vital elements to what I call a French country home, here in Normandy.

First of all , it helps if it's in the country!  Preferably somewhere beautiful and peaceful, a village where the church bells ring on the hour from dawn till dusk.

Next you need a gate,

not necessarily this grand 

-  it can  be made of metal or of wood  -

oh yes,   and a stone wall ...

The house must be authentic but not necessarily big.  A lot of the most attractive 

properties along our valley  are less than 2000 square feet.

 Shutters on the windows and doors are almost inevitable,

painted or left shabby as your inspiration leads you;

A truly vital element is outbuildings:  small barns, old stables, even the odd pig sty works!

A few chickens scratching around the garden are an excellent idea;

a dog  is  'de rigueur',  cats an optional extra

at this time of year it's a good sign to have a pair of boots outside the door, a watering can

and a basket or two, although one is never sure what they shall be used for -

going to the market, picking up apples, cutting flowers from the garden...

of course the boots , basket and watering can are elementary accessories for caring for the potager,

which will be regularly hoed, varied in its planting and  'parfait' all year round!

There we are, it's really quite easy once you know what to look for!!

Hope your week is going well,

thank you for stopping by.

all photos taken by yours truly here in the valley