Showing posts with label Romantic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Romantic. Show all posts

Friday, October 12, 2018

Mystique in my French Attic

Before I begin this post let me thank everyone for your great comments/suggestions/advice 
on my last post "Is it Cozy or Cramped." 
So many amazing ideas. 
I wish you all could go to the cabin with me to help me move furniture!
Thanks so very much!

***

Now on to this week's post "Mystique in my French Attic."

As I sit at my desk in a room I've always thought of as my tiny French attic,
it's raining and snowing outside.
Skies are painted Paris gray and gold leaves are tumbling down the street. 

But I'm snug and warm in my office,
a place that makes me think of the romance and allure of Paris.
Shall we rendezvous in my French attic?


Here's a wide shot of this tiny attic space.
You'll notice I've painted the bistro chair at my desk French blue.
The desk was six different primary colors when I bought it at an antique store. 
Looks completely different all white and pulls the room's French decor together. 


I love the warmth of a small lamp on my desk.
The shade is punched with tiny pinpricks reminding me of a magical starry night in Paris.


Note the wicker stand next to the red leather chair (estate sale bargain). 
The top holds decorating magazines and the bottom shelf stores large books.


I like to drape monogrammed linens over the front.
Don't you wonder who they were lovingly created for?


I found this pretty curvy gate in a neighborhood alley 
and it was the perfect size to frame my wicker flower stand.
I can imagine it on an ivy-draped French patio
where women were wooed and men were charmed.


Behind the red chair you'll notice the tall chippy post we rescued from a construction dumpster.
It adds age and patina to that French attic mood.


Tying my white sheers in the middle lets in light
and makes me imagine stepping outside onto an iron balcony
overlooking the rooftops of Paris.


I moved my vintage typewriter to the shelves above my desk, making room for a classic telephone.
This red mid-century modern cart complements the Paris apartment mood
and holds this enchanting vintage telephone.
 I wish it still worked.  I have to admit I like playing with the rotary dial!


You can't really see the top shelf in this room but it's lined with old black and white hat boxes. 
I wonder why we stopped wearing hats.
I loved the mystery behind the netting held with a black velvet bow.

It's fun to watch 1940s black and white movies to see how things have changed. 
Women were always dressed so beautifully and men looked so dashing in their fedoras!

It won't be long til the street below is dressed in white, a film noir just outside my window. 
So where are all the men in fedoras?

***

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Linking with:
Little FarmsteadOur Southern HomeDwellingsThe Dedicated House,
Between Naps on the PorchStone GableA Stroll Thru LifeDesignthusiasm,
21 Rosemary LaneFollow the Yellow Brick HomeFrench Country Cottage




Friday, January 12, 2018

Let There Be White!

After the exuberant stimulation of festive holiday decor,
I'm craving something calming and simple like white.


White is so easy to live with. It calms a chaotic room and soothes our busy minds.
This simple bookshelf turned china cabinet holds some of my white ironstone
and is a restful focal point in the dining room.


I moved the old clock that had been on the top shelf to the living room mantel, 
making room for a large ironstone pitcher.
Because the pitcher had a tiny crack in the handle, I got it for just $25!


White goes with any style from Farmhouse . . .


. . . to Frou Frou.


It adds a touch of elegance to a simple vignette


and is the perfect foil for highlighting a few special pieces.


I love how white contrasts with dark wood.


A unique piece like this garden statue really stands out among white objects and old mirrors.


This statue was a wonderful surprise Christmas gift from Ron. 
I'd raved about it when we saw it in an antique store 
and he sneaked back to buy it for me. I just love it.


My china cabinet seemed to be overflowing with white ironstone
so I thinned it out a bit, letting each piece shine on its own.


I love how it looks through the leaded glass doors.


Here's where that vintage clock ended up.
The dark wood of the clock looks rich against the white mantel.
I also like the empty space at each end of the mantel, 
allowing some breathing room for the wall sconces. 


White decor makes me dream of a snow-frosted meadow in the Rocky Mountains --
a calming place where I can catch my breath and feel at peace.

***

If you enjoyed your visit, I hope you'll follow me by email.
Just subscribe (it's FREE) in the upper right column of this page.
You can also follow my Pinterest boards to see all my favorite photos.
Thanks so much!

***

Linking with:
Shabby Art BoutiqueBlue Willow HouseLittle FarmsteadDwellingsThe Dedicated House,
Between Naps on the PorchCoastal CharmStone GableA Stroll Thru Life,
Savvy Southern StyleDesignthusiasmA Delightsome LifeHave a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson,
21 Rosemary LanePetite HausFrench Country Cottage

Friday, January 5, 2018

Favorite French Country Posts for 2017

Slipping into a new year, I thought it would be fun to look back at 2017 
at some of my favorite French Country posts.
So, please join me as we view my Top 10 picks from the year of 2017.

To read more about each post, just click on the link.

A romantic home has a feeling of being transported to another era.


Ironstone is the perfect accessory for a French Country look --
that timeworn feeling of simple comfortable elegance.


Who knew this French wine went for up to $3,500 a bottle!
Definitely one of my favorite finds!


This white rooster . . . love at first sight.


Before & After -- a private French Country retreat.


My June garden is so pretty, it's blushing! I'm yearning for Spring.


Here are some simple tips to set a romantic mood.


Inspiring Fall touches to quietly complement the season.


That rusty patina captured my heart!


A simple French Country look for Christmas without a tree!


Looking back recaptures fond memories and teaches us a few lessons along the way 
while looking forward brings exciting new challenges and fresh ideas. 
I appreciate you taking the time to read my blog this past year
and hope you stay tuned for a fun year in 2018.

***

If you enjoyed this look back, I hope you'll follow me in 2018.
Just subscribe (it's FREE) in the upper right column of this page.
You can also follow my Pinterest boards to see all my favorite photos.
Thank you for a wonderful year and I wish you a happy and peaceful New Year.

***



Friday, December 8, 2017

A French Country Christmas Living Room


In my last post I'd decided not to have a tree this Christmas. Wait! What?
(If you missed that post, you can read it by clicking this link.)
Instead, I thought I'd decorate my living and dining rooms with vintage pieces,
while giving these rooms a little French Country flair.

So, let's start in the foyer. 
Welcome to my French Country Christmas!


This old nativity scene is actually Italian so it has that European feel.
I love the blue and red together.
The angel wreath always hung in my mother's kitchen window when I was growing up
and my sister hand painted the three sheep.


Come on in to the living room.


The mantel is always the focal point in holiday decor.
I love to use lots of candles and a few bottlebrush trees.


Cozy up to the fireplace.
An ironstone pitcher holds a stash of white candles on the console table behind the couch. 


A few baubles on a vintage wire tree and a candle bring sparkle to the living room . . .


and a French market basket, filled with holiday goodies, adds a bit of French soul.


An urn laden with holly, pine cones and antlers is a simple natural touch,
an important element in French Country design. 


Of course, I think everyone should decorate with whatever makes them happy.
But I've decided I'm content with how our house looks this year (without a tree).


So enjoyed hearing all your comments and I wish you a very Merry Christmas!

***

If you enjoyed your visit, I hope you'll follow me by email.
Just subscribe (it's FREE) in the upper right column of this page.
You can also follow my Pinterest boards to see all my favorite photos.
Thank you!

***

Linking with:
Shabby Art BoutiqueBlue Willow HouseLittle FarmsteadDwellingsThe Dedicated House,
Between Naps on the Porch Coastal CharmStone GableA Stroll Thru Life,
Savvy Southern StyleDesignthusiasmA Delightsome LifeHave a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson,
21 Rosemary LanePetite HausFrench Country Cottage

Friday, November 10, 2017

French Country: A Touch of Bleu in the Foyer

I still love my neutral palette of creams and whites, but when I discovered 
a chippy blue window frame in the alley, I decided to incorporate it into my foyer design.


Here's a "before" picture without the touch of blue.
What a difference that little bit of blue makes!


The window frame leaning against the wall 
makes a pretty backdrop for my straw-covered bottles.


And the bleu really pops!


In a sea of neutrals, blue draws the eye and amps up a space.


 This color makes me think of a beautiful blue sky or a soothing indigo ocean.


I scrounged around until I found the perfect old blue book -- 
"David Copperfield" by Charles Dickens to add to the grouping.


I think the rusty orange berries and the spicy orange candle are a nice contrast to the blue
(and they're Denver Bronco colors!).


Blue and orange are opposite each other on the color wheel,
making them striking complementary colors.


What does the color blue mean to you?
For me, blue inspires calmness and a sense of serenity.


It symbolizes freedom. optimism and new beginnings -- a perfect color
to incorporate into my foyer as we look forward to a new year of possibilities.


This blue-framed house blessing is a special greeting in the foyer.
I just love it.

In case you can't read it, it says:

Peace abide beneath thy rooftree
Cheer along its rafters ring,
Joy and mirth and laughter gather
Neath thy firelights flickering.
Hope illumine all the shadows
with a radiance divine,
And the arms of love forever
Shelter thee and thine.



I hear designers are proclaiming blue is having a moment now.
I guess that means the style gurus think it's the current must-have color.


I know it's always been one of my favorite colors even though I don't have a lot of it in my home.
But I do think a touch of bleu is just right.

Happy November everyone and let's remember
to honor our veterans on Veterans' Day, November 11th. ! 

***

If you enjoyed your visit, I hope you'll follow me by email.
Just subscribe (it's FREE) in the upper right column of this page.
You can also follow my Pinterest boards to see all my favorite photos.
Thank you!!

***

Linking with:
Shabby Art BoutiqueBlue Willow HouseLittle FarmsteadDwellingsBetween Naps on the Porch,
Stone GableA Stroll Thru LifeSavvy Southern StyleDesignthusiasmA Delightsome Life,
Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson21 Rosemary LaneKatherine's CornerMy Thrift Store Addiction,
French Country Cottage