Tag Archives: bedroom

The Thursday Three – The Lustre of Faerie

Yes, it is many moons since I did one of these posts… But it is Thursday, and here are three things that I never, in my wildest dreams, expected to find in the Troc in Carcassonne. I have been looking … Continue reading

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Ceiling progress

Not a great photo, sorry, but I thought you might like to see how the tulip room ceiling is going. Any concerns regarding the guys’ decision to lay the wood lengthwise have evaporated; it looks great. There has been much … Continue reading

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Panneaux de plafond-The last ceilings go up

At last, the two unfinished ceilings in the tulip bedroom and the adjoining second floor shower room are being addressed. Unfinished might be an understatement. Since we took down the weird, tiled, low faux ceiling in 2008, these two rooms … Continue reading

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slub silk – dupion v shantung

OK, this post is a bit “niche”, but I had to share the thrill of unpacking more bargain buys from French ebay. These vintage curtains are made from silk dupion (dupioni) in a typically subtle ivory cream with cream and … Continue reading

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Bedroom rugs- Indian and Indiennes motifs

Following the installation of the window seat storage in the terrace bedroom, I have unwrapped another of the rugs that have been sitting in the workshop for eons. This one was hand made in India. The short looped ground is … Continue reading

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Window seat made with reclaimed materials

Long term followers may remember that we rescued a 19thc side table from a chapel on the point of demolition. Would have ended up in the skip if my brother-in-law and sister hadn’t spotted that we could do something with … Continue reading

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Rideaux de porte- door curtains

I though you might like to see my  “new” door curtains. You may recall that we have a “Jack & Jill” shower room on the second floor at the French village house. We now have functional locks on the access … Continue reading

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Episode 158 – Whoops!

So, let’s admire the “new” old door from tulip bedroom to shower room. Let’s just show the family our amazing progress Chez Nous since May. Let’s bask in their admiration at our tireless efforts and   achievements( even though we … Continue reading

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21st century schizoid plans

I had a brilliant trip to Toulouse on Thursday with bride-to-be Bev#1  (who loves fabric and old stuff as much as I do)  and Welsh Bev#2 ( who comes from the same South Welsh valleys as my Mother’s family). There … Continue reading

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The Terrace Bedroom- La Chambre Terrasse

Never let anyone tell you that you can do nothing with a room 2.3 metres wide and five metres long, except perhaps turning it into a bathroom. Remember this painted door from an earlier post? That’s on the other side … Continue reading

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Episode 156 part two – waxing a painted door

So, by popular request (at least THREE readers) here is how we roll when we refinish doors here at the French house. This technique is based on our finishes developed for our  painted furniture and gives a far tougher surface … Continue reading

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The door stalker

So, dear readers and loyal blog-buddies, you know that I like a bargain; and the bestest bargain is a freebie. Recycle, Re-use, Restore, Repurpose. Just after we arrived in France last month we noticed these three doors/windows stacked against an … Continue reading

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All manner of pretty things

You are going to see lots of posts like this. If you aren’t keen, look away now; I am not at all offended if you un-follow or un-friend me or whatever it is you can un-do. In the middle of … Continue reading

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More recycling musings

If you have followed this blog from way back, you will know that I have changed my mind about how to upcycle this Puginesque pine chapel table left. It was earmarked as kitchen furniture until I had the eureka idea … Continue reading

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Friday French Fix- Quelques idées pour les petites pièces

On the basis  that size isn’t everything (there’s a talking point) here’s some small French rooms. http://www.hgtv.com/design/rooms/bedrooms/10-creative-headboard-ideas-from-rate-my-space-pictures The textiles are a bit twee here for moi, but the palette is great and SOMEONE here has had the chutzpah to rock … Continue reading

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An early Thursday Three – a marriage made in heaven

        So we picked up this mirror , purchased on ebay, on Sunday. Look at those feet! Beautiful carving, I’ll post better photos soon I promise. On Monday a very nice man GAVE us this cabinet below … Continue reading

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Episode 144 – In which we muse upon time and chaos and order and how long it takes for paint to go out of date

So, a few of you might recall that, although we thought the roof was fixed, there was evidence of water ingress earlier this year , mainly in the form of some small damp patches on the ceiling lambris in the … Continue reading

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The Thursday Three- 1901-1910

Did I introduce you to this chair? Who knows? I can’t remember. World, meet my Ewardian with a hint of Egyptian Revival chair. It will be a bedroom chair in either the cave or the tulip room. EER chair, meet … Continue reading

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Friday French Property P**n Fix

My current obsessions are- *Kitchen dining storage –Left-http://decordeprovence.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/spring.html I love open shelves, I know many don’t . We have them in the UK and they are no more hassle, cleaning wise, than cupboards with doors. *Small bedrooms- Right- thedecorista.tumblr.com I … Continue reading

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The Thursday Three – la chance

This post was delayed out of respect. Many, many moons ago (maybe ten years?) I bought this slub silk and velvet cushion just because I liked it. For me, that’s usually sufficient reason to buy anything. Currently, I am trimming … Continue reading

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Making part medieval French village houses work

For those of you interested in the Demolition Derby clearly in operation on the last post, I present two earlier posts which explain. To clarify- the photo top left of first post below (with the weird wardrobes)  shows FRONT of … Continue reading

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Signs and symbols- traditional decorative motifs in the Languedoc #1

I had every intention of featuring some of the decorative motifs on this beautiful town house in Carcassonne, but Poshbirdy beat me to it, and with a proper camera, unlike my phone; So see her great photos here, thanks P!- … Continue reading

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Episode 140 – the phoenix will rise, eventually

I have been prompted to post today by three things really- after reading about  Poshbirdy’s mammoth work on “de-guano-ing” her attic in her recent post on 23/05/16 “L’Air de Pigeons“; https://poshbirdyblog.wordpress.com/ I had also been looking at the photos on … Continue reading

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Me and Room Service (baby)- The Thursday Three

You may be familiar with the Jackson C Frank song “Blues run the game“, covered by Counting Crows, Sandy Denny, Nick Drake. Anyway, it was played on the penultimate episode of “Vinyl” a couple of weeks ago and has been … Continue reading

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Friday French Property Porn Fix- by popular demand

No, really, I have been asked to bring on the FPPF at least once a week. Would I ignore my blogbuddies? Left – from http://indulgy.com/post/vf11h4S3U1/french-countryemagdeco Right- Sorry, the link to this is so old it’s disappeared. Love the use of  … Continue reading

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The Thursday Three – And a lesson in staying open minded about your restoration plans

I thought I had it sussed out in the salle d’eau off the cave bedroom I had bought a smoky glass bowl and an Art Deco style stand for that room. Plus the tap, plus the waste. I liked it, … Continue reading

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Episode 134 – Small room, big headache

It’s a bit of a pain,  the deuxième étage shower room. It has basically looked like this since we demolished the wall that divided the tulip bedroom in half; one side then a dark box save for the tiny dirty skylight … Continue reading

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The Thursday One – Happy Christmas to me

This is one of my Christmas presents to myself. It is not one of my 99p bargains or from a charity shop or troc. But, when something is perfect for a space I have to have it. I even know … Continue reading

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Episode 126/2- In which I strip, Trevor slips and the grandson gets “hip”

This last French trip, we needed , or I needed to get to grips with some décapage ( paint stripping ) at last. I have been putting this off with various excuses, but the truth is I just hate strong … Continue reading

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The Thursday Three- more essential textiles

In deference to WBFM who thinks that my textile buying is out of control (debatable) I will now justify these three entirely necessary purchases. Right and left- My very long crochet and cutwork detailed salon second layer curtains. I will … Continue reading

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More musings on colours and designs for the French house

Look at these colours- found on Pinterest, link below Home Similar to the colours that I am using in the salon. The doors are a little bright for me but I do like softer turquoises. Note the painted lines punctuating … Continue reading

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The Thursday Three- Passementerie, rings and heraldic motifs

All vintage today. Substantial cotton bobble fringing. Old but very clean metal curtain rings- I have been looking for a quantity of these for a while as I want to hang as many curtains as possible on traditional French style … Continue reading

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Episode 123 – more on the door

It’s not as easy as 123, by the way… And, yes, this is probably Most Bizarre Photo Of 2015. What’s going on with the end of his nose? Who needs a Punch & Judy show? Trev still had a sense … Continue reading

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Episode 121- Whispering words of wisdom, let it be

Please don’t sue me L & M, but that particular lyric is very appropriate. I could also call this “bedroom before” photo – left- “a view to a hill”. OK, OK, I’m getting carried away now. This post is about … Continue reading

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The Thursday Three- two new & one old

Loyal readers will recognise this circular 1920’s silk thread embroidery on natural linen that I posted a while back. You may also know that I was looking for a second one to create a semi-symmetrical display in terrace bedroom. Well … Continue reading

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Episode 116- back on the paper trail again

Yes, I am back pondering about wallpaper once more. This is odd, I haven’t included wallpaper in any of my decorative schemes for many years; paint is my go-to solution . France and this house are clearly steering my thoughts … Continue reading

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The Thursday Three- square French style pillow covers/cases

Found these three in charity shop in UK, maybe the missing fourth suffered a terrible stain related accident? Large, heavy,  soft white cotton with cotton/linen centre panels with woven double squares in a natural/gold colour . Probably for the cave … Continue reading

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The Thursday Three- Shake your boutis, baby

Most French textile fans will know what I mean by a “boutis”. The word “boutis”is generally used as a blanket (haha gedit?!) term for French cotton quilts , particularly those hailing from or in the spirit of Provence. Sources differ … Continue reading

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À Mon Seul Désir

I have two framed woolwork needlepoint tapestries for the tulip bedroom. Mille-fleurs,  mythic animals, unicorns, symbolism These simplified but still very evocative pictures were inspired by the six tapestries woven around 1500 and now restored and displayed at the Musée … Continue reading

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The Thursday Three- Toile de Jouy and vintage frames

I know my Thursday Three has been rather neglected lately, so, to compensate, I bring you, on tuesday, this stunning curtain. In a Chinoiserie influenced toile, lined and backed in a a more conventional country pattern of little vignettes framed … Continue reading

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