Tag Archives: medieval

Restore, recycle, reuse, relook it, relove it

Posted on January 30, 2017 by coteetcampagne

I have been blog-chatting with JP at https://husifrankrike.com/ where he and his wife have been musing on restoring features at their medieval village house ( also in the Aude) and perhaps commissioning replacement features. JP has what looks like a … Continue reading →

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Friday French Property P**n Fix

Posted on August 12, 2016 by coteetcampagne

Five more lovely rooms                 top-bottom & left to right decorbydesign.blogspot.com http://www.mysweetgite.com/la-maison-verte/ http://sottoilmontevineyards.blogspot.co.uk/2009/01/interior-designer-frederic-mechiche.html    http://www.anindiansummer.in/2014/11/frederic-mechiche.html decorology.blogspot.co.uk I have posted photos of Frédéric Méchiche’s medieval village house in Hyères before. The red toile bedroom is … Continue reading →

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An ode to the “os de mouton” chair

Posted on August 2, 2016 by coteetcampagne

The festival vide-greniers was back in the medieval square again this year. So atmospheric. But I’m very glad we don’t live right on the charming Promenade de Château Fort ourselves; the stall holders literally set up right outside the doors … Continue reading →

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Making part medieval French village houses work

Posted on July 12, 2016 by coteetcampagne

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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Episode 129- “Les murs” to be sung to the same tune as “La mer”

Posted on December 8, 2015 by coteetcampagne

This is what medieval stone walls look like. Before the restoration purists start screaming at me they should note that we had no option but to widen the doorway  from the cave to the courtyard as the existing one was … Continue reading →

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Carcassonne

Posted on August 22, 2015 by coteetcampagne

Carcassonne castle, “Le Cite”( e accented but won’t work on this damn notsosmartphone) Is a stunning early medieval fortified city in the Languedoc  and not far north of the village house. A UNESCO world heritage site, there is so much … Continue reading →

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À Mon Seul Désir

Posted on June 11, 2015 by coteetcampagne

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 →

Posted in Antique and Vintage finds, Art, design and inspiration blog, Renovation and restoration diary- France | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Thursday Three – little tapestry style mats and vintage themed bedlinen

Posted on May 14, 2015 by coteetcampagne

I have just acquired these little heraldic themed mats in coloured silk with the look of medieval tapestries and  edged in a gimp braid with fine old gilt wire woven in. All hand sewn I will look for a vintage … Continue reading →

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Episode 93- Hidden historic details #1-Terrazzo finishes

Posted on November 10, 2014 by coteetcampagne

OK, our Maison  may not be as grand and glamourous as this one on  http://www.thisoldhouse.com , but  we have old terrazzo staircases and we have discovered that under layers of dust, dirt and caked on cement, we do have some … Continue reading →

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Episode 90- The Pipework of Doom-The Return ( down the drain)

Posted on September 26, 2014 by coteetcampagne

Renovation , restoration, evacuation… Regular readers may recall that we had a plethora of pipework down the front wall of the salon already, dropping from the room above which had a basin and shower ( but no toilet, naturally) Short … Continue reading →

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Episode 87- French street names in a little village in the Languedoc

Posted on September 6, 2014 by coteetcampagne

renovation, restoration, appellation We have a number of ancient street names here in Campagne-sur-Aude. Perhaps because this is a backwater frozen in time, we seem to have avoided the mass renaming of streets that occurred following the French Revolution. The … Continue reading →

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Episode 77- The sunny side of the street- “en plein soleil”

Posted on July 4, 2014 by coteetcampagne

renovation, restoration, orientation A little advice for French house hunters…….. I like this photo, it shows a portion of the our French village house to the right- bathed in sunlight ( I can’t get it all into any shot, street … Continue reading →

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Embroidery-knotwork, silk ribbon, velvet

Posted on April 22, 2014 by coteetcampagne

Yesterday was one of the best Easter Monday holidays ever, at least since my children were small and it was all about eggs and piling into whatever car we could commandeer and heading for countryside or sea. Despite showery forecast, … Continue reading →

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Episode 50- April showers part 2 “Am I in the right house???”

Posted on March 2, 2014 by coteetcampagne

renovation, restoration, shocking realisation……….. I wake up, I open my eyes, where am I? I can’t be in our neglected  part medieval, several years spent in the slow restoration of hovel..can I???? No, I can see straight walls (never!) tasteful … Continue reading →

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Episode 49- April Showers- Part one

Posted on March 1, 2014 by coteetcampagne

renovation, restoration, saturation 2012- Whilst we always remember to close all the shutters when we go out, we  seem to have a mental block when it comes to closing the Velux windows in the shower room. We have come home … Continue reading →

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Episode 39- Village life and soul!

Posted on January 21, 2014 by coteetcampagne

renovation, restoration, location….. The Tour de France came through the village in summer 2007. Not the twiddly little medieval bit, thank goodness! ( that WOULD have been a challenge) but along the D118 route on the newer outskirts as the … Continue reading →

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A little French inspiration for 2014..

Posted on January 13, 2014 by coteetcampagne

“what matters is not to add years to life but to add life to the years” We found this little vintage card in the French house, there is a calendar on the back in sepia ink .       … Continue reading →

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Episode 25- Blown Away

Posted on December 14, 2013 by coteetcampagne

renovation, restoration, inspiration- June 2010 Occasionally we do get out and about in this beautiful area. One day we hike up to the hills above the village and try to capture the amazing view from up there. We need to … Continue reading →

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