Tag Archives: salon

The Thursday Three – quilting, sanding, painting, waxing

More photos of this lovely piece fresh from France on our etsy shop (right) Very Petit Chateau. Trev has been working hard on our very brown coffee table Remember this table? Tutorial on request..        

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Salon update- and the mysterious disappearing Vide Grenier

I have mounted one of my latest acquisitions from a very good VG at Carcassonne. Poshbirdy and I spotted stuff we liked on a particular stall. Some deep thought (OK , we went looking for another VG and couldn’t find … Continue reading

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Housses de coussin and antimaccassars

Ok, what is an antimaccassar?  for those of you who may be less obsessed with the minutiae of textiles than I am. they are small fabric mats placed over the back of chairs to protect them. Mainly, in the Victorian … Continue reading

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Episode 159- Working on the salon door

Do you remember the truly hideous door in the salon? This did not say “hello, I’m a French village house salon door” in any language. It’s sole merit was that it fitted, and adjusting reclaimed doors, or their frames, to fit … Continue reading

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The Thursday Three – and some thoughts on storage.

I don’t think you have seen these? The bug lamp, the Art Nouveau copper dustpan, this little painting? Actually you might be able to help me, I have been looking for a copper handled brush to match the pan, does … Continue reading

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Cold feet – and why just a few square metres of flooring is giving me another hovel related headache

Why do these small decisions choke up the narrative on these projects? The biggest decision is what property to buy, everything else after is relatively less onerous ; Right? Wrong! – and I am still “sweating the small stuff” here. … Continue reading

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Episode 149- Perceptions and the interception dance

I have been loathe to invite anyone into the French house whilst my vision for the whole place remains less than blindingly obvious in most areas. This couldn’t go on, so on our last trip we allowed in some curious … Continue reading

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An enigmatic Spanish lady

Is she Spanish? I can’t say for certain, but that’s my feeling. Painted in gouache in a frame that suggests it’s original because it is of the same vintage as her dress. Properly made gilt frame with the red underpainting … Continue reading

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Episode 142- Decorative finishes update – mettre en valeur

You might remember that I posted about the first two stages of the process I have developed for stucco-stencilling walls. Check it out here in French house salon.   Can you stucco stencil it? Yes you can! I have now completed … Continue reading

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In which I consider channelling Madame Récamier

This is Parisian it-girl Juliette Récamier, born in  1777 and much admired and painted by many, including David & Gérard and even (in spirit) Magritte https://mydailyartdisplay.wordpress.com/2011/07/23/madame-recamier-by-jacques-louis-david-francois-gerard-and-magritte/ Picture above found on – http://architectdesign.blogspot.co.uk/2014_10_26_archive.html This lady was  generally depicted draped across a … Continue reading

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Can you stucco stencil it? Yes you can!

              Yes sir, we can stencil. And we can handpaint motifs on our French Country Walls and Ceilings etc . Above are two fine examples and some more here https://husifrankrike.com/2016/06/08/dag-5-sondagen-aterigen-en-vilodag/     Thank you JP! I … Continue reading

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French Property P**n Fix- pratique? non…..!

I have had to censor my own posts FOR THE FIRST TIME on FPP because several folk have searched and found me using the tags “French P**n” ; I expect they were very disappointed when this search led them only … Continue reading

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Kissing coussins

DO you remember the three antique Indian cushion covers that I rescued and washed about fifty posts ago? No? And the others I’ve tried in the salon that don’t work because the house does not appreciate dainty textiles that any … Continue reading

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Episode 128- So what’s happening downstairs?

So you have spotted the deliberate oversight. I haven’t mentioned what’s happening on the ground floor for a while. That’s because NOTHING is. There are a number of reasons for this, firstly I have instructed  Trevor  to make a quick … Continue reading

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Episode 127- so we kiss goodbye to the plank and bucket table

Shocking- we have a coffee table with a large surface area and capacious shelf beneath. OK, it needs work, but if you have been on any of this journey with me you will be nearly as excited as I am. … Continue reading

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Episode 126 part (1) – October progress, yes, we did a bit, quite a bit actually

Yes we did a bit in France, and here is the first instalment. I finished the painted skirtings in marmotte#3 and Liberon lime wax so if I swish a damp mop over the finished floors (not done yet) it won’t … 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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Now you see him , now you don’t

Although we are some way off “completion” at the French village house (which I think may be an abstract concept anyway) I cannot resist looking at lighting for the near finished terrace room and salon. I spotted this great lamp, … Continue reading

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Episode 114 – It’s all in the detail, SSSWC- skip, strip, sand, wax, curse a bit ….

SSSWC, SSSWC, that’s my new exercise programme. Is it effective? on me and on the French house?…yes Again these are phone photos, so not great but I want to show you the fruits of some of our labours. STRIP- Newly … Continue reading

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Episode 113- recognisable renovation progress

First of all, apologies for quality of these shots and the last two posts from France. My phone camera is not focusing properly (they looked fine on my tiny screen) Shame as we achieved quite  a lot in the salon. … Continue reading

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It’s salon..g way home

Trust me this is progress. French salon all painted now, including skirtings; apart from front wall (undercoated only) Trevor hates rollers so both parts of ceiling done with brush. Don’t think he will be waving his arms in the air … Continue reading

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From France- one corner looking ok

A little snippet of a snap showing one corner of our rapidly improving French salon. The eclectic mix of objects captured here says quite a lot about us. The “temporary” music centre Trev bought THE MINUTE we completed on the … Continue reading

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