French FEED – Page 15 – French Provincial Furniture

4 Ways To Get The French Provence Look For Less

Posted on October 11, 2013October 25, 2021
by Meranda

French Style Featured On The Essence Of Frenchness

Creating the Provencal country style in your home starts with the right colors, furnishings and decor. Here are some of the main must-haves to create this relaxed, elegant French Country decorating style.

1. Go Bold With The Wall Colors

A home can be instantly transformed with color. A color palette will govern all the other decorating considerations for your home.

French Provence style has always been known for their vibrant color choices. The color palette has always been governed by the colors found in the flowers and landscape, so it is no wonder why vibrant blues, purples and greens have always been dominant colors in the Provence home.

You may want a muted palette with warm elegant furnishings, such as raw aged wicker, neutral ticking for upholstery, stone and raw wood to take the focal interest. In this instance, consider accenting your home with the richer shades such as browns, found in the soils. Provence style was greatly influenced by the landscape of France, and inviting the colors found in nature into your home will instantly change the tone.

2. Architectural Elements

Consider introducing character into your home with architectural elements. Ditch some of the modern looks in your home with something with age and old looks. Exchange out your kitchen hardware, light switches, chandeliers, lamps, door hardware, sink faucets with older hardware with patina and age. You can find brand new hardware with the old world patina and looks.

– Change out the lighting to a French crystal chandelier. Consider investing the time into installing some antique sconces on the walls in your bathrooms, and bedroom. Light from the wall will give your room the look of candles, than the overhead lighting we are used to.

-Consider hanging iron plaques above your stove. Some of the plaques are quite large, and painted, making it a focal piece behind the stove, which is often hard to dress up.

-Wall Molding doesn’t have to be complicated. Check out this easy DIY wall idea which could totally transform the look of your walls.

Interesting Articles:

-Buying Secondhand Cabinets: Yay or Nay? Cabinet Hardware Ideas

-Handles, Knobs, or Pulls: Which Type of Hardware Is Best for Your Room? Cabinet Hardware Ideas

-Using Cabinet Hardware to Bring Life to a Dull Kitchen or Bathroom – Cabinet Hardware Ideas

-5 Ways to Dress Up Worn-Out Furniture & Cabinetry- Cabinet Hardware Ideas

3. Improve Vintage French Furniture

Invest in great pieces, and improve vintage furniture pieces with new upholstery. My motto has always been “trade up”. Fill your home with great inexpensive pieces, and as you find better ones, trade out the inexpensive pieces, with better quality furniture. Your home can look fantastic with second hand furniture. Often times some of the best pieces are the ones that you put some time and effort into. A vintage French chair can be stripped of it’s paint, and re-painted, stained and upholstered. A French sofa can be professionally upholstered and loved for 50 + years. A side table and dresser can be the spotlight in a bedroom, and a small French side table can steal the attention with brighter paint and gold accents. Collect pieces you love, and invest your time in making them better.

4. Go With Solid Pecan Finishes

Balance out brighter wall colors with solid wood stained furniture. You can buy vintage french furniture and strip it down to the solid wood. You can find spectacular pieces on ebay, at garage sales or second hand stores.

One thing I have learned along the years, is stripping furniture paint is well worth the effort. Wood can be painted, and then sanded down to look antique with the solid wood peeking through. Stripping the paint down to the solid wood, also allows you to stain a piece a custom shade. Consider investing in a heat gun. This is one tool, I wish someone told me about years ago. For less than $30 dollars, you can remove paint quicker without shelling out tons of money in stripper. It enables you to use less stripper, remove more paint faster, making removing paint bearable.

Traditional Provence Furniture is usually made of walnut and either left a natural brown and polished to a high sheen, or painted. Pecan stains are found in the most elegant French homes. For an authentic look, consider this stain first before others for that authentic Provence look.

Styled By:Mandy Keener Photographer:Nancy Nolan

At Home in Arkansas featured some beautiful photos of a home decorated around the old world interiors we see in Italy and France. The house itself looks as if it were European, but in fact, this home is right here in the USA! The homeowners wanted something country and rustic, borrowing from the classic looks found in France.

Here are some tips from the article:

“In the bath, we did limestone floors, but in a different way by insetting red Indian onyx. That red shows up in the French gothic revival altar from Avignon, which we used as a vanity. The kitchen island is inset with a single basin, extra-deep, bronze sink.”

The bathroom shows a fabulous cast iron bath with an exterior color matched to the paint on the bathroom walls. ” We wanted it to appear old, as if it needed to be filled with water by hand. And the faucet is in the middle so you can lie on either end of the tub and look out over the balcony. That allowed us to take advantage of the wall space and to approach the bathroom in a different way. If it were my house, I’d enjoy a glass of wine there every evening.”

– Cottage Of The Week in France- Home Bunch

French FEED

The Beauty Behind Château de Talcy In France

Posted on October 11, 2013October 25, 2021
by Meranda

Chateau of Talcy

The Château de Talcy is a spectacular historical châteaux in Talcy, Loir-et-Cher, France, located on left bank of the Loire River. This 16th-century manor house was commissioned around 1520 by Bernardo Salviati. Salviati was a Florentine contractor with connections to the Medici family; a political banking family, whom gathered prominence in the Republic of Florence during the late 14th century.

The château has a Gothic presence to the exterior, which is expected for a structure built at the height of the Renaissance. The outbuildings have been preserved from the 16th century, and one of the more charming aspects of the house is a traditional vegetable garden. An aerial view seen below, shows just how spectacular the gardens are. The Salviati retained the ownership of the estate until 1682. A house was owned by succession of individuals, including Philipp Albert Stapfer, ( a Swiss politician and philosopher) until 1932, when it was sold to the state, on condition that the 18th-century interiors would be left intact. The château is visited by 20,000 tourists annually.

Château de Talcy’s Gothic Exterior

French FEED

5 Ways To Update Vintage French Provincial Furniture

Posted on October 9, 2013October 25, 2021
by Meranda

French Provincial Carved Oak Linen Dining Chair–

Vtg Link Taylor 12 Drawer French Provincial Dresser

So you bought a vintage set of French Provincial furniture, and it looks as though it hasn’t been touched for 40 years. Is it salvageable? The answer is yes, heck yes! We show you the best techniques to update this style of furniture that will make it look like several hundred dollars.

1. Strip Your Set and Go All Natural

Raw wood has always looked good, and has never looked better. Over the summer I took all the furniture in my basement and united the finishes by removing the paint. Most of all the furniture I had in this one room was all miss-matched sets, but interesting enough, they all had the exact same wood underneath. The sofas we bought came with a mahogany finish, but underneath they were pine. After removing the paint from 6 pieces, I had a fully united set. I could then introduce color with the slipcovers and the paint finish on the walls.

Inspiration- A Louis XV Limed Oak Chest- here

Instead of Using a non-toxic stripping agent to get rid of the old paint or stain is the greenest way to go. Products like Franmar’s Soy Gel Paint and Urethane Remover work well to remove all types of abrasive paint and stain , while still being gentle on the environment. This product is also 100 percent biodegradable. It works by trapping particles within itself and keeping you from being exposed to them.

Soy Gel Paint Reviews:

Garden Web– “My current fave is Soy-Gel, which I got from the Real Milk Paint Co., though it can be ordered from the manufacturer and other suppliers. I added it to a recent order more out of curiosity, and without much hope. But holy smokes, it works like gang busters if left alone to do its thing. I haven’t done a big project with it yet, but I plan on stripping a pine floor. My test patches have been great! I have tried just about every chemical and mechanical method, and So far Soy-Gel is the best I’ve found.”

My Experience With Stippers:

After using many of the most popular strippers on the market and having very limited success, I decided to try out other methods, which lead me to Heat Guns.

After purchasing a Wagner Heat Gun for about $20 dollars, I was thrilled with the results. Not only did it work fast, it also saved me a great deal of money with chemical stripper. The heat gun I purchased has two settings, one high, and one low. After the heat gun starts heating up, you will notice the paint start to bubble, which you can scrape off with little effort. The best technique for removing paint is to slowly move the paint gun along the paint, for an even amount of heat in each section. Heat guns can also ruin wood if they are left on the wood too long, so you don’t want your heat gun positioned in one area for two long. The wood can turn dark, which can be impossible to sand out. While some suggest wood tools, instead of metal tools, I enjoy working with a multi purpose metal tool, such as this one from Shur-Line. Working with heat guns for stripping paint, it is imperative to buy a Respirator made for fumes. One of the draw backs of heating up the paint, is the fumes they produce, so a respirator is a must have when using this technique.

Products That Might Be Worth Trying:

– Wagner Power PaintEater – $59 Removes paint, ergonomic handle, and may be better than those attachments meant for your drill.

–Electric Paint Remover Sold through Chicago $63

–TruePower Electric Paint Remover-$39-

Removes paint, paint chips, paint oxides and mildew, and feather finishes paint edges.
Use on wood, masonite, concrete and steel
Will not abrade surfaces – Perfect for large, flat, solid surfaces

MUST Have- Safety Gear

Breathing in fumes from stripper, stain or paint can create heath problems that can effect your lungs long term. If you have a garage, workshop, or even a storage shed, working from within it will help contain any harmful dust or debris from being let out into your yard or the surrounding area. Purchase a heavy duty respirator designed for paint fumes. I am so glad to come across the MSA Safety works Paint and Pesticide Respirator because it is comfortable to wear for several hours straight, and it will save your lungs for today and long term.

2. Old World Patina – Paint Or Stain?

After centuries of trying to perfect our furniture, it comes at no surprise that many companies are selling the all natural chalk paint and milk paint products that our ancestors used. Milk and chalk paints can be a sensational source of color. If you are after an old world Provence look, consider either stripping your furniture and staining it, or painting it, and distressing it.

Take the Finish Off

I have found for my furniture, stripping the existing finishes off allows the piece to age naturally over time without seeing several layers of existing paint. I sit at a beautiful curvy French desk all day long, and one of the areas where my arm hits as I type on my keyboard shows the white paint that the desk was painted in originally. The desk is blue, and the white just sticks out like a sore thumb. If I would have put the extra work into the desk, and removed the paint, then over time, the natural ware would show the wood. Wood or existing paint? Wood is so much more attractive.

Distressing looks so much nicer with the natural raw wood. Something about having the all natural wood showing through the finish allows for a nicer aged finish than simply painting over the existing paint or varnish. Working with the raw wood really can go a long way for creating the old world distressed finishes. Stripping all the existing paint gives you a raw look, rather than working over a poly finish.

Layer Your Colors:

Layering paint can produce a sensational old world effect. Try several tones of blue, and combine it with a layer of white. Consider several layers of paint which you can then hand sand, adding the right amount of distressing. Layer on a translucent glaze, or wax to complete the look.

Work With Stain Finishes:

Consider doing a “wash” instead of a solid color. After removing your paint finish, consider mixing your paint with part water, and applying a stain. You can also buy semi transparent stains through your local hardware store. Using a beige, and then white stain would produce the aged old world looks that are so well loved.

Add Texture:

In this article we show a chest with beautiful texture on the drawers. A gray toned blue is used under a creamy white, with beautiful texture that shows off an old world paint finish. Adding texture can be easier than you think. Simply get a box of un-sanded grout. Paint your furniture using a base coat with NO grout added. Once it is dry, mix together a bit of grout with the existing paint. Next stipple on the finish with your paint brush and let it dry over night, or for two days. Once it is dry, lightly sand it, and add your top coat. Using the same technique, mix together half and half paint and un-sanded grout and paint on an even coat of paint. Using two colors like the picture shown in the article will produce the best results. For a subtle effect, consider using a creamy beige and white together. The colors don’t have to be opposites to work well. Once the dresser has dried over night, take a hand sander and start sanding the finish. The texture from the first coat will show through to the second coat. Add additional wax, or glaze to make the finish pop, or leave it as it is.

Old World Techniques -Additional Articles:

-Improve Your French Dresser Or Sideboard With Faux Marble – The French Provincial Furniture

-Decorating Secrets- 60 Quotes From The Best Experts In Design – The Swedish Furniture

-Add Dimension To Your French Furniture- French Style Authority

– How To Faux Crackle French Provincial Furniture- The French Provincial Furniture

-Designers Pick Their Favorite Gray Paints- The Swedish Furniture

-How To Paint French Provincial Furniture A Perfect White – The French Provincial Furniture

-How To Paint French Provincial Furniture Black- The French Provincial Furniture

3. Go New And Modern With Color :

Do you like vibrant colors? The lines found in the French styled furniture can powerfully pull off the sensational bright colors. There are so many bright colors that I admire but don’t have the guts to put up on the walls, so why not put it on a piece of furniture.

Do you like the brighter colors, or the patterned printed chests? You might want to just buy spray paint for those high gloss mirrored finishes.

In the past I have hand painted gloss only to find paint lines from my brushes. With brighter red, or yellow, it can take up to 7 or 8 coats of paint, so spraying your paint just makes more sense. Often times the gloss you find in spray paint can be so much more vibrant and glossy than regular gloss paint in the quart size. Oil paint can produce sensational glossy finishes. Overall, I have found for those really glossy finishes, it is worth buying the spray paint, than hand painting. The coverage is faster, and the gloss is so much more vibrant and glass like.

Glossy finishes are best achieved with spray paint, and why not buy a case of your favorite color online? For some of my last couple projects, I have been really impressed with Krylon’s Paint and Primer sprays. I started looking online when my local hardware stores spray paint failed to impress me. Never do I see the lavenders, the soft grays, or light blues. The nicer colors are online, and many companies are starting to sell by the case.

French Chests From Cote France

Color Master Colors By Krylon. These colors above come from their website, and if you look on their website, you can toggle over the colors for the name of the paint swatch that you love. Type the specific paint name in Amazon, and you can buy it in cases of 6 with free shipping.

Additional Articles:

– Go Bold With Red- Part 1 Grand Sophisticated Interiors – The Swedish Furniture

– Go Bold With Red- Part 2 Country Interiors- The Swedish Furniture

– High Gloss Painted Furniture – The Painted Furniture Online

– Absolutely Breathtaking French Painted Furniture- French Style Authority

– How To Paint Black Furniture-A Dozen Examples Of Exceptional Black Painted Furniture- French Style Authority

– 10 Ways To Use Pink, Orange and Coral In Your Home- French Style Authority

– Decorating With Pastels For A French Styled Home- French Style Authority

4. Add Furniture Jewelry

Ormolu is the jewelry of the furniture trade. Antique and reproduction furniture ormolu can be found on ebay making it easier than ever to dress up that worn antique, or that vintage chest that is outdated.

Reproduction ormolu can be found in bronze, and there are sellers out there who also produce these beautiful appliques in stain-able wood filler. Being able to buy appliques in unlimited quantities allows you to dress up the chest of your dreams.

The high gloss looks found on bombe chests are often accented with heavy ormolu or furniture appliques.

Add Furniture Escutcheons

Dress up your chest with keyholes, or otherwise known as escutcheons. Buy a set of identical keyholes for each drawer of your chest. Keyholes can be gold leafed, or painted the same color as the chest. Consider dating your metal furniture appliques or keyholes with aging solutions. In this post ” 9 DIY Recipes For Rusty Hardware” From Hersite, you can get the look of aged hardware in your own home.

Additional Articles:

-French Furniture Restoration ~Gold Leafing Tips- French Style Authority

5. Pattern Your Furniture

Patterns can look so wonderful in a space lacking interest. There are several ways to get the look of a pattern on your chest, which range from complicated approaches to simple techniques.

One of the harder techniques would be hand painting furniture. For those who have the gifted talent of hand drawing, this may be a project that you can accomplish over a weekend. For those who don’t have the natural abilities of drawing, there are several other approaches that can give you a professional look without much try.

One of those ways is an overhead projector. An overhead projector may be your new best friend after seeing how simple it is to copy a design without much work than having a marker in your hand. With this chest, I simply photocopied a flower pattern from a cardboard box that I bought from Ikea. I had gold paint in one hand, and outlined the flower, and painted it in after I traced out the design. This zebra painted dresser was traced using an overhead projector, as well as this dresser. Overhead projectors allow you to trace a perfect, proportionate design right the first time. They also allow you to match up the existing pattern which has been already traced on to your furniture, allowing for even spacing for the next pattern. This also works quite nicely on walls. Take your favorite comic book, custom graphics from books and be able to re-produce them with ease.

French FEED

Provence Decorating: HOW TO Decorate With Green

Posted on October 8, 2013October 25, 2021
by Meranda

18th Century Manor House – The World of Interiors, Jun 2005-Seen on Genus Loci Blog

The color green is one of the most popular colors to decorate a French home around. A cool green can can create a cool, calm, soothing atmosphere to feel refreshed in, while a darker greens can create warmth and comfort.

1. Mix Your Shades

Pick out your wall colors first, then introduce other shades of green elsewhere. If everything is one hue, it can be a bit drab, consider pairing strong greens with mild ones. Consider brighter colors with darker colors. Dark shades of green look great with punches of lime, or yellow.

2. Bring in Natural Wood

Natural wood and white accents do a good job of balancing brighter shades of green and keep them from becoming overwhelming. To keep the room light and airy, paint ceilings and trim white, or a lighter color tone of your wall color. Adding raw wood, such as a desk, or side chairs can level out the color. Consider adding in painted black accessories or furniture to add contrast. Stainless steel, tile and wood will give your room a balance against pastel colors.

3. Use The Brighter Shades on The Ceiling

Who says the ceiling is off limits? Are lighter colors more you? Making a dramatic statement, by painting the ceiling the vibrant color you want, but feel doesn’t belong on the walls. Consider painting the wall colors a really soft shade of light green that is border line white, and punch up the ceiling with a brighter tone of the same shade.

Color Combinations:

Green + Shades of Purple

Green can blend with a variety of colors and looks wonderful with opposites. Pair green with lighter lilacs, and darker eggplant accents. Shades of mauve, periwinkle, amethyst and lavender-based colors can be paired with lighter shades of green.

Lavender is the color and scent of Provence. The history of lavender stretches back more than 2,000 years. In France, lavender grows in both cultivated fields and wild along the side of the road, so it was no wonder that it became a popular interior color. Chefs have used the flower as a herb in sweet and savory dishes and its nectar to flavor honey, cheese and sugar. Lavender is a light tone of violet. The name comes from the flower of the lavender plant. The color of the flower is still the standard for lavender but there are many other tones of light or medium violet now called lavender also. Their are shades of lavender can range in hue from pinkish purple through violet to blueish-indigo. They can also range from light and pale to medium and greyish shades.

Green + Bright Yellow

Green also pairs well with brighter colors. Think about bright sunshine yellow paired with this gray based green. Green also works well with brown combinations which can bring a sense of coziness and tranquility. Bright yellow actually gives a punch of color in a room based around a gray toned green. Consider adding in black painted furniture with brighter yellow upholstery for contrast.

Green + Kelly Green + Green Blue

Play several like ranged colors together. When combined with vivid jewel tones such as Kelly green, and a green-blue range suggests a tenderness. Light green and sky blue can be enhanced by white for extra freshness.

The trick to green in French interiors is the gray undertones. Whether they are pale or strong, there is always a gray or black in the background. Subtle interiors were a mark of the Provence style interiors.

Colors To Pair With Minty Green

Patina Style by Brooke Giannetti and Steve Giannetti

French FEED

Country Styled Home in Lourmarin, Provence

Posted on October 5, 2013October 25, 2021
by Meranda

This serene house located in Lourmarin, south of France, belongs to Marie and Frédéric who fell in love with the home and the lifestyle they found in Provence. The house was renovated with help from the locals, and most of the furniture for the home was also made from a local carpenter which added a personal touch and a connection to the region itself. The interior of the home was designed around the Provence style found in the countryside of France. Concrete walls, metal window frames, stone tiled floors which were complemented with stone colours such as purples and pinks. You won’t find anything unnecessary in this home; the furniture and decor has been well thought out.

This house was abandoned for decades before it was lovingly restored. The owners did a great job keeping the old features of the house authentic to the region. Exposed brick walls, old wooden beams and stone floors added the elements found in old world France. By adding a few modern architectural elements such as the staircase and plumbing, allowed this home to functional. The muted colour palate which revolved around sand colours such as light blue, greens, greys and pinks worked with the authentic colors found in Provence.

Consider the color palette for your own home. Combinations of dusty pink and mauve work quite nicely with mink, grey, cream and milky coffee shades. These tones can add warmth in a home decorated around the rustic elements found in the countryside of France. Neutral tones and natural materials, such as stone and wicker add that country element, while the modern furniture give this home a happy mix of the new and old.

Photos from Cotemaison.fr Photo: Nicolas Mathéus

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French FEED

The Extra Room- 6 French Provence Decorating Ideas

Posted on September 30, 2013October 25, 2021
by Meranda

Sewing Room: No Cats Allowed

Coorengel And Calvagrac Bordeaux Library- Elle Decor

Perhaps your children have left the nest, or you are newly married without children and you have that one extra bedroom that seems to be void of any life. You sit at the entry way deciding what to do but haven’t found a use for the room, other than a second bedroom or storage.

If you are wondering what to do with a spare room, and are looking for ideas to fill the space, we give you 7 really practical ideas to make that extra room functional, while at the same time fitting in with your French Provence countryside style.

1. A Library

The suggestion of turning that extra room into the library, instead of a craft room, just may convince your husband to fork out several hundred on a new built in for his, or should I say….. your books. Men love cigar rooms, rooms where the can watch football games, so if you are into compromising, this may be the perfect idea that would work for the both of you.

Consider Provence Colors For The Extra Punch

The library of a French château decorated by Michael Coorengel and Jean-Pierre Calvagrac (above) features a French style, brighter color palette. Colors like bright green, sunny yellow, vivid turquoise, and deep teal are exactly the type of shades that originally would have been used at Versailles. Lets face it, colors fade over 300 years, so the colors we today in Versailles, are not the colors that were originally chosen. Don’t be afraid of going with brighter paint colors. Have fun accessorizing with a French settee and reading chairs.

Don’t Get Overwhelmed With The Cost Of A Library

Yes, built in’s can cost thousands, but it doesn’t have to. Blogger Joni Webb transformed an extra bedroom into a library and reveals some of the in-progress photos. In this photo, you can see how one would assemble the bookshelves, which then would be completed using strips of wood which gives the overall look a professional finish. Paint your bookcases, and add custom lights, and a window bench and you have a room that looks and feels French. Look at Joni’s room after here. It is a dream library.

Perfect French Furniture

-Zentique Jute Bastille Sofa, Jute $3930, matching chair, $2600

-Wingback Chair, Natural Oak/Linen $1020

-Zentique Genevieve Sofa $3500

-Zentique Maison Sofa Natural Oak Natural Linen $2300

2. A Serious Closet

Now that the kids are out of the house, you can spend some serious money on those handbags you always desired, show case the jewelry you have collected over the years, and the shoes you can only wear in the summer. You can finally shop at home, and it costs you no money!

If your spare room is on the smaller side, it could make the perfect dressing room. Custom wall-to-wall built-in shelving could be sensational for storing shoes, belts and accessories, and hanging clothes.

– Get the wood look for less. Consider the Martha Stewart shelving systems available through Home Depot.

– Use Metal Brackets- For all our closets, we decided to work with the Closet Maid products at Home Depot. I installed 4 Shelf Tracks in most of our large closets, spray painted them with an oil based primer before installing, and spaced them in our closets using a stud finder. After installing all the shelf tracks, simply paint over them using the paint you plan on using for the walls. The shelf tracks then just blends into the wall. Instead of using the wire shelving that is sold in the line at home depot, go for wood. Purchase one foot solid wood boards in the length of your closet, and then simply paint them the same color as your wall color. You get the built in look without spending the mega bucks. For all of my closets, I used the lager 16 inch bracket from Closet Maid. Using an oil based primer which will stick the existing paint, spray paint the brackets, which then can be painted in the same overall paint you choose for your closets. Create ceiling to floor shelving for your shoes, and customize boxes by painting them the same color as your walls, for that extra designer touch. Go for dark color inside your closets to make your colorful clothes pop, such as a navy, or rich gray. Having everything painted in one solid color brings attention to your collections. Add corner brass hardware to bring your closet up that extra notch. The details can go a long way.

Lisa Vanderpump’s Closet

Lisa Vanderpump’s closet is one of the most beautiful closets I have seen. In this picture, you can see the closet is painted in white, which nicely shows off all her colorful designer clothing. Consider adding an island with drawers for jewelry like Lisa did. In this photo, you can see all of her pretty heavy jewelry on display. Clothes and handbags are organized by color. Custom floating shelving on the wall show off a variety of pretty handbags and accessories. Make room for a decorative full-length mirror and stool, bench, or French chair.

3. An Old Fashioned French Game Room

Family time now can be set as a priority. All in one games are perfect for kids. This 6 in 1 Multifunction Sport Game Table can be set on a table top, and has a variety of games that can keep grand kids busy.

If chess is your game, order this beautiful wood chess table. Add two French chairs, and enjoy endless nights as your husband teaches you chess. Game rooms can be perfect for connecting with your better half. Conversations can be ignited in a game of cards, something we think is so ancient.

A game of darts, ping pong, or pool are great activities to play with another person. Coffee dates with your best girlfriend can be rather fun over ping pong than sitting in the back yard. These games don’t have to be out of plastic. Today you can buy high quality sets in wood that work with an upper scale theme room.

Here are my favorite links:

– Rome 8 Foot Pool Table- Buy it on Amazon for $1549 , available in Maple

– Athens 8 Foot Pool Table- Buy it on Amazon for $1799

– Marietta 8 Foot Pool Table Buy it on Amazon for $1549

-Stiga Insta Play Table Tennis Table Buy it for $560

– Worcester Arcade Style Dart Board Cabinet Buy it for $349

4. A Multi- Hobby Room

A hobby room can be the best use of space out of all the options. Having a room dedicated to a passion can turn the available space into a serious second income.

This Atlanta Homes Magazine picture features a hobby room that could serve multiple hobbies. Book shelves and baskets serve as good storage options. Two large tables work great for sewing crafts, quilting, photography and scrap booking.

Arts and Craft Hobbies:

Painting, Drawing, Photography, Pottery, Quilting, Sewing, Knitting, Crochet, Scrap booking, Jewelry Making, Candle Making, Soaps making, body scrub making, Flower arranging, Dressmaking, blacksmithing, dollhouses, knife making, musical Instruments, candles, sculpture, film Making, stained glass, shadow boxes, doll making, sewing, glass blowing. Paper Crafts such as origami, decoupage, and quilling.

– Harbor View Craft Armoire Buy it on Amazon $272

– Knotty Alder Raised Panel – Scrapbooking, Jewelry Making, Hobby Storage Armoire- Buy it on Amazon for $1230

– Minibox Sewing Supplies Organizing Desk $945

Music Hobbies:

Music can be so rewarding and bring so much pleasure. Learn to play an instrument. Play guitar, piano/keyboard, the violin, or learn how to sing. Create a dance studio, and learn how to Latin dance, or create a ballet room for your daughter.

Electronic Hobbies

Electronics is a popular past time. This can include building circuits, robotics, R/C Cars, Boats, Planes and Helicopters

Science Hobbies

There are a wide range of science hobbies that a room dedicated to the love of scientific advancement can be thrilling. Many of these hobbies include astronomy,
microscopy, model airplanes, and rock collecting

-Scrapbooking collections can easily get out of control when storage isn’t available. For those who love scrapbooking, in this post, I detail furniture specifically designed for scrapbooking from Martha Stewart. Paint additional furniture in the same color to get a built in look.

– The Alvin Heritage™ Basic French Easel not only has the antique charm of the past, but could serve as a centerpiece in a painting room.

-Alvin Pavillon Art Table – Unfinished Wood Top $182

– Wood Drafting Table with Pencil Ledge and Storage Drawer -$319

Choose furnishings that double as storage and seating, such as convertible storage benches, ottomans and stools. Line the room with open and closed door shelving to store and display hobbies.

5. Home BUSINESS Office

A home office can be a great place to get organized. A desk can hold the supplies that often get dumped into the kitchen’s junk drawer. Lots of people love to write but don’t know how to get organized. Write on a blog, write an e-book, or write poetry. A library, or room dedicated towards your dream of being published might be the best way of really getting serious about putting a plan into action.

A room dedicated to a home office also could allow a second income to earn you money. If you are an attorney, a seasoned accountant, able to do payroll, or any online medical jobs, a second room dedicated towards work can pay the bills and afford you a vacation that you have never taken. Additional jobs that can be done at home are graphic design jobs, website development, and software creation. Any editing jobs can also be done from home.

6. A Simple Drop Dead Great Gorgeous Extra Bedroom

Go buy that dream French bed, and create the perfect French guest room, while at the same time having your hobbies in the closet. Yes, I said closet! Transform the closet into your hobby desk and organization area. If you plan on regularly hosting family and friends, make your spare bedroom a comfortable place for overnight guests. Transform a closet into your storage space for your hobbies, an extra seasonal closet. Save space by using a trundle bed, positioned against the wall.

Additional Ideas- 5 Ways to Makeover Your Spare Room- Cabinet Hardware Ideas

Christophe Laurent Durand Rouffio – Nov. 2011- pictures from maison-deco.com

An 18th-century portrait of Marie-Joseph of Saxony, daughter-in-law of Louis XV, in the Polonaise bedroom; the Louis XVI daybed is upholstered in a chintz based on an 18th-century fabric, the chandelier is 18th century, and the walls are painted in Farrow & Ball’s French Gray.

Picture –Elle Decor