Provincial – Decorating

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5 Tips To Combine Both Antique And Modern Styles In Your Home

Sébastien and Raphael Llado Levavasseur

There are some people, who just can’t stop gushing about their Provence inspired elegant bedrooms. You may also come across people, who hold minimalist contemporary furniture, in very high esteem. Yet, every once in a while, comes a creative soul, who wishes to incorporate furniture designs from widely varying historical ages, in his home.

The ensuing unique mix of tradition and modernity that their homes possess becomes an extension of their quirky and eclectic personalities. If you happen to be someone, who falls in this category, then the following 5 tips are sure to give you some great ideas.

1. Existing Furniture Must Be Removed

It doesn’t matter if you plan to combine tradition and modernity, in one particular room of your house. Your eclectic vision might even encompass your entire home. Whatever might be the case, a clean space is necessary in order to invite timeless design ideas to inspire your mind.

This means that rather than moving things around, and making haphazard additions and omissions to your design area, you should remove all furniture from it, and start from scratch.

2. Retain Pieces That Match Your Larger Schemes

Once you have removed all furniture from the particular room that you wish to design (or redesign, for that matter), you can proceed to think about what goes and what stays, in them. Here, you need to be objective about the furniture pieces that would mesh into your design, rather than letting your emotions rule.

Remember, only the truly deserving furniture pieces must find a place of honor in your eclectic home.

3. Rethink about Your Walls and Flooring

Sometimes, it is easy to get caught up in the larger designing scheme of your house, so that you completely ignore the finer and subtler details. If you are not careful, you can end up with all the right furniture in your eclectic home, only to realize that the color of your walls, and the material of your floor, totally kills all your efforts.

In order to avoid this, it is advisable that you dabble with neutral colors and designs that go well with all kinds of furniture, be they from the 19th century, or the current era.   This will give your home the poise and balance to carry off an assorted look.

4. Add New Pieces

Once you have got the basics right, then you can proceed to adding more and more appropriate furniture pieces to your room. The key here is to maintain a delicate balance between furniture from differ rent historical periods. You can approach several furniture West Palm Beach stores that have in-house design consultants, who can help you to acquire the right look.

5. Accessorize Leniently

In order to have a really eclectic house, which also feels like home, it is essential to add some personal details to it. You home will look more and more inviting, as you inject drapery, mirrors, framed photographs and art that mix well with the larger plan of your home.  For instance: a postmodernist painting can strangely work well with old-fashioned motifs on a wooden chest of drawers, beneath it.

A combination of eras, in your home, is all about experimentation. Yet, with a bit of luck, you can also chance upon customized furniture packages Miami that make your task easy.

 

With its elegant decor based patinas, furniture and unusual objects unearthed in the region, ” Gustave  “is a small house of the sixteenth century, in the walled city of Belleme, transformed into a delightful tea room, deli and curio shop.  Read the original article at Magazine e-magDECO 

Raphael and his dog Donut.

Sébastien and Raphael Llado Levavasseur
18 rue Ville Close, 61130 Bellême
Telephone: 00 33 (0) 2 33 73 94 89
Website: http://www.maison-gustave.fr/

A Louis XV Style Gilt Metal Mounted Painted Side Table

At the entrance of the teahouse is the deli.  Two-body Swedish early nineteenth Lisa Martino “The House Fassier” display and confectioner Louis XV style chair XIXth “Stephanie Mayeux Antiques”.

Petite Antique French Lady’s Writing Desk w/Orig. Tooled Leather

Provence Style Chest –Benjamin Wilson Antiques

Distressed paneling sits behind a Louis XVI style caned seat

Portrait of Lord Swedish Lisa Martino 

 Gustavian clock with a Louis XV style hunting table, with a  Caned Louis XVI style bench


Pair of Louis XV Painted and Parcel Gilt Chaises a la Reine

A fruitwood table -Louis XV period

A Pair of Louis XV Style Fauteuils

Provence Style Chest Greenwich Living Antiques & Design Center

A 19th Century French Carved and Painted Provincial 3 Tier Table

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Breathtaking French Provincial Office Furniture

French Secretary Tiered Desk – GBP 4,295.00 by Sweetpea & Willow

In many homes, space is at a premium so many home owners need to think strategically about how to best use the space they have available.   The dining room is a great option for a space that can double as a home office, while at the same time functioning as an area to eat.  In many modern homes, the dining room is left unused, so why not turn it into an area that functions for a secondary business?  In some homes, space is very limited after the kids all get their own rooms, so family rooms need to be thought out.

If you’re thinking about using your dining room in this way, then consider investing in a secretary desk, which can hold a computer, keyboard, which can house all the computer equipment, leaving the dining room table left clean for dinners.  Slant desks are perfect for dining room furniture as they often have  additional cabinet space that could  house extra books and binders for school or business.  At the same time, they close up so you don’t need to see the computer keyboard, and all the mess that everyone has while they are working or studying.  You may also want to get a sideboard that can double up as a filing cabinet.

 

An antique Louis XV desk of rosewood and fruitwood with marquetry inlay and original ormolu and hardware.

Painted open front Biblitheque with barooque bonnet

Rare 18th Louis Xv Century French Oak Desk, Vintage 1950 French Secretary Desk Louis XV

French Provincial Louis XV Painted Chestnut Bibliotheque – This white painted, display cabinet or bookcase displays a moulded cornice above a conforming, paneled case enclosing open shelves, on a plinth base. It offers great display space and storage. Eron Johnson Antiques

This large and impressive French writing desk is hand-painted in antique white and rubbed down considerably to achieve a heavily distressed vintage look. It features four small drawers below four classic pigeon holes. The shapely legs and scalloped underside make this a wonderfully sophisticated piece of French furniture

Louis XV Polychrome Painted Two Part Breakfronted Bibliotheque– A French Louis XV Polychrome Painted Two Part Walnut, Beech and Oak Breakfronted Bibliotheque C1780, the uppermost with molded conforming cornice above the paneled and scrolled sides with a pair of inset screened doors flanked by outer conforming screened doors, each with thumb molded decoration and with arched asymmetrical tops and center panels enclosing shelves, above a base section with four solid arched panel doors on a plinth base.


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36 French Landscaping Looks For Your Back Yard

French style decorating has become so popular because of beauty of the the old world looks that are associated with the style.  There are a couple of elements that you can incorporate into your landscaping and the type of furniture you choose which will give you the classic French looks found in Provence.

1.  Consider replacing your lawn with gravel.  It sounds like a bad idea right?  Create texture using raised garden beds, and add in patio furniture, water gardens, which adds a lot more texture than just plain grass.

Consider showcasing the lawn that you do have.  If you have rectangular backyard, consider cutting around your lawn, forming a circle shape in the center of your property. A circular or square pattern which you can edge with stone or coordinating greenery can give you more of a designer look.

2.  Add In Rustic Container Gardens- Garden style urns can really capture the old world romance that you see in Versailles.  Paint can do wonders to those new resin urns that you see at home depot.  To get a rustic look, start with painting your urn an oil paint in flat black.  After it dries, mix together sand and brown paint and apply it to the urn.  When it is almost dry, take the hose, and spray water on the urn.  The pressure of the water will create a natural distressed effect that doesn’t look like you painted it yourself.  Consider using this picture as your inspiration.

3. Create Order In Your Backyard- Pair common elements together to create a landscape that looks like it was designed by the pros.  Plant fruit trees, instead of regular trees that will mature and produce dozens of fruit from year to year.  Line up urns, and patio chairs along the edges.  Line up shrubs and hedges in a row to draw special attention to these selected areas.

4. Consider investing in metal furniture that you don’t have to shelter over the winter.  Having a large yard is a lot of maintenance.  Wood furniture over time can root if it is left in the snow, while metal furniture, does a lot better in winter conditions. If you can shelter your furniture, do!  If you cannot, purchase clear plastic shower curtains at your local dollar store to drape over some of your furniture.  Wood, and metal furniture can be touched up with paint from year to year.

5.  Folding outdoor furniture is really popular in France.  Consider investing in a set of folding chairs which you can paint.  Any sort of metal furniture will create the French mood you are after.  Don’t worry if the furniture you choose is vintage, as anything can be improved with paint.  Metal garden pots, posts, fences, chairs are all elements that are commonly seen in the French countryside.  You cannot go wrong with anything metal in your back yard if you are after the French look.

 

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2 Tips to Clean Old Outdoor Resin Furniture

In almost all households that take pride in owning a lawn or a backyard for recreational purposes, you will find that there are one or more pieces of old outdoor resin furniture. This type of furniture is preferred over the usually popular metal or wooden furniture (for indoor requirements) due to the fact that wood tends to decay when left in the sun and the rain and metal will tend to rust and undergo degradation.

This immense popularity of old resin furniture for outdoor requirements can be attributed to the fact that this discount furniture Los Angeles pieces have become quite popular and almost every household is buying it in order to save some money.

While resin furniture are more sustainable to the environmental degradation factor, there is no point denying that they will be needing their fair share of care and cleaning in order to stay in the peak condition. Here are 2 tips to get rid of the dirt on your old outdoor resin furniture:

1. Use The Right Type Of Brush

What do you use for dusting off dust and other form of debris from your old resin furniture? The obvious answer to this question will be a brush. But have you ever considered the type of brush that you are using for this purpose?

In case you didn’t know, the type of brush that you must use for brushing off the loose dust and debris from your old resin furniture is extremely important for the cleansing procedure as well as for the condition of the furniture.

This is why almost all furniture cleaning experts are of the opinion that you must use a long and stiff bristled brush for the purpose of getting rid of loose dirt from your old outdoor resin furniture. This will not only make your cleaning procedure more fruitful but will also ensure the long term longevity of the furniture.

2. Use Water Force

The fact that the outdoor furniture is made of resin and not wood or steel in contrast to the commonly found indoor furniture is kind of a boon in disguise when it comes to cleaning.

The stubborn dirt, grime and dust that you find on your old outdoor resin furniture can be eliminated by using the garden hose’s water power on the spot. Take the garden hose, point it at the spot where you find the stubborn grime and then use your fingers to increase the force of the garden hose and ensure that the grime is eradicated.

This way you can rest assured that your furniture Los Angeles is not being damaged but is being clean at the same time. Don’t forget to wipe it dry after this process.

These 2 tips for cleaning your old outdoor resin furniture is extremely helpful in case you are looking to add a few more years of usability to it and ensure that it stays clean and clear. Grime free furniture is a visual delight!

Cooper Rustic Reclaimed Wood Industrial Farmhouse Side Chair Kathy Kuo Designs

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Architect François-Xavier Van Damme’s French Inspiration

Belgian Pearls blog had an interesting post on Belgian architects François-Xavier Van Damme. The architecture of the French southwest region are a huge inspiration for his architects work. François-Xavier sent Greet, (author of Belgian Pearls blog) pictures of his own country house, which sits in the Flemish countryside.

Inside the home are carefully chosen reclaimed materials, designed around the French style.  The door is left untouched, in it’s bare state, and reclaimed oak boards line the floor and give the room that rustic touch. A painted beamed ceiling gives the room detail and an old world effect. The white painted walls give the room a lot of bright light, while the raw wood seen in the furniture and on the floors add charm that we might see if we lived back in the 17th and 18th centuries.  French 18th century furniture designs can be seen throughout the house. Take for example the study corner with beautiful cabinetry, as well as the bathroom cabinet  which both have the classic door designs that we see in 18th century furniture from France. The gorgeous paneling is the perfect finishing touches for this French inspired home.  Carefully planned furniture, a lack of clutter allows these outstanding architectural features to really shine in this home.

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An 18th Century Provence Castle Up For Sale

The current owner of this castle must sell as he is moving to Hong Kong. Just five years ago, he found the property in terrible shape, fell in love with it, and painstakingly restored it back to its previous glory.  All five bedroom suites, several living rooms feature working fireplaces, a study, and hobby room are all in pristine condition. The owner even used reclaimed materials from other French chateaux to be sure that no “foreign” or inappropriate materials interfered with the building’s integrity.

The property even has modern luxuries such as a pool and pool house. In addition a wine cellar, caretaker’s cottage and parking for ten cars makes this property an interesting business investment. The original castle dates back to the early 18th century but its gardens surrounded by olive and fruit trees and rose bushes.

The price is €5,900,000. Details at estatenetfrance.com.

About Le Bar-sur-Loup

Le Bar-sur-Loup (City of Oranges) is an enchanting old village which is restored with the old houses clustered around the 13th-century chàteau and church in the center. The narrow village streets below the chàteau are still very medieval, with many covered passages (“abris”) where houses now fill the space above the streets.

The Château (which is privately owned and cannot be visited) was probably built from the 10th-13th centuries. The present construction is from the 14th-16th centuries, although it was pillaged and partially burned in 1792.

 

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