As for the glossary terms related to French houses, interiors, and design…my French is not so good, and we are often exploring French influences here.
Feel free to enlighten me with more.
Rustic Stone, French Lesson & French House Glossary
The French Lesson
BTW. While not French in origin, the word that kept springing to mind as I devoured images of old stone buildings was: patina.
Patina: The natural aging of the stone surface through oxidation and other exposures that enhance the color and texture of the surface.
Do the French have descriptive terms related to ‘patina?’ The Italians began using the word in the 17th century to refer to the green film developing on the surface of copper. Later, it was used to describe surface appearances of objects growing beautiful with age. Patina can even describe someone’s vibe.
I found this bit somewhere online: She carries the patina of old money and good breeding. (I’m afraid the patina carried by moi is decidedly more Kraft dinner and public school! What patina do you carry?)
I promise I will end this word-nerd geekfest.
Design Glossary
Glossary Terms: Chateau Domingue , French Property, French Luxury , Complete France
Ancien: Old.
Atelier: Workshop or studio, especially of an artist, artisan or designer; originally from 14th century Old French atelier, referring to a carpenter’s workshop piled with wood.
Appartement: Flat/apartment.
Balcon: Balcony.
Bars: A term used in southern France referring to slabs of rectangular limestone usually laid in a running bond pattern. Originally cut to uniform sizes in order to span the floor joists.
Bastide: A bastide is a local name for a manor house in Provence, in the south of France, located in the countryside or in a village, and originally occupied by a wealthy farmer. It was larger and more elegant than the farmhouse called a mas and was square or rectangular, with a tile roof, walls of stone sometimes covered with stucco or whitewashed, and often was built in a square around a courtyard. In the 19th and 20th centuries, many bastides were used as summer houses by wealthy citizens of Marseille.
Bibelot: Small object of curiosity, beauty or rarity.
Bois: Wood.
Boiserie: Woodwork.
Bon état: Good condition.
Bouchard: The bouchard is a hammer with many points like a meat tenderizer and especially effective for finishing the surface of harder stones.
Bureau: Office.
Cabriole: Legs which curve out from the seat & inward toward the foot in an S shape.
Campagne: Country.
Canapé: Sofa.
Chambres d’hôtes: Guesthouse, B&B.
Chambre: Bedroom.
Charentaise: Stone house found throughout Poitou-Charentes.
Château: French stately home, sometimes part of a wine-producing estate.
Château fort: Castle (fortified).
Chaumière: A French cottage, thatched cottage or “petite maison.”
Chêne: Oak.
Chinoiserie: Style of ornamentation chiefly from the mid-17th to mid-18th century in Europe, then revived during the Regency (1811-1820), characterized by intricate patterns and an extensive use of motifs identified as Chinese. Currently, it is a style of decorative or fine art based on imitations of Chinese motifs.
Comble: Attic.
Cour: Courtyard or yard.
Credence: Small table or sideboard.
Cuisine: Kitchen.
Dalles: Square and rectangular stones laid in an opus romain, or seemingly random pattern.
Dépendance: Outbuilding.
Domaine: Estate.
Écurie: Stable.
Escalier: Stair.
Espagnolette: Shutter.
Évier: Kitchen sink.
not French but helpful…Fattoria: A term for a large farmer estate in and around Tuscany.
Ferme, corps de ferme: Farmhouse/farmstead.
Fermette: Small farmhouse.
Foyer: Fireplace.
Gîte: Holiday cottage.
Grange: Barn.
Grenier: Attic.
Jardin: Garden.
Jardinière: Plant container.
Longère: Long, rectangular house common in Brittany and Normandy.
Maçon: Builder.
Maison à colombages: Half-timbered house.
Maison de campagne: Country house.
Maison de maître: Mansion or manor, usually in a town or village (literally ‘master’s house’).
Maison de ville: Town house.
Manoir: Manor, usually in the country.
Mas: Traditional farmhouse in the Provence region of France. A mas was a largely self-sufficient economic unit, which could produce its own fruit, vegetables, grain, milk, meat and even floor. Usually constructed of local stone, the kitchen and room for animals was on the ground floor, and bedrooms, storage places for food and often a room for raising silkworms on the upper floor. Not every farmhouse in Provence is a mas. A mas was distinct from the other traditional kind of house, the bastide, which was the home of a wealthy family.
Marquise: Porch.
Monument historique: Listed building.
Moulin: Mill.
Moulure: Moulding.
Mur: Wall.
Objet d’art: Means literally “art object”, or an object of artistic worth or curiosity, especially a small object. It therefore covers a wide range of works, usually small and three-dimensional, of high quality and finish, in areas of the decorative arts.
Papier peint: Wallpaper.
Parefeuille: Terracotta rectangular tiles originally used to line ceilings between beams, now reclaimed and also used for flooring.
Pavillon: Bungalow.
Pièce: Room.
Pigeonnier: Dovecote.
Plain-pied: Single storey.
Plâtre: Plaster.
Prieuré: Priory.
Rénover: To renovate.
Restaurer: To restore.
Séjour: Living room.
Trumeau: Decorative treatment used over mirrors, windows, doors or mantels. Used often in Louis XV & Louis XVI periods.
Vignoble: Vineyard.
Did you know many of these design terms? I must admit, I didn’t even know a grenier was an attic even though I have experienced the wonder of shopping vide greniers (“empty attic” sales) in Paris!
I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.
Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
Shop for items you already intended to buy on Amazon RIGHT HERE, and also find home decor here to keep decor inspiration flowing on Hello Lovely!
Hello Lovely is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
OMG, you are unbelievable. So much work to create a blog post like this, I know !!!
Hydrangea love X10 !!
Thank you thank you thank you !!!
Author
Oh, friend, I’m just muddling through – truly! Those hydrangea blow me away, and put mine to such shame!!! Your energy is so lovely and buoyant – thank you for taking the time to visit here. 🙂
Your patina is peaceful and lovely indeed!!
Author
Merci – that is so kind to say! 🙂
Oh! My goodness. You have done it again. I am inspired by such beauty, dignity. Thank you.
Teresa
Author
Music to my ears, friend! I wish I had more time for research – there are all these amazing sources of French country authentic lovely that I may never discover…:)
Strangely in English the spelling of the city is “Marseilles” and in French “Marseille”. I think the one ending in “S” would be appropriate form in your text. I only remember this because I was scolded for the error in French 101 many years ago.
Author
Thanks so much! I will look at my post and try to make the correction. Thank you for reading and taking care of this hopeless foreign language student…ha!
Yes, I have been following her FB for quite awhile and correspond with her frequently. Her photos are absolutely wonderful! Thanks for sharing more.
Author
How cool is that!?! She has an awesome following, and I’m so glad to find her. Please direct me to any kindred spirits who you would like to see spotlighted here or who you think we would enjoy hearing about! xox
A “vide grenier” is, literally, an “attic empty”. People “empty their attics” and sell the items they no longer want.
Similarly, a “vide poche” is a “pocket empty”…a little tray to put things in when you empty your pocket.
French is fun! Thanks for reminding me of so many good times I had there, over so many years!
Author
Thank you for educating this peasant! I loved shopping the vide greniers in Paris!!!
You got my vote, talented friend! Beautiful post today, the crumbly, aging stone houses are so inspiring to me. I love the texture and patina. Also thanks for the Downton Abbey memories and French lesson ❤️
Author
Shucks! It would be such an honor to get to the short list. Thanks for your loyal readership and constant support – you are such a blessing to me. xox