Decorating With Provence Pretty French Flair

Is there ever a bad time to tour the epitome of Provence PRETTY? Mais non! Le Mas des Poiriers (see it HERE) is celebrated on the pages of Shauna Varvel’s amazing PROVENCE STYLE Decorating With French Country Flair (Vendome, 2021). If you’re unfamiliar with the 18th century French property Le Mas des Poiriers, prepare for a deep Versailles sigh! Prepare for South of France swoonage, authentically restored French style interiors, exquisite architecture, uplifting color stories and breathtaking gardens.

Provence Pretty: Rhône Valley Farmhouse

Images: @provencepoiriers and Provence Style (photos, courtesy of @VendomePress)

We may forget at times how truly incredible it is to be welcomed through the doors of such masterfully created properties.

It’s a privilege to behold these treasures.

The owners could lock it behind key and enjoy the beauty of their investment and exhaustive restoration privately.

Imagine the endless details and depth of devotion!

Yet they share it.

What a joy to see inside this work of heart on the pages of a book by Shauna Varvel (with Alexandra Black and also photography from Luke White)!

How is This Rhône Valley Farmhouse Set Apart?

Shauna Varvel has lovingly and painstakingly restored the expansive (13,000 square feet in main house alone) and exquisite Provence home, Le Mas des Poiriers.

Bear in mind the spacious farmhouse is but one structure! There are 65 acres to roam on this pear farm with gardensand auxiliary buildings.

While you can’t miss this home’s traditional style and nuanced French country aesthetic, it also feels fresh and forward thinking. – HELLO LOVELY

Part of the magique of waking Le Mas des Poiriers to life relied on boldness, patience, and a village of architects, landscape designers, and interior decorators.

How does the French country aesthetic work for contemporary living and lifestyle?

For me, the remarkable and reimagined kitchen at Le Mas des Poiriers is a prime example of the timelessness of design working alongside modern sensibilities.

To accommodate a modern family and guests, the old farmhouse kitchen had to grow.

This was accomplished by expanding the kitchen into three smaller rooms.

“Now, decorating style is more varied and less literal. Stereotypical conventions have been replaced with a more polished approach.” -SHAUNA VARVEL

Another example of this varied, less literal, and more polished approach to Provençal style? The walls within this Rhône Valley farmhouse.

Finished with a mixture of plaster and paint, this modern option was simply not possible centuries ago when pigment and wall finishes were limited.

Built-ins (like the beautiful examples below, softened with fabric) also add a layer of modern function missing prior to the renovation.

Is Le Mas des Poiriers a family’s home?

The 18th century farmhouse is located on an island in the Rhône River near the Medieval city of Avignon.

It is indeed an American family’s home, yet is also available for weddings and vacationers.

These well-stocked shelves with towels are the stuff laundry room dreams are made of!

And isn’t the blue check absolute timeless magic with the coppery warmth of those hex tile floors?

Here’s a tonal textural moment for the French farmhouse books!

What Provençal timeless inspiration can we take away from such a property?

The romance, rusticity, and elegance are qualities that seem to be repeated throughout. PROVENCE STYLE is a lovely resource offering direction to celebrate such qualities with stone, wood, fabrics, color, metal, and water.

“In many ways, Provençal aesthetic transfers easily to other locations: romantic, faded colors inspired by nature, plaster walls finished with lime or mixed with paint, floors tiled in terracotta or pale stone, and a relaxed approach to furnishing that combines rustic and rare, with liberal use of toile de Provence, toile de Jouy, and other charming patterned cottons.” – SHAUNA VARVEL

There is indeed a way to escape to a sunny South of France pear farm and experience a Provence Style joy ride without any jet at all…

Order PROVENCE STYLE here!

To escape to more inspiration, see THIS along with exploring less-than-bougie-budget resources:

Reveal All

1. 10″ Porcelain Tile

2. Enamel Tea Kettle

3. Lifeproof Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring

4. Round Oak Bread Board

5. Chandelier

6. Crock

7. Bar & Counter Stool

8. Bridge Faucet

9. Striped Tea Towels

10. Jute Runner Rug

11. Pitcher

12. Seagrass Produce Bowl

13. Mug Holder

Reveal All

1. Paint Color: Alabaster

2. Rustic Chandelier

3. Wing Chair

4. Sconce

5. Seagrass Storage Baskets

6. Marble Column Lamp

7. French Lavender in Rustic Pot

8. Copper Cookware

Reveal All

1. Behr Crisp Linen

2. Lantern

3. Prefinished Hardwood Flooring

4. Encaustic Look Tile

5. Floating Frames

6. Console Table

7. Hurricane Lantern

8. Cardamom Candle

9. Handleset

10. Stamped Books

11. Faux Magnolia Stems

12. Earthenware Vase

13. Fluted Vase

14. Window Panel Decor

Peace to you right where you are.

-michele

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