This Parisian storefront is an imagined fantasy of a shop I created, filled with: romantic chandeliers, shelves of treasures, script above the shelves (art, heart and soul in French), elegance, a checkered marble floor, and my name etched on windows. (Psst…that’s my apartment above the shop!) Today’s lineup is part ooh la la fantasy escape, part musing, and 100% stream of consciousness.
French Favorites for a Sanctuary Look
Inspiration: Country French, Provence Style & Paris Chic
Sometimes it’s a new build in Houston with storybook charm that embodies un refuge français parfait your heart desires…
Some favorite serene country French interiors shared on this blog hail from vacation houses offered by Your Haven in Paris such as Chateau Mireille.
There certainly are plenty of varied interpretations of Provence charm. These interiors by John Tanner are just my style:
From the chalky limestone underfoot to the sumptuous linens and nubby natural textures? Oui, s’il vous plait.
Is Provence Your Perfect Escape?
Modern day fairytales can come true with a dream and a dreamy budget. The Varvel family breathed fresh life into Provence Poiriers with a team of French design legends.
Traditional country French style freshened for modern living.
Imagine retreating to the pale, serene, understated tones in a bespoke bath like this:
Artist, author, and photographer Jamie Beck is often seen (via Instagram) visiting her friends at Le Mas des Poiriers too. If you haven’t discovered her work, you will be delighted to discover Francophile sanctuary in it!
Her book makes the perfect gift for any Francophile.
Parisian Hotel Chic
I will never recover from stumbling upon Pavillon de la Reine in Paris.
The murals! The themed suites! The ambience!
There’s a timelessness reflected there I doubt would ever grow old. If you can’t get to Paris soon, treat yourself to this insider’s feast of loveliness:
It should be clear by now that “French style” is never one note. There are so many French details and exquisite design elements to inspire. A single image (like this cabinetry detail in the kitchen at Provence Poiriers) may take your design scheme in a fresh direction:
Sanctuary can be interpreted in a myriad of beautiful ways.
Paris Through My Lens
I find myself inspired by petite refined details in Paris. The door and window hardware design. Billowy silks and linens.
And the beautiful gardens of course.
Paris Hotel Inspiration
A stay at the palatial Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome will spoil you forever. It also inspired my appetite for mixing warm and cool tones.
To be surrounded by the fine art sculpture of Rosaline Granet and inhale the custom-scented air by bespoke parfumeur Blaise Mautin? Heaven. Psst. I corresponded with Mr. Mautin while staying at the Park Hyatt, and he invited me to tea…true!
The sweetest Paris apartment near Notre Dame was also our home away from home, and this lavender dream is where we slept (above).
Greek Villa is a smart pick for a white when you’re after that plastered walls of a Parisian apartment flavor. In fact, I’m leaning toward this paint color for our finished basement project which is moving along. (It’s now at the drywall stage.)
Even the teeniest of balconies can live large in Paris! So many spatial lessons for Americans who complain about needing more space.
Finding Modern French Sanctuary at Home
Since I favor a lightened up version of country French, modern French feels right for my own day to day living at home.
Our current home is situated on a nature preserve in the countryside so the acreage is lush and harmonious with French country lifestyle goals.
We even created our own DIY French courtyard with “walls” of living, flowering, hedges in the backyard.
Inside, just small moves like white French-like pots, roses, and rustic elegant decor touches reinforce those French sensibilities with understated charm.
But not everything in our home is understated! What was I going to do with the formal, fancy, show-off nature of this divided staircase which greets you immediately inside the front doors?
Interpreting Modern French for a 90s Georgian Home
I had to celebrate it in the way it truly wanted to be celebrated (it kept whispering ‘make me a boutique hotel in Paris’), and stay true to how we live in the house (which is NOT in a formal way).
The interiors here at the Georgian had already been professionally painted with various greige shades that were working well with the bright white moldings so we simply built on that color story.
The murals were a no brainer since I fell in love with them in Paris and used them in our prior DIY whole house renovation.
Thanks for joining me as I muse about what feels sanctuary-like to Francophiles like us!
Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
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