The French Look

At the moment I'm working my way through  a book  titled  Creating the French look by Annie Sloan, which covers eight different french decorating styles, inspirational ideas and 25 step-by-step projects. A great read.

 I purchased it because I was curious to see which  would stand out to be MY  favourite style, but as  it so happens , I appear to have  a 'mélange' of french  tastes.  I should have known it wouldn't be as clear cut as that! I mean to say, there are EIGHT different styles......and none are exactly what I would choose??? Let's have a look together, and you tell me which style resonates  with you :)

The following photos are MY interpretation of the descriptions in Annie Sloan's book.

   Château - Rococo

www.wingsunfurled-web.com

What do you think?  It's classed as 'Pretty and Sparkling'.   I agree, and I DO like it, but a bit over the top for my abode.....

Chateau - Neo-Classical.

www.besthomedesigns.org

This is a "bold and shiny" french style (keeping this simple!).   Not really my cup of tea, rather masculine, but  smart, don't you think?

  Country - Manoir......now we're getting somewhere...

I love this.....described as "Delicate and Stylish", the combination of blue and white just sings to me :). Are you finding your french niche yet?  ......lets keep going!

   Country - Rural

www.goodreads.com

This style appeals to me too....but I think I would need an actual  home in the country before I would apply it. The thing is,  if  I were to take a  good look around here, I would have to concede that there maybe some   small elements of this style lurking around :) After all,   I am a country girl at heart!

   Provence - Luberon.  

georgianadesign.tumblr.com

Loving this! Its blue and white so of course I love it! Notice the blue is more into lavender shades? Inspired by  the provencal lavender fields I would think.  The 'Provencal' look is described by the author as being 'bright, airy and fresh' , with terracotta or stone floors blending the inside with the outdoor living area, where the most can be made of those hot summer months.

I need to throw in some extra shots of Provence.....it just wouldn't seem right not to share it's beautiful outdoors with you.....like this mas in the dappled  sunlight of summer....

www.horizon-provence.com

The landscapes of  lavender fields............

vintageholidays.co.uk

or  olive trees.................

my photo!

And then there are  the gorgeous provencal outdoor settings for breakfast, lunch, happy hour or dinner, I may be a fan of blue and white, but the setting below could definitely convert me! (after a closer look, take away the food and it still  leaves quite a bit of blue and white!)

decordeprovence.blogspot.com

Provence - Riviera

Apparently its all about the 'marine' colors here....'vibrant and fresh'....

Palm trees, 

and the bright colors of the yellow mimosas and pink  and purple bougainvilleas....

Paris - Bohemian

I'd like to think I was a little 'bohemian', but after reading through the description....I am not sure I am anything LIKE it ! Apparently  an 'artistic' and 'eclectic' look....being 'adventurous' and 'unconventional'.....

In my mind's eye I see it more like this............

I kind of really like it......maybe to ....visit! Not sure I could live with that all the time.... especially a whole house :) 

Paris - Coco Haute Couture

The lucky last style is described as 'fine design' and 'fin de siecle'

Chanel appartment 31, Rue Cambon Paris.

A luxurious style, chandeliers, beads, pearls, chinese lacquered finishes ,throw in a fin de siecle 'bust' or two and some black and white photos and voila! Coco style!

                                                 -----------------------------------------

So let's see  ................                I have/love                              Style

                                                  Chandeliers                            Rococo, Coco Haute Couture ??

                                                  Blue,white and timber             Provence, Country Rural, Country Manoir

                                                  

                                                  Wrought iron                          Provence,Country Manoir

                                                   

                                                   Black and white photos          Coco Haute Couture

So now I know that  'my style' is......Provencal..ish ,  a dash of rural/manoir, with a twist of rococo/coco.

Will you look at that?  Not a speck of bohemian in me! Although...bohemian IS described as eclectic..and my style, if nothing else,  is definitely that!!

So after having worked through these decors, which one is more you? Tell me.....


                                                        A bientôt, Gigi
                

French singers / Les chanteurs francais

This clip made me smile.....great start to the weekend :)

This clip had me dancing around  the kitchen, so that's the day's excercise! A finalist in a French Idol series (Nouvelle Star) Young Benjamin Siksou is awesome! (yes, he is singing in English, but you'll find his french performances are great too, well I did..here, and a rendition of Prince's 'Kiss' here   ...it doesn't hurt that he's easy on the eye! 

How about a classic from Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin...

or  the amazing Celine Dion...

Hope all had a wonderful weekend!

A Bientôt, Gigi

A taste of France in Melbourne / Un goût de la France à Melbourne

I've decided that I love Melbourne. As a very young adult I lived in several different suburbs of Melbourne, Brunswick, Coburg, Airport west, Kew, to name a few. I can remember it being busy, sometimes fun, sometimes lonely, and of course multicultural. Fast forward  35 years ( omg. Is it really that long???) and having spent most part of 23 years in sunny Queensland, I have found a new appreciation for the lovely old city. ( old in Australian terms, anyway)
.

Last week I holidayed in Melbourne. Whilst hubby headed to work , I fossicked around the city centre, even being daring enough to use the trams!  I went very prepared, with a lists of places to visit and things to see, and of course, they were mainly of a French flavor.

First stop :

 A coffee at Shannon Bennett's  Cafe Vue, Normanby Chambers, 430 Little Collins St, Melbourne. Shannon is an acclaimed Australian chef, who offers several french dining experiences around Melbourne.

Even at the Melbourne International Airport.

I came across this very french pattisserie in  458 Little Collins St... Le petit Gateau, but being a little too early to indulge, I continued on....

I made my way toward Bourke Street Mall, wanting to check out the current Myer window showcase....I was tickled pink  to find an over-sized  Eiffel Tower postcard taking front position....surely addressed to me :)

Being in town, I thought I would catch up with a former work colleague, who happens to be the counter  manager for Guerlain...ohhh how french! I was treated  to wonderful creams and perfume.I'm especially loving 'La petite robe noire'  (The little black dress) ....soft and feminine.

  

One evening we  went for a stroll down Swanston Street, where we came across this gorgeous flower ....well I'm going to call it a flower boutique... just because I want to! It was in full bloom, beautiful and of course reminded me of all the alluring flower stores in France.

What's this???...you mean to say Australia has  historical architecture???.. I do believe I have been living  on the Gold Coast waaaaaaaaayyyy too long!!

The beautiful St Paul's cathedral, Flinders Street.

The entrance to Flinders Street train station. (sorry for photo quality)

After having had a couple of 'pub' meals, it was time to take it up a notch. I had done a little research and decided on  Le Bergerac in King St.  What a treat! We found the food sublime , although I could be a little biased, it is french after all, and I soaked up the authentic french  atmosphere.  For those of you unfamiliar with Bergerac, it is a city in the Dordogne area of France, well known for its wonderful wines.

Le Bergerac restaurant

Part of our stay was at  Seasons Heritage apartments on St Kilda Rd. Lovely outlook, comfortable rooms, convenient to everything and helpful staff, pity it has a slight 'faulty towers' feel to it! Mainly the television would keep switching itself off...something to do with  ' power savers',  plus once I got the air-conditioning working I couldn't turn it OFF..so it basically counteracted the saving on the tele :). but I would definitely stay there again, simply for its entrance.........

I can not resist a beautiful chandelier!

 In a recent blog I posted, Parisian Passages , there were some gorgeous photos of the Royal Arcade in Bourke St, Melbourne, so I just had to take a stroll down this very european 'passage'.  Guess what I found sitting prettily in the middle of the arcade............none other than a macaron store! Oh yummy yummy, or as the french say  Miam Miam!

yellowyelloweggs.blogspot.com

So,  I would have to say that I definitely found  sufficient french flavour in  Melbourne to see me through for awhile :)

A bientôt, Gigi