A WEEK IN PROVENCE

A Week in Provence

I recently headed for Provence on a sourcing trip/mini holiday as this particular part of the world had been a recommend by a great friend.  Travelling via Lille, collecting some brocante along the way and also a chance to check this venue for the upcoming annual Brocante Market there.

Lille

Then I made my way South to a beautiful spot near Cassis in Provence - the charming Relais de Magdeleine Hotel was to be my sanctuary for a few days. As always with the Relais Chateaux collection, the hotel did not fail to provide a pleasurable and inspirational stay. For all those that love staying in beautiful
historical buildings with inspiring interiors look no further. Whilst my experience does not extend beyond France from sourcing trips I can only imagine that the rest of the International collection will be lovely.

Hotel Relais de Magdeleine Provence
 After a little local explore to source some vintage pieces to bring back with me I settled down to enjoy some fabulous wine from the local region - Domaine Du Paternal vinyard and reflected on the fabulous inspirations I had gleaned for an upcoming decoration project - with the brief "restore two drawing rooms of a Sussex country period manor house to their original state with Provencial inspiration".

Hotel Relais de Magdeleine Provence

I am now back in the UK armed with ideas and pieces to fulfill my assignment.

Drying Basket

Hurricane Lamps

Antique Pine Hanging Corner Cupboard

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VINTAGE SCHOOL DESKS

I am being asked more and more for Vintage/Antique/Shabby Chic School Desks - so I have being out sourcing again and have found some lovely pieces - currently being restored in the workshop.

If you are looking for a Vintage School Desk, please visit the website for the latest in stock items - you may wish to customise the piece to your specification - if you would like the item painted/distressed, do not hesitate to contact me to discuss.

Current pieces

Vintage School Desk - Designers Guild

Talkingpointsinteriors.co.uk
A vintage double school desk - antique pine painted and distressed using Designers Guild 'Blossom'  - lightly waxed to protect

Fit for a princess

Matching vintage chairs


Previous commission

Antique/Vintage Esavian School Desk

A previous work for a client

A vintage/antique Esavian School Desk - restored and painted in Designers Guild Peony and distressed

Vintage School Chairs

The current trends show a high demand for vintage and industrial chairs - Bistro Chairs, Bentwood Chairs, School Chairs, Chapel Chairs, Marais Chairs, Louis Chairs and more.

Mixing and matching chairs around the dining table gives a fabulous individual look.

I am currently sourcing chairs for clients and have found a set of six Vintage/Shabby Chic Industrial School Stacking Chairs which are on the website

Pleas e mail if you are looking for items and can't find - I will endeavour to source

The Vintage Garden

Vintage Outdoor Dining

Vintage Chairs

Vintage French Metal Garden Chairs

Vintage Industrial School Stacking Chairs

 Vintage School Chairs

Vintage Industrial School Stacking Chairs

Vintage/Shabby Chic French Bistro Chairs

 Bentwood Chairs

Mundus - Bentwood Chair

 

Antique Mahogany Corner Chair

with

Pretty Embroidered Seat Detail

TalkingPointsInteriors.co.uk

Enquiries - enquiries@talkingpointsinteriors.co.uk

A trip to Nyon near Geneva

On a retrun trip to Geneva, I took the train one stop to Nyon to meet a friend - we had plans to visit a Wallpaper Exhibition, housed in the Musee National Suisse - the beautiful Chateau de Prangins.

 

Chateau de Prangins

 

View from Chateau de Prangins

  In 1972, when Chateau de Prangins was handed over to the Swiss Confederation for restoration and transformation into the home of the Swiss National Museum. Its interior revealed 30 out of 40 rooms decorated with wallpaper. On recommendation, at least 100 motifs dating from the mid-eighteenth century right up to the 1930's were preserved - and some of these we saw today.



View from Chateau de Prangins

Wallpaper had its origins in England, documented from the end of the 17th century and around 1750 it arrived on the continent where it became hugely popular.  After originally copying English papers, French producers rapidly surpassed them, and at one stage came to dominate from the 1770's onwards.

The first use to which printed paper was put was to line boxes, chests, fire screens or the insides of furniture.



Vintage wallpaper



Vintage trunk lined with 1930's wallpaper

 

These techniques have become popular again recently, just as wallpapering walls themselves drift in and out of fashion and the idea for papering furniture 'interiors' has inspired me to finish off some of my vintage pieces in this way.

Trunks that I am restoring - some already lined and also small pieces of furniture such as tallboys, bedside cabinets, shelves etc will soon be making there way onto the website.

I will be busy on my return home bringing my newly acquired vintage pieces back to life, with the added technique of using a little bit of history and nostalgia to give each piece its own unique charm.



La Clemence Cafe Geneva

 

Talkingpointsinteriors.co.uk

THE VINTAGE GARDEN - THE COTTAGE GARDEN -  SPRING IS ON ITS WAY

Now that Winter and the long dark nights have passed, I am prompted to start thinking of ideas for the Spring both for the home and garden - I have been looking through the seed catalogues and moving forward from this the Vintage theme is deifnitely here to stay for foreseeable future - both in the home and garden - so I have had some great ideas for the vintage garden. Now is the time to start planning so that the garden looks absolutely sensational in the coming months.

I stumbled across some great finds at a recent Antiques Fair and have boought some pieces for my website - TALKINGPOINTSINTERIORS.CO.UK

The items in particular include vintage rusted plant supports - single stakes, rose frames and plant lobster pots all of which look fantastic propping up and supporting such lovelies as peonies, delphiniums and foxgloves - where the usual plain bamboo canes just dont cut it - i am also getting some vintage plant supports, ever increasingly difficult to source ganvanized dolly tubs, pots and sap pots - vintage/shabby chic wirework candle chandaliers, planters and more -  watch this space

Vintage Dolly Tub

 

Other items coming to the website as a spin off will include vintage inndoor and outdoor votive/candle holders with drop detail crystals, table chandaliers and lots more

To contact please visit the website to call or e mail