home decor and garden are very famous in the world: french houses

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dreamy living in the south of france

3:27 PM | Labels: french houses, french living, south of France

Here is the story of a most remarkable 18th century château saved from dereliction by a young couple with loads of energy and great ideas.

The Château Margüi in the South of France was discovered by its present owners, Philippe and Marie: it had been abandoned for half a century and was without heating, without mains water and with ceilings collapsing while the grounds were disappearing behind a forest of unkempt undergrowth.

Over ten years they have not only renovated the château to create a stunning family home, but they have also renovated the extensive vineyards, and today produce an outstanding, organic wine.

On the ground floor of the chateau, they ripped out walls and inserted huge windows to create a large, kitchen, dining, living area with a very contemporary feel.

Elsewhere on the ground floor they have created another large space dedicated to music.

Upstairs, there are large, sparsely furnished rooms for the whole family, (they have five young children) that remain beautifully in keeping with the spirit of the Provençal château.

It would be many people's dream to raise a young family on a property like this, and I love the way they have kept the interior very down to earth and approachable , rather than filling the chateau with priceless antiques.

This view over the rooftops of the property give a feel for the typical south french forest or maquis, that surrounds the château Margüi

If you would like to try their wines you can find all the information here

Photos thanks to Art & Decoration magazine

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the chic french swimming pool

10:00 AM | Labels: french houses

We are now back from the south, but my head is still full of beautiful images. I particularly loved the gardens we saw, designed to encourage a very zen attitude. Soft colours, careful planting and a great deal of attention paid to pool design.

I am loving these toned down colours for pool and pool side. Turquoise can look harsh, these more natural shades just look elegant.

I also like the long narrow pool, not only practical for swimming lengths, but also so well adapted to sleek garden design.

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inspiration found in a Provence château

12:00 AM | Labels: art, french houses, French style, provence

While in the South, I was lucky enough to meet rather an extraordinary French lady, living in an 18th century château, ... with an art gallery in her garden.

Sabine Puget is passionate about art and the importance of art in everyday life. When she and her husband bought their château some years back, she was brave enough to create a gallery and open its doors to the public.

She quickly ran out of space, but boldly created extra display areas around the gallery, stark modern shapes, that fit into her breathtaking property effortlessly, and whose brick red colour echoes the beautiful patina on the château walls.

The gallery is open from May to September, and she creates two exhibitions each season. I was fascinated to visit the current show, which combines and juxtaposes the work of two artists: a photographer who likes to shoot pictures of old catalogues of plant collections, and a sculptor who is passionate about granite, marble and stone.

All through the show, sculptures, large and small, echo the beautiful black and white photos on the walls.

To add interest to the already breathtaking sculptures, they are created to move and to turn upon themselves.

The garden around the gallery and the house is carefully planted to emphasise the presence of the gallery. Walking around the grounds, this visitor sometimes gasped at the beauty of an unexpected artwork, whose silver grey wood or subtle stone, reflects the soft Provençal light.

In a corner of the garden is a tiny chapel, long since abandoned when Sabine and her husband bought the property. It is now restored with evocative paintings on the wall and unique stained glass windows, and has become the subject of a small book.

This stunning property is perfectly maintained and designed but never overwhelming. At every corner there is a reminder that this is first and foremost a home, owned by a couple who have understood the importance of life's simple pleasures. Be it a striking work of art; sitting in a simple deck chair in the shade of an old chestnut tree, or hearing grand children play pétanque outside the house.

So if you find yourself in the south of France this summer, and you would like to visit Sabine's gallery, simply contact her or turn up on a sunny summer afternoon and refresh your body and mind as you breathe in the utter beauty of her property and the art she cares to show.

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doors in Provence

10:52 PM | Labels: french houses, provence

Like many people I often take pictures of doors. The door to a house seems to say as much about architectural style as it does about life behind scenes. It can be welcoming or forbidding, modest or built to impress.

Here in Provence, where I have been walking around villages dating back hundreds of years, and around the beautiful town of Aix en Provence the mixture of styles and the personal touches are fascinating. Come along and take a look.