Over the last month we have been busily preparing and dressing the Château in anticipation of welcoming guests once again during the fall months. 18th century quilted blankets emerged from inside antique trunks to decorate the salons and provide warmth in the evenings, flowers dried from the gardens in summer were carefully crafted to make poesies to be laid upon each bed, autumn shades of earthenware pottery, platters and plates were set upon the dining table ready for a seasonal display of cuisine and autumn fruits from the gardens and markets awaited to be poached and baked into a variety of delicious desserts…
Amongst this busyness in August, at the same time and after many months of awaiting for parcels and packages of fittings and furniture to arrive we were finally able to place the finishing touches in the first attic space we began restoring early in the year.
In our last post sharing the progress of the work in the attics (here), we mentioned about waiting for the carpet for some time… and waiting… and waiting! As it turns out, they ran out of stock for sending our order! And so, after many months we eventually picked another colour. The deep blue was not our original colour choice but we feel is a beautiful contrast to the attic’s woodwork, patina of the walls and peeling wallpaper.
After the carpet was laid, we began layering the room with various styles of antique rugs and furniture. Mostly, we chose to keep the colours of the furniture very natural, with various shades of wood providing a contrast to the more colourful carpet and rugs. Instead, we chose to accentuate the textures of the room with wicker chairs, woven baskets, textured cushions and an old wooden shipping crate as a coffee table.
With their medieval floral patterned upholstery and mid century design, two double armchairs are the feature of the sitting area. These two pieces, along with some more modern and midcentury artwork and a midcentury colour scheme throughout the space, give a reference to the history of the attic spaces.
The attics of the Château were all completely restored during the 1950s (as was most of the building) before the last family who lived here was forced to sell the property due to an inheritance issue. In this space, you can see remnants of an orange floral wallpaper from this era adorning the walls, which we gently cleaned and reattached to keep the patina and authenticity of the room in tact. We wanted to reference this history and the remaining wallpaper in the final design of the room, whilst still being true to our classically French, Château-style filled with frills and florals.
Behind the bookcase, a hidden bathroom has been installed with 18th Century fittings from French bathroom specialist, Herbeau. And a kitchenette and dining space has been finished with a blue and white porcelain, floral washbasin for dishes.
Below are just a few photos taken as were were adding the finishing touches of bed linens and throw pillows. We look forward to sharing more photographs soon… and more about a television, air-conditioning and other modern amenities to come in this space!
