Velvet & Linen

Chateau Fonplegade and the beautiful town of Saint-Emilion...

 

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that we have been doing quite a bit of traveling lately. We are very fortunate to be working on a few exciting design projects in some of the most beautiful places in the world. One of the projects that we just completed is located in the Bordeaux region of France, near the picturesque town of Saint-Emilion. I thought you might enjoy hearing a bit about this project and seeing some images of this gorgeous location...

Our clients own several world class wineries. In 2003 our clients acquired Chateau Fonplegade, and over the past twelve years they have overseen the renovation of the chateau as well as the revitalization of the winery, including the adoption of organic farming practices. 

 

The fountain of Chateau Fonplegade is not only the source of the chateau's name ("fountain of plenty"), it has also provided water for pilgrims as well as the grape vines for hundreds of years...

 

The chateau was originally built in 1852 by the legendary wine merchant Jean-Pierre Beylot. When our clients first purchased the chateau it was missing one of the original towers. With a desire to restore the chateau to its original design, our clients oversaw the design and rebuilding of a new second tower so that the chateau is once again beautifully symmetrical. 

  

  

The artwork on the wine label on this 2010 bottle of Chateau Fonplegade Grand Cru Classe shows the chateau with only one tower. The Chateau Fonplegade wine label will soon be redesigned to feature the restored tower.

 

 

The architectural design of the winery is a celebration of Chateau Fonplegade's history combined with some beautiful modern elements, creating elegant, inviting spaces as well as a state of the art wine making facility. 

 

 

The newly redesigned tasting room is one of my favorite spaces in the winery. The chalky color palette of the natural materials creates a soothing space to enjoy the fabulous wines of Chateau Fonplegade. 

  

  

The l'Orangerie is a glorious space, with original limestone walls and tall arched doors that open to the gardens.

 

  

The arched door to the right provides a view of the beautiful oak wine barrels.  

 

When our clients contacted us, all of the work on the winery had already been completed, but some of the living spaces in the chateau needed some help... All of the three guest rooms needed to be designed and the master bedroom, dining room, and other public rooms required some tweaks here and there. 

Unfortunately I can't share all of the project here, but I can give you a sneak peak!

Here is an example of what one of the guest rooms looked like when we arrived...

 

Our clients owned several beautiful antiques, like this large wall mirror, that we incorporated into the final design.

 

  

Here is Steve's original design sketch of the room...

 

and a little peak of the finished room...

 

 

The installation took place over several very long days, but we were able to carve out a little time to enjoy the beauty of Saint-Emilion.

One evening, our client took us on a memorable walk on the country roads that lead to the town of Saint-Emilion. 

It was such a treat to be able to enjoy the view of Chateau Fonplegade from this vantage point.

 

 

  

The greenery of the grape vines is truly stunning. 

 

  

Walking along the road my mind was filled with thoughts of the many people who have walked here for centuries. I felt surrounded by beautiful history. 

 

As the sun began to set, the stone buildings glowed.

 

  

The light in this area of France is spectacular!

 

The gift at the end of our walk was this view of Saint-Emilion!

 

As we walked back to the chateau, the sun was making its final decent.

 

What an incredible place to end the day.

 

If you are planning a trip to France, I highly recommend adding Saint-Emilion to your itinerary. Here are few more images to hopefully convince you that it is worth visiting...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our amazing design associate, Laura Putnam, did a fantastic job as the manager for this project. She worked tirelessly to make sure all of the furnishings and small details were complete by installation day.

 

 

 On our final night in Saint-Emilion we had a fantastic meal in town. Several amazing restaurants are located in this beautiful town.

 

I hope you have enjoyed these images of Chateau Fonplegade and Saint-Emilion. You can contact Chateau Fonplegade to schedule a visit and private wine tasting. You will not be disappointed! 

 

xo

Brooke

 

Habitat: The Field Guide to Decorating by Lauren Liess...

 

Every year I eagerly anticipate the design books that are published in the Fall. It's always exciting to see the inspiring work of other designers and to gain insight into their design process. One book that is a stand out this year is "Habitat: The Field Guide to Decorating" by Lauren Liess. 

 

I've loved Lauren's work since I started reading her blog 6 years ago. It has been so much fun following the growth of her career as well as her beautiful family.

This is Lauren... gorgeous and talented!

Over the past six years I've been impressed not just by Lauren's inspiring work but also with her honesty and generosity. On her blog, Lauren not only shares images of her work, she also happily provides resources and behind the scenes details of how she creates her livable, beautiful interiors. Lauren is also straight forward. She lets her readers know about the challenges of the design process as well as the difficulties of juggling the demands of her practice and the needs of her family.

Photo credit:  Clifton Man Photography

Lauren, her husband Dave, and their three boys welcomed little Gisele to their family this year... 

 I'm not sure where Lauren found the time to write Habitat, but I'm certainly glad she did! Habitat is written in the same knowledgeable yet accessible style that makes Lauren's blog so popular. Lauren's book is well organized and easy to understand whether you are an interior designer or a home owner looking for guidance through the design process.

Habitat is divided into three sections. The first section discusses "The Fundamental Elements of Design". Each of the chapters in this  section focuses on one of "the tangible elements that go into creating a home". These include architecture, finishes and hardware, floor plan, color, furniture, rugs, fabric and pattern, lighting, window treatments, and finally art and accessories.

Each chapter is filled with photographer Helen Norman's beautiful images of Lauren's refreshing work that provide convincing visual examples of all of Lauren's points, whether she is discussing how to select a sofa or the process of choosing a color palette.

Although there is an incredible amount of information in this section, somehow Lauren is able to present it in a way that is not overwhelming. Her explanations are as relaxed and easy to understand as her interior designs.

In Part 2 of her book, Lauren wonderfully describes "The Intangible Elements of Design".  This is the part of design that relies on your intuition and includes aesthetic, style, mood, authenticity, juxtaposition, comfort, luxury, charm, as well as risk and confidence.

Lauren used a calm color palette of sandy neutrals and soft blues as well as furnishings made of jute, sea glass, and driftwood to create a coastal mood in her clients' living room.

 Lauren explains that "luxury" can be any design element that is inessential but encourages pleasure and comfort. For Lauren, this includes this awesome outdoor shower that she designed for her own home. 

Chapter 19 is all about "Risk & Confidence". There are many unconventional details in this kitchen that Lauren designed for her father's lake house. It is these unexpected elements, including those fantastic pendants lights, that make this space so wonderful. 

In "Room by Room Guide", the third and final section of Habitat, Lauren walks us through her design process while she addresses the important functions and requirements for specific types of rooms. 

The shiplap walls that Lauren used in this bathroom add so much detail to this bathroom.  The curved soaking tub is both functional and sculptural.  

 Each chapter in this final section includes a checklist of design elements specific to the type of room being discussed. Like all of the rooms in Habitat, Lauren's examples of home office/study spaces prove that even the most functional rooms can be designed beautifully while still being functional.

On page 267 of Habitat, Lauren's "A Final Word" really explains why I love her. She always keeps a proper perspective when decorating a home... You'll have to get the book to see what I mean!  

If happen to live near Los Angeles or are visiting in November and you would like to see Lauren's work in person, you are in luck! Lauren is participating in Luxe Magazine's "Mason de Luxe", a design show house at the Doheny Greystone Estate. You can go online for show dates and to purchase tickets. 

 

If you see Lauren and Dave, give them a hug from me!

 

xo

 

Brooke

Autumn at Patina Farm...

As I get older I am more and more aware of the quick passage of time. This acceleration of months and years is made even more obvious when I look back at the growth of the gardens that we planted here at Patina Farm a little more than two years ago...

This morning I found this image of the Sycamore trees we planted on both sides of what is now our gravel driveway.  

 

I'm astonished by how much the trees have grown.  I imagine they will create a shady canopy over the driveway by next year. 

  

I also found this image of our front garden when it was first installed.

 

 

Today it is a lush garden, filled with floribunda roses and little ollies, clipped into spheres. The lambs ear and catmint casually flow oto the gravel pathway to the front door. 

 

Although it still feels like Summer here in Ojai, I have started to add some Autumn accents in the house...

 

 

 

 

Our new fully grown chickens are also infusing our coop with some Fall color!

 

They just started laying the most beautiful blue/green eggs!

 

Even our new little pup, Sera (Sophie's half sister) is providing an Autum copper color to our home!

 

Steve and I have been traveling a bit this month for some exciting new projects. I'll share more about them in my next post. Until then, I hope you will join us on Instagram, where I have been sharing a few images of our adventures...

I hope you have some free time to enjoy the natural beauty of Autumn where you live!

 xo

 

Brooke