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
