Will you lend me your imagination today?
I wanted to show you many pictures of Le Petit Bijou… but I just couldn’t snap any that tell the real story… the house is full of electricians, plumbers, painters and carpenters… all trying to finish… there was no room for me and my camera…
Le Petit Bijou is nearly ready… final coats of this and that… tiles being positioned here and there… the wooden flooring finished and all covered up… even a functioning alarm… These are good signs, don’t you think?
The kitchen is in… unpainted… or in the process… and the bathroom commode is in place… Now that was a difficult one… but I am very happy I persevered… The idea was to have an old ‘table’ holding the hand basin… and at the last hour I found one… It has had to have many modifications… and it has not been the economical idea I imagined… but it’s charming and it will work… which is the most important bit…
The electricians are ready to hang the chandelier… and the curtain rods have been measured… The upholstery is well under way and the beds are ordered… I am feeling like we are nearly there…
Without any unforeseen catastrophes it will be ready to rent at the end of July…
My lovely but impetuous husband found and bought this house nearly three years ago… he had his own little coup de foudre. When he showed me the pictures I could understand the reasons he found it so enchanting.
Le Petit Bijou is located in the historical part of the village and the house looks back towards the Musee des Alpilles. He loved the location and the quirkiness of the house… the weathered stone, the slightly curved and crooked walls… Inside had been renovated some time ago and sadly nothing of note remained.
Now Le Petit Bijou has two double bedrooms upstairs, one very generous in size and the smaller one benifiting from a terrace overlooking the museum…
I imagine the terrace would be just the place for an evening glass of rosé… A pair of painted iron tables and decorative chairs are waiting to be delivered for that very purpose…
The bathroom is shared (with a separate loo) and I think will turn out to be my favourite room… A free standing white enamel bath… the old commode converted for the hand basin… a vintage mercury glass mirror and a pair of crystal drop wall lights… It sounds very girly… it is… I couldn’t help it… no apologies… think shabby chic/boudoir… It might be a little feminine for the boys… but with a separate shower around the corner… they will be happy…
The bedrooms have plenty of cupboards (I like to be able to properly unpack when I am on holiday) and the fauteuils I am upholstering in old fashioned toiles… the linens will be white… and the beds covered with French quilts… I am yet to find those… That’s my next job… along with stocking the kitchen… This weekend I will be searching for porcelain and old pharmacy glass to display on the open shelves…
The sitting room and dining area is open to the kitchen… and yes I have succumbed to modern life and will install a big television… but at the other end of the room there will be a glass fronted cupboard filled with my Provencal flea market finds… Styling that up will be the prize…
Fingers crossed in the next few weeks I shall have photos to show… and we will be open for rentals from the end of July… If you would like any further information… please email me… vicki@vickiarcher.com
Have a fabulous Friday… xv
