Bonjour mes amis!
How's your Winter going? We have Snow! We got about 6-8 inches over last weekend! I took these pictures on Sunday afternoon, after they'd cleared the road some...
I think we live in Texas for a reason...we don't really like to deal with the hassles of snow, but we do LOVE the beauty of the snow. This snow has been pleasant for us, because we live in an apartment, and park our car in a parking garage...
Snow is so pleasant this way!
No shoveling, or cleaning off the car, or freezing outside while you scrape ice or clean a sidewalk!Okay. Enough said on that subject...
In my life in Texas, I love to decorate, re-decorate, space-plan, "stage" homes, and do just about anything related to decorating! Upon arriving in France, and telling people about this, it was mentioned to me that "Staging" has recently come to France via a TV show called "Maison à Vendre" (translated, Home for Sale)! The show is set up very much like HGTVs show, "Designed to Sell". People need help getting their house ready for sale, and they do a thorough de-cluttering job and feature the highlights of the home, and de-personalize the items shown in the home for the time the home is on the Market. I love to work on this kind of thing, but it is also fun to just decorate and plan spaces out nicely for Living.
We have a friend here, Michèle , who has helped us tremendously with our integration in France. She's our "go to" Lady. She's a vivacious, friendly, positive, professional, helpful and colorful Lady, and we appreciate her so much!
She asked if I could come to help her in her Apartment to best use her space. It's a one bedroom place, but has a nice, large Living Room/Dining Room. Michèle loves color, which you will quickly see in her home. It makes her so happy! She has a few furniture pieces from her parents that she cherishes, and she has mementos from friends that she proudly displays. She enjoys life, and has many friends! She is talented, and enjoys acting in Theater, Singing, and Music in general. She loves to travel, and hopes to do more in the future. I know you would enjoy her if you got to meet her. Fortunately for me, she also speaks English very well!
So now, let me show you some of her apartment, and then you can see how the "re-space-planning" (is this a word?) worked in her space. We spent no money, but tried to find a good way to make the apartment feel spacious, and feature some special pieces as well. Michèle's best friend, Brigitte, came to help make this all happen. We were three Ladies with a Plan!
Before...
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| This beautiful Buffet is from her Mother! |
and, here is the After...
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| The Buffet is a first view as you enter the room, and the Chair in the corner is from her Father! |
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| Pictures need to be hung on this wall yet, but it will get done! |
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| Michèle still has a little corner for an office! |
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| The large Unit Michèle didn't love in her Living Room, is now a practical place to store her kitchen items! |
Michèle still has a little tweaking to do...hanging pictures, getting new cushions for her sofas, and parting with a few items she intends to sell, but Michèle has been very pleased with her new arrangement. She still has all the things she loves around her, but the large room has a more open feel, and she can even enjoy Yoga in the open space!
It's so funny what a little change of furniture placement will do!!!
Congratulations, Michèle, on your "new" home!
It was a pleasure to work with you!
Have you moved around any furniture lately? I know many of you are organizing after the Holidays, but consider one room, and see if a room re-arrangement wouldn't just put a little bright spot into your day!
Hopefully, that means you will have a "Jewel" of a day, too!
Jan
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