Guest Post

My thanks to Adelle from H is for Home for todays post. Her online shop specialises in vintage, one off and handmade items. Follow Adelle's  Twitter page, her Facebook page and read her blog




Country Houses of France - By H is for Home

"Country Houses of France" book by René & Barbara Stoeltie photographed with galvanised tub of lavender and shabby chic bottles

Every so often, especially when the rain clouds have been brooding for days over our little Pennine valley, we dream of winning the lottery and the properties we'd buy with our winnings.

image from "Country Houses of France" book by Barbara Stoeltie & René Stoeltie showing a stone spiral staircase

We start with a quaint old slate cottage in the Great Langdale Valley in the Lake District (Why? The landscape is stunning, but it rains just as much as it does here!)

image from "Country Houses of France" book by Barbara Stoeltie & René Stoeltie showing a rustic tin bath

Then we begin to dream wistfully about a bolthole on the continent - a little French country house would do nicely!


image from "Country Houses of France" book by Barbara Stoeltie & René Stoeltie showing a laundry area

When you hear the phrase "French country house" your mind immediately conjures up romantic images of imposing stone fireplaces; crumbling plasterwork; warm terracotta tiled floors; rustic pine kitchen tables laden with crusty bread, smelly cheese, fruit & dusty bottles of wine; gently faded & peeling wallpaper & paintwork; shabby chic furniture - and this book delivers on that magic!

image from "Country Houses of France" book by Barbara Stoeltie & Rene Stoeltie showing a kitchen containing a large collection of wine bottles and cheeses beneath a window

The 192 pages of Country Houses of France by René & Barbara Stoeltie are a brimming with gorgeous, glossy, full colour photos of 22 different French houses...

image from "Country Houses of France" book by Barbara Stoeltie & René Stoeltie showing a large mesh metal basket containing eggs

...from a modest artist's hideaway on the Côte d'Azur to a grand chateaux on the Île-de-France.

image from "Country Houses of France" book by Barbara Stoeltie & René Stoeltie showing a huge stone oven surrounded by copper pans

For each house there's a short narrative - in English, French and German - describing the age, style and history of the house and outlining what drew the owner(s) to their home and how they went about furnishing and personalising it.

image from "Country Houses of France" book by Barbara Stoeltie & René Stoeltie showing a bicycle on a terra cotta tiled floor at the bottom of a staircase

The authors feature not just the houses but also the sun-drenched gardens, patios & courtyards too!

image from "Country Houses of France" book by Barbara Stoeltie & René Stoeltie showing a rustic table and chairs in front of a huge stone kitchen fireplace


Originally published by Taschen in 1999, you can still find copies on Amazon UK, France and USA.

image from "Country Houses of France" book by Barbara Stoeltie & René Stoeltie showing a garden with marquee

Right... we'd better get to the shop to buy that lottery ticket!



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