For Your Chateau

In this installment of, what I've decided to continue calling, "For Your Chateau" we find an assortment of luscious textiles and table linens as well as decorative arts for living and dining. There are loads of these ornamental brass curtain tie backs on Etsy and similar sites, but they can go fast. I awoke this morning to find that two such things on my favorites list had been bought overnight, so I guess the moral of the story is, if you like it, buy it. In my case payday is always just a little far away. C'est la vie.

I'm certainly drawn to these little pewter plates with their variable designs in heraldic motifs. Given that they ship from France, the cost to ship (Free) and the shipping time (1-8 days) is really surprisingly good. The stories behind each plate's sigil are really enlightening and make me want to learn more about each monarch they represent. 

I dearly wish the faded blue and white fabric was in better condition (and that I had that kind of money to just throw around). It's a lovely design and a pretty large amount of fabric on the whole, plus I have one lonely window in my sitting room that is crying out for a feature dressing and that would be perfect. Alas, I think it would be hard to make that amount of damage disappear even in, say, a tightly ruched valance. Perhaps it could be cut up into pillows or something smaller from the less-damaged parts? I'm always loathe to cut into antique textiles. 

Have you found or acquired something similar to these? What or who are your go-to vendors? Leave a comment below.

For Your Chateau- Etsy Finds

Clearly I spend some time every week trawling Etsy for interesting items for my home and work, so I thought I'd make it a part of my weekly blog posts to share these finds with you. A quick search of terms like "French Country" or "Brocante" or "Chateau" will yield a plethora of tempting options, and of course I have regular shops that I follow for porcelain, vintage textiles, and art. 

This week's spotlighted items include Provencal-style linens, crystal tableware, and French Country furnishings. I'm particularly interested in the pieces from RelovedHomeDesigns because of the free shipping included in the purchase price. So often when buying furniture online the shipping can be almost as much as the item itself, or even more! What initially seems like a deal turns out not to be in the end. Not only is the item here shipped for free, but the seller does the work of finding a shipping company, though note they only ship to the lower 48 states of the U.S. Sorry, international readers. Having recently inherited some of my grandmother's silver I probably won't be purchasing the little silver tray, but wouldn't it make a delightful vanity accessory? It was too lovely not to favorite with this week's picks, and maybe if I do acquire a proper china cabinet I'll have somewhere to display such things instead of shutting them away in the spare bedroom wardrobe, where they currently have to reside.

For Your Chateau- Etsy Finds

 I don't know about you, but I love to sift through sites like Etsy and Ebay and Ruby Lane for antiques and creative finds to make my surroundings more beautiful. As mentioned in the post of the Greek Revival fireplace surround, I have a blue and white themed sitting room full of delft tiles and porcelain. I'm forever on the lookout for things that will work with it in the room, or simply add to the collection. Here are some of my most recent finds.

You'll note that the Etsy store of BordeauxBrocante comes up pretty frequently. A brocante is basically like the French version of an antiques market. I've just stumbled onto that one, and I'm hooked on the lovely items and impressed by the styling of the photos. One of the things I use these sites for is to compare and get a better understanding of what things are worth on the market, that way I know that I'm paying a fair price when I make the leap to purchasing anything. Some items, especially genuine pieces from the past, are really worth paying a little more because the quality is so good compared to similar mass-produced items today. 

Have items, stores, or sites you love? I'd love to know about them too! Want to keep them all to yourself? That's fair. Either way, happy hunting!

Favorite

Seriously, who doesn't love the charming motifs paired with the simple silhouette of this gown?

Favorite

Jens Juels and his wife. 1791.

Favourite- Marie Antoinette

I just love this sketch of Marie Antoinette by Count Fersen!

Favourite- Dress Fabric

Dress fabric hand-painted in China 1775-1800 (LACMA)

I wonder why this was never made into a garment? The detail and level of realism is very good.

Favourite- Pet-en-l'air and petticoat (KCI)

Pet-e-l'air and embroidered petticoat from the Kyoto Costume Institute