This chest of drawers was painted
with white chalk paint and picked out in grey. It looks much better against the wooden table and chairs.
I removed the door, which is being used as a mirror in one of the bedrooms. The outside was painted black and the inside the same colour as the walls so it appears almost like a built-in.
The armoire in the lounge room, painted white, brightens up the corner.
In Chambre Menthe, two different bedsides are painted in a minty green and picked out in a lighter shade.
I didn't need another mirror in Chambre Menthe, as there is one over the fireplace, so I used it for Chambre Rose and painted it white. I won't be painting the drawers and will just sand and wax which will make the colour less red and more like oak.
A couple of inexpensive bedsides look so much better with a coat of white paint. I won't be painting the headboard.
Welcome to La Maison de Wakefield!
I fell in love with the house years ago after seeing a magazine article about how the the previous owner, who was from New Zealand, bought it while on holiday and spent a number of years restoring it. I live in Australia and love to travel, especially to France! After numerous trips and nearing a major milestone birthday, I decided I wanted my own piece of French real estate. I had read many books about France, especially biographies of expats finding their ‘la bonne vie’ (the good life) in rural France and those I really connected with were based in the south west, in the department called the Lot.
I purchased the house on my third viewing trip in May 2017. On my second last day in the area I had finished my viewings and I didn't think I was going to find my maison on this trip. That night I took one last look at a French property website and saw my house. The next day I visited the Immobilier (real estate) to arrange a viewing. As soon as I walked in I knew I would buy it even though it was way over my budget! I had already visited Martel the week before and had walked past the house, not realising it was for sale and I took the photo that is on this website because it was so lovely. The house had only just gone on the market the week before I arrived in France, so it wasn’t even on my viewing list. Originally, I was going to be in France three weeks earlier and had a last-minute change to my departure date. So it was meant to be!
It took numerous trips to France to furnish and decorate the house. Many hours have been spent browsing brocante markets and second hand shops and, with a limited budget, creating soft furnishings, painting furniture, upcycling etc to turn the house into a chic and stylish maison!
I enjoy sharing my house with other like minded people who love France as much as I do.
Debra
