Cottage & Countryside Living
a weekly journal from France
Joyeuses Pâques! (Happy Easter)
It's hard to believe that Easter weekend is here. It seems like time is flying by. Although to be fair, we have been non-stop since we got to France between the cottage, house hunting, paperwork and renovations. This week of course was no exception. We've been in painting (a lot), wallpaper and trim mode trying to get at least the living room part of the makeover completed.
After taking down the wallpaper in the kitchen area, I learned what not to do to make the walls in that area easier. I think I have it down to a science so when it's time to eventually tackle the bedrooms at a later date (have to design those) I can bang that project out quickly. As for trim, of course nothing in here is level...why would it be? We installed all new accent trim & baseboards. The old ones were just so yucky. Now that the new wallpaper is up, the walls are painted, the trim installed, the curtain rods refreshed & installed, I can now turn to the decorating & accessories. We plan to switch out the sofas. Our faux leather one is on a boat right now but it will be coming here to the cottage. In the meantime, the Ikea Ektorp sofa we have is getting a new slipcover that works for now in the cottage but also in the new farmhouse. I plan to refinish the existing coffee table and I'm on the lookout for an accent chair. Then I can focus on artwork. I found this vintage print of our area of France which is perfect for the space. Placing that order this week. I have a collection of vintage plates on a side wall....just need one more. As for knick knacks, keeping things simple as this will be a rental property but I still want it to feel cozy & homey. So I’ll be heading to the brocantes to see what I can find to finish off this space. Our ceiling paint from Little Greene Paint Co arrives Tuesday so I can get started on that since I am spending today doing repairs & caulking. I am so happy it’s all coming together… funny thing is so is the hubby. Sometimes he’s very unsure of my vision for a space especially from samples and a design board. But as each piece of trim went up & the decorative elements started to be added, he told me how beautiful everything looked. That made my day.
As for Easter, we are keeping things simple here since we are so focused on getting stuff done. Eggs benedict with a side of herbed potato wedges and mimosas were on the menu this morning. Yesterday was poached salmon with potato gratin and white asparagus. Tartelette Fraises from a local patisserie for dessert. I also made French Yogurt Cake with a lemony twist but that is a snack on it all week kind of thing. Today it is a chilly. cloudy, drizzly day. So no outdoor projects- today is laundry & general cleaning, continue on the wall repairs, maybe watch a movie or two, build a roaring fire to keep it toasty and crack open a bottle of wine. Definitely work but with a bit of rest too.
Hope you all enjoyed a wonderful holiday weekend (if you celebrated).
À bientôt xo
Jenna
Sunday Saves (Easter Monday Edition)
Things that caught my eye this week…
Discover the traditions and dishes of a classic French Easter menu (I made the white asparagus dish yesterday that is on here)
Every Stylish Parisian Is Wearing These 6 Shoe Trends This Spring
The “Gorgeous” Le Creuset Butter Dish Shoppers Can’t Stop Raving About
Unique Maps Co. was kind enough to give me a special discount code for all my followers. Save 30% off on your first order using this code (LXZ-MS90YAV) They have an incredible selection and they ship worldwide! Click here to shop.
Are These Classic Paris Spots Worth The Hype? from author Lindsey Tramuta. I would probably add Cafe St.Regis to this list as well. It gets tons of Instagram credit and was right down the street from where we were staying but to be honest the food was so-so. Definitely not worth the pricing. Maybe good for a cocktail or a quick stop for a cafe and people watching but there are plenty of other restaurants that are better.
This new language app is like Netflix meets Masterclass, but for learning French
3 Raised Garden Bed Layouts and Growing Plans to Get Your Garden Started
There is a technical issue with the Etsy shop so the April collection will be released tomorrow… lot of beautiful vintage finds being added and ones that are still available! Here is the link. Shop opens tomorrow at 9am EST.