French Home Inspiration: Prepare to be inspired!

This winter I’m taking on a few new projects at home that are (not so) indirectly related to my travels. While I love travelling around the world most of the year, I’m reaching the point where I want to take some of the inspiration and ideas I’ve found around the world and apply them back at home. So for a couple of month I’m planning to take some “down time” from travel and start to spend a little more time at home on another few passions of mine: cooking (recipes), making things (DIY) and re-designing our country home (decor).

But before any of you freak out, I will of course still be travelling! I’m just starting to balance my time a little more, turn down back-to-back jobs that require me to fly to the other side of the world, and start to split my time between all of my passions. In particular, I really want to bring home lots of new ideas from my travels and share how you can apply them back at home.

This month I’m setting out to makeover our country home. I live with my boyfriend on a farm in Tasmania in a very old farm house that needs a little (okay, a lot) of attention. And when I say old I don’t mean a beautiful, old, antique property… I mean a 70s/80s home that contains a lot of brown. Brown wood, brown bricks, brown tiles… so. much. brown.

Personally, I’m more of a light & bright girl in terms of interiors, so I’m setting off to bring home a great deal of inspiration from our trip to France — let the inspiration flow!

Image: World of Wanderlust

We checked in to this manoir in the Loire Valley in April of this year. The manoir has since been restored to its former glory after going through many years of neglect, and I love how they kept the original charm whilst still modernising the property. The playful use of whimsical wisteria completely captured my heart. My plan is to include some wisteria and I’m hopeful it will grow well on our property!

Image: D. Stanley Dixon Architect

Any truly French home starts with one thing: symmetry. Unfortunately for me, our house is anything but symmetrical… so we’ll be going for a more country style (and then there’s the fact that it isn’t a mansion like the on pictured!!!)

Image: Home Design Etc

I’d love to add some stones somewhere in the design of our house… whether it by in or outdoors.

Image: Drury Design

The first room I am starting with is our kitchen – you better start preparing yourself now for the before shots! I’d love to end up with something light, bright, and with plenty of textures to bring it to life and avoid a dull looking kitchen. I’m also fairly convinced we will go for dark wooden floorboards throughout the ground floor of the house to cover the kitchen, dining, living, office and entry rooms.

Image: Jonathan Miller Architects

This gorgeous French country home is more of a dreamy-one-day-possibly-maybe inclusion! If we ever moved and started from scratch, this is the style I would go for.

Image: A Quiet Cottage Life

Aside from the kitchen, the laundry is the other room I really need to get stuck in to (and by stuck in to, I mean it really needs ripping out and starting again!) Prepare yourself, these before photos are really gonna bring the vision to life for you (ha!)

Image: World of Wanderlust

Another shot of the Loire Valley manoir we checked in to in April. I love the playful use of purpose – something to perhaps be considered for the guest room!

Image: World of Wanderlust

A photo taken a few years ago on my rip to Beaune, France. This will never (ever, ever, ever) be my home as I’ll be sticking to something more realistic… but a beautiful chateau nonetheless!

Image: Tidbits & Twine

French country homes are neutral but full of different tones. I love the mix of colours and textures in kitchens.

Image: French Country Cottage

Another beautiful kitchen with a more elegant touch by using the marble topped bench. I also love the huge sink – something I’ll be looking to include in my own kitchen make-over!

Image: Home Bunch

Another sink I love – look at that depth! The gold finishings are typically French but are a great modern touch on the more classic, neutral tones.

Image: World of Wanderlust

One day I’ll tackle the garden – o n e d a y .

Image: World of Wanderlust

More snaps from my time in Beaune.

Image: My French Country Home

I absolutely adore open shelving in French kitchens and if I can convince my boyfriend its a good idea, this is the kind of look I will be going for! The splash back gives the kitchen a more bespoke touch – something I’ll also consider when shopping for products to use.

Image: Homedit

I love the tones in this kitchen – bringing a small amount of colour whilst maintaining the neutral look of a French kitchen. The tiles are also nice – though I think I’m sold on wooden floorboards! 

Image: Enchanted Home

Last but not least: a little exterior inspiration for the day (if it ever comes) I’m finished indoors! Gardens take a lot more time and devotion, so there’s a chance I’ll keep putting it off for a while!