I’ll Take Romance: The Most Gorgeous French Textiles

It’s been over three weeks since I last posted and honestly there’s no good reason except that it’s summer….glorious summertime.

  I admire all of you who can keep up with the many things you do and still rock the blog world and be social media mavens.  Maybe I’ll learn more about time management at the Haven Conference next month!!!  (Of which, I’m so excited)

I think I daydream in French.  You know. Those romantic notions of style, class, and savoir faire.

One of my missions while in France was seeking out lovely textiles…specifically vintage toile.  What I found was a treasure trove of linens of all sorts in a hidden gem of a place.

Once upon a time there was a French linen paradise run by Madame and her charming husband.  There were literally hundreds of fabrics of every imaginable type.  A decorator’s dream.  Three rooms full of goodies.  Located in L’Isle Sur la Sorgue, I was able to go not once, but twice. 

I had found authentic antique/vintage toile in Paris to be way too pricey so I was happy to dig through her stack of lovely toile. 

I came away with several pieces of blue and white dating to the early 1900s and a cool pair of 1950s lined curtain panels in the most gorgeous purple.  The hunt scene detail is amazing.

 

There always seems to be a wonderful armoire everywhere and Madame’s shop was no exception!

There were baskets filled with lavender sachets made from antique textile remnants.

The blue toile I brought back!

 

So crisp and vibrant. The old toile is soooo much better than new.

 

There were lots of grain sacks and linen.  What caught my eye was the grain sacks that had been dyed beautiful colors.  I think we are seeing the trend now of more color.  I picked up a couple of different blue ones that I think would make the most gorgeous upholstery for a small chair or pillows on a stark linen sofa.

 

The most romantic of all was the boudoir chemises that I found in her backroom of antique French clothing.  I can only imagine what lady wore these remarkable works of art while getting dressed in the morning or relaxing in the evening.

These would make the perfect bed jackets or dressing jackets and I bought the only 3 she had.  Dating to 1900 they each are crisp white cotton with lovely handmade detail.  Of course, you could always just hang them over a door for romantic décor in the bed or bath.

 

Ooh La La!

 

Trying these on I couldn’t help but feel like French royalty!!!

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July!  I was thrilled to have my son and future DIL home from Chicago.  My daughter is home from college for the summer and I’ve been working on sorority crafts with her.  The summer is going by way too fast.

Blessings,

Kim