Victoria French Cottage 2022

Dear Friends Even the light seems more lovely and romantic in French Cottage. Rather than beaming brilliantly, sunshine softly streams into the interiors showcased in this edition, highlighting, with the tenderness of the lightest caress, details such as rough-hewn beams, stone walls, and painted shutters. Awash in a gentle glow, these welcoming abodes issue an invitation to soak in every grace note, from cascades of fabric fashioned into a canopy to charming alcoves adorned with brocante finds. Within this special publication, a varietyof dwellings bid exploration. In the cover story “A Retreat for Two,” on page 9, escape to a quiet village in the countryside of France to find respite in the tower of a fourteenth-century priory. Open “A Window to the Past” on page 75 to see how a designer’s vision…

It is an oft-repeated story: A sojourn to the idyllic countryside of France entices visitors to relocate to this thoroughly enchanting area. Such was the case for Paula Dormer. After visiting a cousin who lives in the Dordogne, she began looking for her own piece of paradise where she could enjoy the charms of rural life. After an initial sale fell through, another property, located a few hours away, caught her eye, but its high price tag gave her pause. Fortunately, the cost was soon reduced, and she quickly made the purchase. It is easy to see why Paula was so taken with her new acquisition. The old stone priory, situated in the quiet village of Pressigny, includes an enchanting fourteenth-century tower, perfect for the hospitality business she planned to start.…

Positioned among the vernal surrounds of France’s wine province, Château de Vaulx is banked with lush vegetable gardens and stunning panoramic views. Its stately Burgundy stone façade preserves the nineteenth-century castle’s traditional grandeur, but a glance within reveals a colorful renovation bringing new life and luxury to center stage. The foundations of the residence date back to the Middle Ages, but under the château’s most famous owner, French diplomat to Spain Léon Geoffray, east and west wings were added to the existing frame. The current proprietor restored the interior to function as a chic bed-and-breakfast that maintains its polished and regal appeal. “I thought of my decoration as theater décor,” he says, “I tried to create a positive and vibrant atmosphere while respecting the architecture of the building.” After necessary repairs to…

Author and illustrator Ludwig Bemelmans’s story of a girls’ boarding school, situated in an old vine-covered house in Paris, was published in 1939, and it has been capturing imaginations ever since. The book featured “twelve little girls in two straight lines,” and the smallest, of course, was Madeline—an endearingly dauntless redhead whose exploits in the initial volume, and the sequels that followed, amused readers both young and old. When the time came to transform her young daughter’s room from nursery to “big girl” quarters, one parent relied on her interior design skills and mother’s intuition to create the perfect space for her own fearless fille (girl). Since the owner’s decorating preferences lean decidedly French anyway, choosing furnishings that imbue the petite boudoir with Gallic style was both an enjoyable task and…

A sense of tranquility envelops guests who enter the shaded tree-lined path that leads to La Ferme de Gringalet, hinting at the peaceful experience that awaits within the gated property. This quaint bed-and-breakfast, located just outside the city of Lyon, is the result of two talented entrepreneurs, Sandra and Michaël. After realizing they needed a bigger living space with room for their home offices, the couple discovered a French Revolution–era estate just minutes from their current residence. “I walked past its stone walls hundreds of times since I was a child, never thinking that one day this would become our home,” says Sandra. Choosing from multiple buildings on the farm, the duo renovated the largest structure to function as their permanent residence. To their relief, the layout was ideal for their needs…

“SANDING THE WALLS REVEALED THE SHADES I HAD CHOSEN WERE ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THE ORIGINALS.”—Yvonne Tenninge When interior designer Yvonne Tenninge first visited France on holiday at the age of twelve, she knew she wanted to live in this heritage-steeped country one day. Her dream became reality a half-dozen years ago when she traded her design business in Sweden for an idyllic bed-and-breakfast in Neffiès, a small, multicultural town near the Mediterranean Sea. Yvonne and her husband, Mikael Sköldmark, knew the area well, as they had often visited the Languedoc region with their three children. They came across a circa 1854 stone-and-plaster house, complete with faded shutters, traditional details, and a gorgeous view to vineyards, olive groves, rolling hills, and the Pyrenees in the far distance. The only issue? The property was…