I have always dreamed of finding an old run-down house or in this case, an abandoned stable and turning it into a manor home?
This week on our Instagram feed, we are traveling to Normandy, a trip we did last year with @Sharonsantoni of My French Country Home. While there, I spied this abandoned relic — an old stable block.
Rather than just showing a pretty picture of which I have 100’s, I thought this could be what we imagine might happen if we/any of us owned this pile of plaster and brick.
First, a little bit of information about Normandy. It is the wild and stunning countryside region of northern France.
An iconic region of France, located in the northeast corner of the country it shares a border with Belgium and the lowlands. From its windswept beaches and bustling small ports to the countryside where apples and calvados reign supreme. While most people think of the grand monuments like Mont St. Micheal, there is so much to see in this region; it will usually take you more than one trip to get a feel for the area.
One year I took a trip to Dinard, with a group of my best friend girlfriends where we toured the coast and the iconic walled city.
However, last year, my husband and I delved deeper into the countryside. And there I fell in love with this abandoned stable — part of an equally abandoned manor house. Deep in the Normandy countryside yet just an hour or so from Paris we found this abandoned stables and manor house.
Imagine what state the inside must be in with old wallpaper falling off the walls, abandoned furniture, and old peeling plaster.
It would be covered in ivy, which turns a vivid red in the fall.
The kitchen garden was overgrown when we arrived. But careful pruning of the orchards and vines started us on a path to sustainable food for the manor.
The interiors would be filled with texture but more minimalist — no clutter. Inside, you would need at least one maybe more large fieldstone fireplaces for the library, sitting room, and bedroom.
Photo’s @carmargueofficial and moi.
Normandy is full of fabulous brocante’s and fairs, so you would have a fantastic time finding both major antiques and other not to precious pieces to paint and restore.
A veritable flock of trumeau mirrors would be necessary for almost every room in the house, as well as exotic lighting fixtures.
A lot of work, you bet it would be. During most days, you would don your blue jeans and repair the crumbling plaster, paint furniture, and do specialty finishes on walls. Oh, how much fun it would be.
But like any project big or small we undertake, in the end, it’s the sense of accomplishment and the pleasure we have at creating something unique.
Once finished, you would have a cozy place to spend the harsh Atlantic winters. With the hunting dog at your feet carving models or doing needlepoint. A glass of red wine to add comfort on a dark stormy night.
You could pretend you’re the lady in red, dreaming of a lover out to sea, or on his way back from Paris. And during the day, you could don your blue jeans and repair the crumbling plaster, paint furniture, and do specialty finishes on walls. Oh, how much fun it would be.