Your CartYou know how much I love F A L L. While the weather outside here in California is still “frightful” {no, it’s not Christmas yet!} – it’s hot, hot and hot, but inside FrenchGardenHouse I am joyfully painting a beautiful autumn picture with a palette of fall colors.
Flowers and branches with leaves in fall colors always inspire me!
Mix autumn toned flowers in with our latest shipment of French, English and American antiques – and I am in heaven.
I love fall!
When the antiques I find for the shop {and, I’ll be honest, for h o m e } have those glorious fall colors too, I am in my element. This antique ash bucket from a hotel has the most amazing color of mustard ochre paint, and most of the painted on room number 8 in black and gold, too.
From a time when each room in a luxury hotel had it’s own fireplace.
“Please send the maid to pick up my ashes in room eight!”
19th century ironstone, with those beautiful chocolate brown floral decorations are always on the top of my list when I look for things to fill the shop with for autumn.
They are appealing all by themselves to display, but I’m already dreaming of setting fall tables for dinner parties with them too!
In the autumn it’s so easy to bring a touch of nature everywhere.
I hung one of the European vintage zinc buckets on our French coatrack in the kitchen, and added a clutch of real and “faux” berries and rosehips.
Hand made in Europe, these zinc hanging buckets or planters are so charming. Each was “re-imagined” from the old zinc trash containers that once lined the streets of France, Holland and Belgium. I love that!
When we moved from Europe back to the States, I took two of our old zinc trash cans with me, one holds bird seed, and the other holds my painting masks etc. out in the back garden. That someone thought of a “new” product to create with these old, small zinc buckets thrills me no end.
This particular one still shows the number “14” on the front from the original can. { I’m putting these up on the shop site as quickly as I can. }
There is still much zinc love around here!
The large zinc pitchers are one of my very favorite vases for the bouquets I love so much. They aren’t fussy, and bring an instant “in the country” feeling to every room.
How cute are these, below? I bought all the ones I could.
From a goat farm in France, these petit metal cheese strainers were once used to make delicious goat cheese.
Now? They have wear, patina and a little rust here and there, and are ready to make your French Country table or book shelf ooze Provencal charm. I’m using these for fall tables with little pumpkin votives, or lining them up with a crisp autumn apple in each one.
Nothing says “French Country” more than a captivating Chicken! Okay, she’s a hen – no matter – this late 19th century French Bisque Hen on a basket weave nest has all the country charm and personality you could wish for, doesn’t she?
Originally used in the late 1800’s to serve eggs at the table, I think she’s just as happy sitting on your hutch in your dining room not doing much of anything except looking alluring.
I have unpacked so many exciting treasures from our buying trips that I don’t know where to begin! Each of them is my “favorite” – call me crazy but I fall in love with each piece all over again when I lift it out of its wrapping.
The bread boards are so difficult to find – when I do find some, it’s all that I can do to keep from jumping up and down {not a good thing when shopping with dealers – this cues them in that I really, really LOVE something they have for sale! Meaning my bargaining power goes down quite a bit.}
I envision families gathered around the table, cutting slices off of a fresh-from-the-oven bread, slathering them in butter, and a dollop of autumn peach or pumpkin butter. Because that is what this season is about, isn’t it? Gathering people you love, and enjoying their company.
It’s what motivates my every purchase of a decorative antique for you.
This week I am working hard behind the scenes to add as many of the French antiques that have arrived at FrenchGardenHouse to our shop site.
And eagerly awaiting the last few shipments of products for our Fall Collection launching soon.
WISHING YOU BEAUTIFUL AUGUST DAYS OUT THERE… see you soon!
à bientôt
Dear Lidy, Adore the flower arrangements especially the one in the bucket but also the zinc pitcher.I really like the colors you’ve used for the flower arrangements despite the fact I’am usually an all white kind of girl.
You have an amazing eye for wonderful and gorgeous items.
Thank you Anja. It’s funny, because I’m really a white kind of flower girl too. 🙂 But I’m pushing the envelope with the autumn colors…Hope you are having a beautiful week!
Lidy, your floral arrangements are breathtaking! I am excited about the approaching fall season! It is one of my favorites. I am swooning over the French Country hen! I hope that you have a wonderful week!!!
Thank you so much, Shannon. I just visited your biog, your kitchen is so beautiful. I hope you have a wonderful week, too.
Lidy, this is a beautiful introduction to fall. Love all your new pieces. The floral arrangement is a WOW!
Thank you so much, Dianne! I am super excited about fall coming!
Oh my goodness Lidy! I want everything! And here I am trying to downsize. But doesn’t that mean I can replace some things? I must have a breadboard but which one?
Alice, these old things just call to our heart, don’t they?
I love old things with a history. Have a handled container that my mother-in-law used to scoop the water out of the copper on wash day. Also have an old wooden tip truck that had been in a child’s sand pit for years and had lost most of the paint. It is still in that condition but takes pride of place in my living room. Oh and the old china meat serving dish that is cracked and stained – I think of all the Sunday roasts served from it!!
Nancy,
I love that so much! The old, old pieces have such a personality and history, don’t they? So happy to hear that you are enjoying the
antiques, both found and inherited at your home.
xo
As with every seasonal collection, this Fall collection is so amazing….Oh that ash bucket would definitely be a fav of my hubby as he has always worn the number 8 …
Shirley, how fun, I didn’t know that Tommy had a love for the number “8”! That ash bucket was such a special piece, the color of the original paint was such a pretty autumnal shade!
I have totally fallen in love with the ash bucket and the little goat cheese strainers! You really have such a great talent for finding creative ways to use your antique finds! I love the old and rusted, you made me think of a few things I actually have that would be pretty cute with a flower arrangement or some fall fruit.
Thank you, my friend. I hope your temps cool down soon. We are finally getting some rain tomorrow!
Jane x
Jane, I’m so happy you are thinking of using some of your pieces to use for fall fruit or flowers! Let the Fall begin!! xo