THE PROVENCE SUMMER GARDEN COLLECTION

May 16, 2018 5 min read 9 Comments

THE PROVENCE SUMMER GARDEN COLLECTION
There is something magical about summer. Long nights spent outside with friends, talking until deep into the night. Or mornings spent watching the sunlight stream through the windows, lingering over a cup of coffee in your pj's. Summer is the time of year when we throw windows open wide. Lighten up our home decor. And dream of turning our home into that quintessential summer cottage at the end of a lane in a village in Provence, shaded by olive trees.

Shop the entire Provence Summer Garden Collection >

This is what inspired the French Provence Summer Garden Collection. I wanted to bring just a touch of France and summer to our homes, yours, and mine - because it doesn't take much to transform our home into a summer haven. The PROVENCE SUMMER GARDEN COLLECTION has decorative accents that will make sure your home provides a beautiful backdrop for your summer celebrations and every days too. And a few treats for yourself {me too!} such as the large, wonderful linen bags I found. Perfect for summer days! I fell in love with these French quilted pillow covers, meant to resemble the antique French boutis, whole-cloth quilts that I adore. Made and purchased in France, these are not antique, but they are faded here and there to resemble the antique quilts of France, they make the perfect pillow cover for anywhere in your French Country style home. They are solid red on the back, and have tie closure for ease. They are just as happy on your bed, or outside on an antique French daybed. In the kitchen, you know I love to add new linens whenever the seasons change. The bee linens, hand towels, napkins and aprons have been restocked, last time they sold out almost immediately. There is something so charming about those happy black and yellow bees all over this pattern. The background is a soft grey. They are perfect for outside, we're planning on eating at least one meal a day outside this summer, maybe more if possible! Aren't the napkins so cute? One of the things I get the most requests for in our FrenchGardenHouse "collections" is a great, all-purpose bag. Each year I try my very best to source beautiful, strong bags for FrenchGardenHouse. These hand woven linen bags are my new favorites! I can't decide if I love the stripes best. Or the natural. Or then there is the gorgeous indigo washed blue. Each one has super sturdy leather handles, inside cotton lining with a zipper pocket for keys and phones, and our signature golden bee. There is a huge striped travel bag still coming, and a few large canvas totes too. These are so handy, I take mine everywhere, farmer's markets for fruit and vegetable shopping, to the beach, in the car with a sweater and a book. You will love this bag as much as I do! Our FrenchGardenHouse Les Belles Fleurs Atelier has been restocked for summer. I know we all love fresh flowers and plants, but there are always a few areas at home where that just isn't practical. I know I have a few corners and book shelves, for instance, where everything "live" just dies. Our luxury designer "faux" arrangements and plants are an excellent solution for these areas of your summer home! I choose these small white Moth Orchids for antique French Orchid Pots, the wear and patina adds to the illusion that the orchid is one you have tended and nurtured with great care. Our summer collection has the fresh ocean blues and whites of the summer coast in France. There are plants and limited edition or one-of-a-kind arrangements, made here in our own atelier. There is something for all of you to bring happy to your summer home! Potted single bloom White Hydrangeas always look like summer. One makes a beautiful and intriguing statement on the mantel in our guest room. The metal pot has an aged zinc color, and our signature golden French Bee on the front. Scent plays a huge part when I think about summers in Provence. Lavender fields, their brilliant blue flowers waving in the wind, spread an intoxicating scent to villages in the whole area. I love scenting our closets with lavender, and these hand made Lavender Sachets are an absolutely wonderful way to bring the smell of Provence home. Made with antique hand woven linen, then hand embroidered with cross stitched details. You can hang them from the key or handle of an antique French armoire, or just lay them between your folded treasured linens in your closet. These make a very thoughtful and welcome host or hostess gift. And YES! I was able to restock your favorite FrenchGardenHouse Luxury Candle - this Lavande candle smells heavenly! It's something that I can't live without, especially on summer nights. Our individual soap leaves in the shape of white rose petals are always a huge favorite. For many of you, they have become your "go to" gift of the season. Inspired by the stunning white roses of France, each Petal smells divine, like French Roses with just a hint of Gardenia. For this collection, I've layered them in the bee apothecary jar and added a gift tag and signature black & white Bardot checked ribbon. Outside, our garden is blooming so well, thanks in no small part to the rain that we have had this year. After years of drought, my roses, lavenders and hydrangeas are doing a happy dance out there! I bought this hand woven bee skep for our own garden, and then thought you might enjoy it too. You can put it on a bench, like I did, or hang it from a tree with the rope loop at the top. Modeled after hand woven skeps made in the 1800's, this is a soft sided skep, meant for decorative purposes only. It does make your garden look and feel like a cottage garden in the French country side. There are some other surprises waiting for you in the Summer Collection. And more are still arriving! Thank you for loving each collection, I have so much fun putting together the gift and home decor collections of "new" for all of us. The antiques we love best are delighted to mix in with some quality "new" pieces for summer. Here at home, it's all about that mix, is it like that in your home too? Today, treat yourself with something you'll savor all summer long, any one of the beautiful home decor accents or gifts will be just perfect for you!

Shop the entire Provence Summer Garden Collection >

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9 Responses

Lidy
Lidy

May 17, 2018

You are right, Kristy, the tote IS perfect to carry Lots of books! {thought like the best-selling author that you are!!}

Design Chic
Design Chic

May 17, 2018

So much to love, Lidy! The bee accessories are so fun – thinking the tote would be perfect for carrying lots of books! Happy Thursday, my friend!

Lidy
Lidy

May 17, 2018

Jean, the soap leaves smell so heavenly, like a summer morning when the roses and gardenias are in bloom! Hope you are having a wonderful week too!

Jean Van
Jean Van

May 17, 2018

Hi, Lidy,
Love all the photo’s and towels are darling , I love sweet ones like that and great idea with the rose soaps in the jar and for a gift or just for me in my bathroom or even in the kitchen, yes everything is blooming now and so pretty. Have a wonderful week~~~~~~~~Jean~~~

Lidy
Lidy

May 16, 2018

The individual stems of the hydrangeas are so nice, they are perfectly “fool the eye” flowers. And because they’re waterproof (the stems are meant to be in water) they really add to that “just picked” illusion. Happy (almost) Summer, Shirley!

Shirley@Housepitality Designs
Shirley@Housepitality Designs

May 16, 2018

So many gorgeous things Lidy!….the faux flower collection from the individual stems to the potted flowers are exquisite!…oh and of course those bees!…What a wonderful collection of items to get a great start to your summer decor!

Mary Emanuelson
Mary Emanuelson

May 16, 2018

Once again, I love everything! I just ordered two of the garden mugs as a birthday present for a friend in August. They are gorgeous (and I hope I will not be too tempted to gift myself and pick up something else!).

Lidy
Lidy

May 16, 2018

Thank you so much! I love bees, and I love your story about the bee symbol for Laguiole…that makes sense! {great knives!} Hope you are having a beautiful May over there, friend. xo

Taste of France
Taste of France

May 16, 2018

I love the way you have bees showing up in these photos! Bees long were a royal symbol in France, and then they became associated with Napoleon when he declared himself emperor. Supposedly Napoleon rewarded the bravery of the village of Laguiole by letting it put a bee symbol on its famous knives.
These days, the air is positively humming with bees—we have lots of acacias, which are blooming and which are prized for honey.

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