A few years ago, one of my favorite photographers; Mark Lohman, an excellent and well-known interior and exterior photographer
(whom I have known for many years!) called me about a new magazine!
“French Country”!
Fifi O’Neill, the editor ,has written books, and has two other magazines, “Romantic Prairie Style” and” Romantic Country”
Her books are “Romantic Prarie Style” and “Romantic Prarie Cookbook”
She has been searching for real “country” (not fancy, not formal; but rustic and authentic) French houses in the United States!
My blogger friend Contessa sent her my blog on Renee; and she had Mark come take “scouting shots” of both houses!!
Lucky me! He took some wonderful shots of things that have not been photographed before!
I hope you enjoy them!
Here are some new angles of everyone’s favorite room! Remember, the heat is in the floor out here (and all through the house)
and we live out here all year long! Even in the rain; I don’t have to move the books!
My Corgi-mix rescue “Pete ” likes this ottoman!
By the way, the paintings on the right are of the identical room in our old house in Pasadena!
This ivy on the ceiling is my favorite, the panel was a shade on an Italian verandah we found in Florence; and the Italian stove
is another favorite!
Here are our ducklings getting bigger and enjoying their repaired house!
The main terrace with the previous room behind the umbrella! The deer is wrought iron!
A pretty plaque on the chimney; and an unusual way to hide those ugly metal things at the top of chimneys!
The Spring slipcovers and pillows!
My collection of Quimper salt and peppers on the mantle; and showing how the “convent table” works! The nuns would work
at the table all day; then take their dishes out, have a meal, and return them! Very practical!
The teeny Portugese chair on the table I bought at a museum in Portugal! I found the identical chairs at an antique shop here in Montecito!
My mother’s first Vertes painting! (Once, on a tour, a man insisted to his wife that it was a painting of “Mrs. Bianchi”!
“Can you imagine having a nude portraitof yourself in your living room?”
(It was painted before I was born!)
These lovely chickens were a gift from Oprah when there was a tabloid story quoting Oprah complaining about our chickens!
The card said: “Contrary to tabloid opinion; I absolutely adore your chickens!”
This panel in the kitchen was one of a pair I found for a client who only needed one!
The soup tureen on the bottom shelf has chicks poking through her feathers
The cat jumps on this antique stool to reach her food on the island!
Radisha makes us an “initial painting” for our birthdays! These are Adam’s by his sink.
This is my “pride and joy” Vertes screen which was owned by Gypsy Rose Lee! and my sink on the other side of the bathroom!
More Vertes lithographs mostly from the “Cirque” series!
These bookcases house my millions of decorating books!
The checked ottoman is a pop-up TV!!!
two antique valances and a favorite Vertes silk screen of his dog; an Airdale!
