Provence

New tv show! “The Real Houses of….”

October 19, 2015 By // by Penelope Bianchi 7 Comments

Our house is featured in an episode of “The Real Houses of…..” on the W network in Canada!

The series of shows were filmed this last Spring; and were shown this fall season. We were in the episode “Southwest USA”; and we thought they did a nice job of showing our house!

They were lovely to work with; and it is fun to see what their perspective was ! The other houses in the episode were completely different!

It is always an experience to see yourself on television!

If you want to see the whole episode; here is the link to download and watch: http://we.tl/rXzhWdviVH

I hope you enjoy!!!

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La Colombe d’Or in Saint Paul De Vence : an iconic hotel in Provence

May 23, 2013 By // by Penelope Bianchi 16 Comments

In 1982 my husband and I went on our first trip to Provence together. My favorite hotel I had ever seen was the
“Hotel de La Colombe d’Or.”

(I almost fainted!!!)

It is perched at the top of the most beautiful mountain village of St. Paul de Vence.

Here are some pictures we took at that time.

It is such a unique and unusual place; and it is still, 31 years later, is virtually unchanged.

Actually, it is almost unchanged from the 1920’s.

It exemplifies all of the things we love about Provence.

In two words, simple elegance.

The village is of native stone, built over centuries.

(Adam in the pool on the left!)

The simple chaises could not be improved upon(in my opinion). The light wood and canvas covers blend beautifully with the ancient stone walls.

The umbrellas and chairs and tables of the cafe are simple and elegant.

Nothing “sticking out” and calling attention to itself!

This is now an “endangered species” !!

“Understated elegance” An endangered species!

(Horrific plastic outside “wicker” furniture; orange umbrellas, hideous overdone wrought iron or aluminum furniture!!!)

EEEWWWWW!!

I will stop my rant……and resume pictures of what I LOVE!!

and interesting to me…….I always have!

31 years is a long time!!

The terra cotta pots and olive jars are made from the local soil.

Natural linen cloths and napkins are undyed! The tablecloth and napkins are natural linen.

We both felt completely relaxed and at one with the environment.

We are not unusual. That is why, I believe major artists congregated here! MAJOR ARTISTS!!!

I actually saw doves flying in and out of the dovecote on the top of the next door building.

These lights are ingenious! They were made out of olive oil strainers. (these dark brown wicker ones!)

The oil was poured through these to “filter out” pieces of olives, to fill up the olive jars with the “filtered olive oil”.

Here I am! 31 years ago!

Here he is! 31 years ago! (the handsome devil)!!

So so happy to be discovering this place that felt so familiar…..that we wanted to

reproduce in some way! Authentically!

(I asked all these questions about pigments……stucco,; lime wash)…..etc. etc.!

This one did not have its bulb attached; but most did.

My very favorite light fixture for down lights in trees……..I saw here! Here it is! (by the way…..there were no “digital” cameras.)

No faxes, no email. I just found these pictures!

Thank God for “scanning” and all the rest of it!

I really loved these gourd lights hanging from the trees. So beautiful at night! Such a “natural” look for hanging

light fixtures….they are camouflaged into the tree!

these remain my favorite “down lights” in trees! EVER!!

Here I am in 1982!!

I thought I could have some made!

Well, I never did; but when the new owner of the San Ysidro Ranch took his architect, Marc

Appleton to the Columbe d’Or for lunch and showed him the terrace, Marc

found someone in Santa Barbara to make them!

Now I order them for my clients!

(and any of you who want them)!

These are the most beautifully camouflaged down-lights to hang

in trees I have ever seen!

How amazing are these??

(because of the perspective……this looks like it is HUGE!!)

YIKES!!!!

It is 12 inches high…..(at most)! It is so lovely…..and when it is hanging in a tree…..it looks like part of the tree!

I love the close-up of the “patina”!!

they look….just like the ones I photographed 31 years ago!

They are now hanging from the trees at my favorite restaurant……and from trees of my clients!

and at our house!

I meant this post to be

A lovely story of a timeless place!

This is the trip that inspired us to build a house in the “Provencal” style; because the stone, the climate, and the terrain

in Montecito reminds us of Provence; and our first trip there!

We came to Montecito first , together, on our honeymoon! Yikes! 1978!

We decided we wanted to live here! It took 20 years……but we got here 16 years ago with a “vacant lot”!!

This was our inspiration! This town, this terrace, and this Inn and Cafe!!! We went back! This was the “beginning”!

Isn’t life fascinating???

Here is a good article to read about the history of La Colombe d’Or!! It is a fascinating place!

I hope this will inspire you !

Penelope

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Spring is Springing in Santa Barbara!

April 15, 2012 By // by Penelope Bianchi 28 Comments

I posted the very beginning of Spring a while ago. Some people say we have no “seasons” in Southern California!”

Yes we do!! Spring is in full swing!!

DO WE HAVE SPRING???

YES!!!!!

We have a handsome new deer trophy! (wrought iron) in a proud position!

The house is fully cloaked with ivy! (People ask me why I bothered to pick a color of the plaster!)

You can see the plaster in the winter; all the leaves turn colors and fall off!

I found a wonderful “dovecote” from the estate of the wonderful artist, Jack Baker! I’m hoping doves will make nests!

The arbors are covered with different roses!

This giant azalea is as old as I am! There are pictures of me as a child next to it! It is in a big pot!

These roses all came from the wonderful place “Rose Story Farm” in Carpinteria! They only have old roses; and roses that have fragrance!!

(I learned there that you have to leave your nose smelling for a full ten seconds to get the fragrance!)

This is the stupendous (I think!) view from the window by my husband’s desk in his office!!

“The maternity ward” has a hen with five chicks!

They are so fast!

Can you see the wisteria in the tree?

Our grandchildren’s clay art works are displayed on this table! It’s their “Art Gallery”!

This is the “olive allee” with its focal point of an Anduze pot we bought in Provence!

and our lovely “faux bois” bench from my friend Janice who owns “Janus et Cie”!

Our proud “trophy “!

at night….I learned from Tara Dillard!! Pretty to see in the windows!!!

Another angle!

The roosters are so happy to have their tails back!

I love the damp and mossy stuff on the pots! and the other rooster! (I AM SO SO lucky to inherit pots !!)

Tara says to buy pots and garden accessories that people will “fight over, at your estate sale!”

A happy rooster!

We really do have Spring , Summer and fall in Santa Barbara!

The only thing we really don’t have is “Winter”! I must admit!

I almost forgot! Here are the “Spring slipcovers” They go on the first day of Spring!!!

A lovely little bird took a tuft of our cat’s fur (I put it on the bushes when I brush her) and flew off to put it in her nest!

I’ll do another post about the garden when it’s Summer!

And we have a mallard sitting on at least 8 eggs in the floating duck house! I will show you right away when they hatch!!!

HAPPY SPRING!!!!

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