Follow our restoration journey as we peel back the layers of time & craftsmanship
Built in 1820 this Normandy gem had the good fortune to be redesigned by the designer of The Ritz, Monsieur Georges Farcy for the Bon Marché family in 1910. The chateau has been untouched since the retreating German army removed the heating system in the 1940’s. Eisenhower moved into the chateau when he was appointed supreme commander of Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of north-western Europe.
Restoration Chateau is a classical Parisian design, with 57 rooms, 22 ensuite bedrooms (revolutionary for its time), 8 staterooms and 27 acres. Over the coming months please join us on a journey of discovery as we piece together history and restore this classic building back to its former glory.
It’s amazing to look back at the summer two and a half years ago and the same wonderful grand Salon as it is today…please don’t think we’re anywhere near finished … I can’t tell you how much there is still to do , but it’s wonderful to celebrate these monumental moments , against all odds , of putting this grand dame back together again .
#chateau #château #chateauxfrancais #châteaux #chateauxdefrance #restoration #restorationproject #restorationnation #restorationshop #diy #diyhomedecor #interiordesign #interiordecor #interiør #interiors #interiorinspo #interiors #interiordecorating #interiordecorating #interiorlovers #interiorinspiration #interiorarchitecture #interiorandhome #interior123 #interiordesigns #interiorphotography #beforeandafter #french #frenchcountryhome
Jun 20
It’s amazing to look back at the summer two and a half years ago and the same wonderful grand Salon as it is today…please don’t think we’re anywhere near finished … I can’t tell you how much there is still to do , but it’s wonderful to celebrate these monumental moments , against all odds , of putting this grand dame back together again .
#chateau #château #chateauxfrancais #châteaux #chateauxdefrance #restoration #restorationproject #restorationnation #restorationshop #diy #diyhomedecor #interiordesign #interiordecor #interiør #interiors #interiorinspo #interiors #interiordecorating #interiordecorating #interiorlovers #interiorinspiration #interiorarchitecture #interiorandhome #interior123 #interiordesigns #interiorphotography #beforeandafter #french #frenchcountryhome
Steve and I never talk about the chateau’s location without mentioning the Bayeux Tapestries- arguably the most famous tapestry in the world . Technically it’s embroidery…but just look at the length of it …. Staggering …and even more remarkable that it was made ( probably in England ) in around 1070 !!!
The reason that we’ve not seen it is not because we’re cultural heathens , but because they closed the galley in Bayeux for restoration over 2 years ago … there was talk ( and a great fanfare) that during the gallery’s restoration this might travel to the British Museum for exhibition but now I know how impressively long it is I can see why that presents a huge problem with conservation and I can’t imagine the Pandemic has helped that along .
Anyway - blew my mind when we got it out on the entrance Hall floor and it started heading down the servants corridor! ( thank you Lucinda for such a great present @lumagrawpr ) It’s 50 cm ,20inches wide in real life … and just look at those colours !!!
Amazing to think it was made just 78 years before the Chapel down by the lake here was built … amazing to be living in a landscape this ancient .
#bayeux #bayeuxtapestry #medevial #chateau #château #châteaux #balleroy #restoration #interiordesign #interior-styling #interiør #interiör #interiordecor #interiors #interiorinspiration #interiorinspo #interiordecorating #interior4all #interior123 #interiordetails #interiorwarrior #interiorandhome #interiores #landscapephotography #landscapes #landscapelovers #history #historylovers
Jun 19
Steve and I never talk about the chateau’s location without mentioning the Bayeux Tapestries- arguably the most famous tapestry in the world . Technically it’s embroidery…but just look at the length of it …. Staggering …and even more remarkable that it was made ( probably in England ) in around 1070 !!!
The reason that we’ve not seen it is not because we’re cultural heathens , but because they closed the galley in Bayeux for restoration over 2 years ago … there was talk ( and a great fanfare) that during the gallery’s restoration this might travel to the British Museum for exhibition but now I know how impressively long it is I can see why that presents a huge problem with conservation and I can’t imagine the Pandemic has helped that along .
Anyway - blew my mind when we got it out on the entrance Hall floor and it started heading down the servants corridor! ( thank you Lucinda for such a great present @lumagrawpr ) It’s 50 cm ,20inches wide in real life … and just look at those colours !!!
Amazing to think it was made just 78 years before the Chapel down by the lake here was built … amazing to be living in a landscape this ancient .
#bayeux #bayeuxtapestry #medevial #chateau #château #châteaux #balleroy #restoration #interiordesign #interior-styling #interiør #interiör #interiordecor #interiors #interiorinspiration #interiorinspo #interiordecorating #interior4all #interior123 #interiordetails #interiorwarrior #interiorandhome #interiores #landscapephotography #landscapes #landscapelovers #history #historylovers
Restoring a chateau ? How to keep you’re Stately home sparkling and clean …. A few words of wisdom from His Grace the Duke.lol.
#château #chateaux #interiordesign #interiør #interiors #interiorinspo #interiorinspiration #interiordecorating #interiordecoration #chateauxdefrance #chateauversailles #chateauxdelaloire #chateaulife #chateaux #statelyhome #stately #statelyhomesofengland #funfriday
Jun 18
Restoring a chateau ? How to keep you’re Stately home sparkling and clean …. A few words of wisdom from His Grace the Duke.lol.
#château #chateaux #interiordesign #interiør #interiors #interiorinspo #interiorinspiration #interiordecorating #interiordecoration #chateauxdefrance #chateauversailles #chateauxdelaloire #chateaulife #chateaux #statelyhome #stately #statelyhomesofengland #funfriday
Said in best ‘BBC English ‘…’a new discovery!
We have just finished digging up 14 Balustrades from the park in the continuing hunt for the original back double staircase oval shaped balustrades ( see spaniel scale post !)
No idea why these are in the park … maybe left overs from the restoration and rebuilding work in 1911 but hey , there’re rather beautiful and fabulous so we’re going to use them in the new Italian garden we’re going to be putting in ….a kind of Italian ruin look on the corner section maybe ….
With the 16 lion head fountains set into the living wall at the back it should have a rather wonderful feel to it…. Just wonder what else the park has got hidden in it …if no one took their building materials away as rubbish after a build we’ve got a thousand years of bits and pieces to dig up !lol
Toodel Pip !
#landscape #landscapes #landscapelovers #landscapehunter #landscapephotography #architecture #chateau #château #chateauxdefrance #escapetothecountry #townandcountry #townandcountrymag #countrylife #countrylife #france #france🇫🇷 #escapetothechateau #escapetothechateaudiy #diy #restoration #restorationproject #architecture #architect #architect #bbc #spaniel #spanielsofinstagram
Jun 16
Said in best ‘BBC English ‘…’a new discovery!
We have just finished digging up 14 Balustrades from the park in the continuing hunt for the original back double staircase oval shaped balustrades ( see spaniel scale post !)
No idea why these are in the park … maybe left overs from the restoration and rebuilding work in 1911 but hey , there’re rather beautiful and fabulous so we’re going to use them in the new Italian garden we’re going to be putting in ….a kind of Italian ruin look on the corner section maybe ….
With the 16 lion head fountains set into the living wall at the back it should have a rather wonderful feel to it…. Just wonder what else the park has got hidden in it …if no one took their building materials away as rubbish after a build we’ve got a thousand years of bits and pieces to dig up !lol
Toodel Pip !
#landscape #landscapes #landscapelovers #landscapehunter #landscapephotography #architecture #chateau #château #chateauxdefrance #escapetothecountry #townandcountry #townandcountrymag #countrylife #countrylife #france #france🇫🇷 #escapetothechateau #escapetothechateaudiy #diy #restoration #restorationproject #architecture #architect #architect #bbc #spaniel #spanielsofinstagram
Using spaniel scale we wanted to show you the size of the balustrades we are looking for that belong to the double staircase that was chopped up and buried in the park ( because the foundations of it sucked up so much water having been made wrongly out of limestone it made the kitchens very damp )
In our hunt for these we did come across this weekend a massive and rather beautiful 6 meters diameter floor in the wooded part not far from the chateau … all floored with really early tiles … and edged in brick .
The brick makes us feel it’s about 1830 ’s and the iron work around 1850’s so it could well be a Dog or animal pen ? Or maybe even for peacocks ? It seems though to have an underneath part so more exciting excavation needs to take place … great fun though and love the way the trees have grown through the iron fencing on it !!!!
#chateau #chateauxdefrance #landscapephotography #landscape #landscapes #landscapephoto #landscapegardening #landscapelovers #findingtreasures #garden #oldstones #staircase #park #parc #france #france🇫🇷 #normandy #normandyfrance #balleroy
Jun 14
Using spaniel scale we wanted to show you the size of the balustrades we are looking for that belong to the double staircase that was chopped up and buried in the park ( because the foundations of it sucked up so much water having been made wrongly out of limestone it made the kitchens very damp )
In our hunt for these we did come across this weekend a massive and rather beautiful 6 meters diameter floor in the wooded part not far from the chateau … all floored with really early tiles … and edged in brick .
The brick makes us feel it’s about 1830 ’s and the iron work around 1850’s so it could well be a Dog or animal pen ? Or maybe even for peacocks ? It seems though to have an underneath part so more exciting excavation needs to take place … great fun though and love the way the trees have grown through the iron fencing on it !!!!
#chateau #chateauxdefrance #landscapephotography #landscape #landscapes #landscapephoto #landscapegardening #landscapelovers #findingtreasures #garden #oldstones #staircase #park #parc #france #france🇫🇷 #normandy #normandyfrance #balleroy
So in complete contrast to yesterday’s post we have the top 4th floor here and the servants corridor….the head house keeper who would have been in charge of winding up clocks and the order of the chateau had this bedroom as it’s the only one with a fireplace in . The other servants bedrooms ( 7 on this floor in total) were heated with hot pipes that ran around the top of the bedrooms.
This is also one of the many original bathrooms from 1910, and these bedrooms shared two between them all .
The bedrooms all overlooked the front of the chateau which I have to say on a beautiful summers day is the most staggering view is it not …
#servants #servantsquarters #country #countryhouse #chateaurestoration #château #chateauxdefrance #interiør #interiors #interiors #interiorinspiration #interiör #interiordecorating #interiorinspo #restoration #restorationnation #origional #1910s #1911
#balleroy #home #escapetothecountry #escapetothechateau #escapetothechateaudiy
Jun 13
So in complete contrast to yesterday’s post we have the top 4th floor here and the servants corridor….the head house keeper who would have been in charge of winding up clocks and the order of the chateau had this bedroom as it’s the only one with a fireplace in . The other servants bedrooms ( 7 on this floor in total) were heated with hot pipes that ran around the top of the bedrooms.
This is also one of the many original bathrooms from 1910, and these bedrooms shared two between them all .
The bedrooms all overlooked the front of the chateau which I have to say on a beautiful summers day is the most staggering view is it not …
#servants #servantsquarters #country #countryhouse #chateaurestoration #château #chateauxdefrance #interiør #interiors #interiors #interiorinspiration #interiör #interiordecorating #interiorinspo #restoration #restorationnation #origional #1910s #1911
#balleroy #home #escapetothecountry #escapetothechateau #escapetothechateaudiy
We found in a little antique warehouse in Bayeux the most wonderful Marble , Bronze and Ormolu Mantle clock for Queen Mary’s bedroom this week … ( my mothers room !!!)
The clock comes from a little clockmaker in Paris who was based in the Palais Royal Arcades at number 124 , and was making these beautiful pieces spot on the time our Chateau was being enlarged and recreated for Monsieur Savary’s new bride in 1911 .
I’m almost sure the Savarys would have known the shop S.Devalux as it was a Place where most of Paris society gathered to shop under the cover of these stunning arches and architecture built in 1781 by Victor Louis…it was Parisians answer to the bazaar’s of the eastern world for Luxury goods .
It’s so great that it fits the period of our chateau so well , and the femininity of the bedroom which was in fact Madame Savary’s until she moved out .
It’s wonderful that Queen Mary’s bedroom is starting to come together …and such an honour to have her helping us here at the chateau… it is after all about making this a home.
#paris #mantleclock #collection #interiordesign #interiorstyling #interiordecor #interiors #interiors #interiorinspo #interiorinspo #interiordecorating #interiorinspiration #interiordecoration #interiorlovers #interiorandhome #home #homeinspo #bedroom #bedroomdecor #bedroomdesign #balleroy #chateau #châteaux #restorationnation #bedroomideas
Jun 12
We found in a little antique warehouse in Bayeux the most wonderful Marble , Bronze and Ormolu Mantle clock for Queen Mary’s bedroom this week … ( my mothers room !!!)
The clock comes from a little clockmaker in Paris who was based in the Palais Royal Arcades at number 124 , and was making these beautiful pieces spot on the time our Chateau was being enlarged and recreated for Monsieur Savary’s new bride in 1911 .
I’m almost sure the Savarys would have known the shop S.Devalux as it was a Place where most of Paris society gathered to shop under the cover of these stunning arches and architecture built in 1781 by Victor Louis…it was Parisians answer to the bazaar’s of the eastern world for Luxury goods .
It’s so great that it fits the period of our chateau so well , and the femininity of the bedroom which was in fact Madame Savary’s until she moved out .
It’s wonderful that Queen Mary’s bedroom is starting to come together …and such an honour to have her helping us here at the chateau… it is after all about making this a home.
#paris #mantleclock #collection #interiordesign #interiorstyling #interiordecor #interiors #interiors #interiorinspo #interiorinspo #interiordecorating #interiorinspiration #interiordecoration #interiorlovers #interiorandhome #home #homeinspo #bedroom #bedroomdecor #bedroomdesign #balleroy #chateau #châteaux #restorationnation #bedroomideas
Every castle has its entrance … ours just happened to be so overgrown we had no idea what it really was and covered in barbed wire …looking back to 2 and a half years ago it make us shudder… but now they are scrubbed , jet washed and lightly bleached - you can see they are solid white marble…. Wow wee !!!
We’ve also added the door bell in , a perfect antique one we found from 1910 and Steve found in the rubble of excavation on the front a mahogany diameter base ( presumably from the original one that fits exactly- seriously what are the chances of that!!!! - the gods of the chateau are smiling on us )
We just need to polish that up , meanwhile all the front steps have been repointed with lime render so are looking sharp as the day they were installed.
It’s so amazing to look back ( a tad scary too !) but what a journey we’ve already had - magical isn’t it .
#staircase #stairs #entrance #entrancedesign #entrancedecor #doorbell #chateau #restoration #restorationproject #restorationnation #chateauxdefrance #château #diy #diyhomedecor #diyprojects #diyproject #balleroy
Jun 11
Every castle has its entrance … ours just happened to be so overgrown we had no idea what it really was and covered in barbed wire …looking back to 2 and a half years ago it make us shudder… but now they are scrubbed , jet washed and lightly bleached - you can see they are solid white marble…. Wow wee !!!
We’ve also added the door bell in , a perfect antique one we found from 1910 and Steve found in the rubble of excavation on the front a mahogany diameter base ( presumably from the original one that fits exactly- seriously what are the chances of that!!!! - the gods of the chateau are smiling on us )
We just need to polish that up , meanwhile all the front steps have been repointed with lime render so are looking sharp as the day they were installed.
It’s so amazing to look back ( a tad scary too !) but what a journey we’ve already had - magical isn’t it .
#staircase #stairs #entrance #entrancedesign #entrancedecor #doorbell #chateau #restoration #restorationproject #restorationnation #chateauxdefrance #château #diy #diyhomedecor #diyprojects #diyproject #balleroy
It’s so great to see everything exploding with colour in the park - the divine Beech tree has just had its lockdown haircut ( it had really got staggeringly bushy from the roots - why do trees do that ??? ) and this yellow flower is from the two massive Tulip trees we have in the park ( I had never seen one before we bought here but Steve knew these well from planting one in Australia)
The Smaller Tulip tree at the front of the chateau was actually planted by Eisenhower, and had a plaque on it ( which was stolen a long time ago apparently...) then the tree was struck by lightning about 40 years ago ! It’s had a hard life but it’s still growing!!!
#tuliptree #beechtree #park #chateau #château #chateauxdefrance
#landscape #landscaping #landscapedesign #landscapegardening #flowers #flowersofinstagram #flowersmakemehappy #flowersofinstagram
Jun 9
It’s so great to see everything exploding with colour in the park - the divine Beech tree has just had its lockdown haircut ( it had really got staggeringly bushy from the roots - why do trees do that ??? ) and this yellow flower is from the two massive Tulip trees we have in the park ( I had never seen one before we bought here but Steve knew these well from planting one in Australia)
The Smaller Tulip tree at the front of the chateau was actually planted by Eisenhower, and had a plaque on it ( which was stolen a long time ago apparently...) then the tree was struck by lightning about 40 years ago ! It’s had a hard life but it’s still growing!!!
#tuliptree #beechtree #park #chateau #château #chateauxdefrance
#landscape #landscaping #landscapedesign #landscapegardening #flowers #flowersofinstagram #flowersmakemehappy #flowersofinstagram
