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.
First of all a MASSIVE thank you to everyone who’s been following our restoration journey as we have now nipped over the 3,000 follows mark ! 🙏❤️❤️❤️ We also wanted to share with you something we brought in the summer - an amazing slate hand carved memorial plaque to dogs .
The words are so beautiful that we thought it would be amazing to create a sculpture focus with this on in our park :
WHEN SOME PROUD SON OF MAN RETURNS TO EARTH.
UNKNOWN TO GLORY- BUT UPHELD BY BIRTH.
THE SCULPTORS ART EXHAUSTS THE POMP OF WOE,
AND STORIED URNS RECORD WHO RESTS BELOW.
WHEN ALL IS DONE ,UPON THE TOMB IS SEEN,
NOT WHAT HE WAS , BUT WHAT HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN.
BUT THE POOR DOG, IN LIFE THE FIRMEST FRIEND, THE FIRST TO WELCOME, FOREMOST TO DEFEND.
WHOSE HONEST HEART IS STILL HIS MASTERS OWN.
WHO LABOURS FLIGHTS,LIVES , BREATHES FOR HIM ALONE .
UNHONOURED FALLS UNNOTICED ALL HIS WORTH.
DENIED IN HEAVEN THE SOUL HE HELD ON EARTH.
YE! WHO PERCHANCE BEHOLD THIS SIMPLE URN , PASS ON - IT HONOURS NONE YOU WISH TO MOURN.
TO MARK A FRIENDS REMAINS THESE STONES ARISE .
I NEVER KNEW BUT ONE AND HERE HE LIES .
#restorationchateau #châteaux #chateaulin #doglovers #dog #dogstagram #dogoftheday #chateaux #château #restorationchateau #france🇫🇷
Sep 26
First of all a MASSIVE thank you to everyone who’s been following our restoration journey as we have now nipped over the 3,000 follows mark ! 🙏❤️❤️❤️ We also wanted to share with you something we brought in the summer - an amazing slate hand carved memorial plaque to dogs .
The words are so beautiful that we thought it would be amazing to create a sculpture focus with this on in our park :
WHEN SOME PROUD SON OF MAN RETURNS TO EARTH.
UNKNOWN TO GLORY- BUT UPHELD BY BIRTH.
THE SCULPTORS ART EXHAUSTS THE POMP OF WOE,
AND STORIED URNS RECORD WHO RESTS BELOW.
WHEN ALL IS DONE ,UPON THE TOMB IS SEEN,
NOT WHAT HE WAS , BUT WHAT HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN.
BUT THE POOR DOG, IN LIFE THE FIRMEST FRIEND, THE FIRST TO WELCOME, FOREMOST TO DEFEND.
WHOSE HONEST HEART IS STILL HIS MASTERS OWN.
WHO LABOURS FLIGHTS,LIVES , BREATHES FOR HIM ALONE .
UNHONOURED FALLS UNNOTICED ALL HIS WORTH.
DENIED IN HEAVEN THE SOUL HE HELD ON EARTH.
YE! WHO PERCHANCE BEHOLD THIS SIMPLE URN , PASS ON - IT HONOURS NONE YOU WISH TO MOURN.
TO MARK A FRIENDS REMAINS THESE STONES ARISE .
I NEVER KNEW BUT ONE AND HERE HE LIES .
#restorationchateau #châteaux #chateaulin #doglovers #dog #dogstagram #dogoftheday #chateaux #château #restorationchateau #france🇫🇷
One of the reasons we fell in love with our chateau was the staggering array of extraordinary plasterwork design that was untouched inside .
From summer boaters and baskets of flowers to scrolling acanthus leaves and oval medallions the work is magnificent and cost a fortune back at the turn of the century when it was all made and installed . It’s wonderful also to have all the detailed accounts and Devi’s from the many Parisian company’s that made all this work .
#chateauelan #château #plasterart #plaster #restoration #restorationchateau #restorationproject #escapetothechateau #escapetothechateaudiy #diyhomedecor #plastermold
Sep 25
One of the reasons we fell in love with our chateau was the staggering array of extraordinary plasterwork design that was untouched inside .
From summer boaters and baskets of flowers to scrolling acanthus leaves and oval medallions the work is magnificent and cost a fortune back at the turn of the century when it was all made and installed . It’s wonderful also to have all the detailed accounts and Devi’s from the many Parisian company’s that made all this work .
#chateauelan #château #plasterart #plaster #restoration #restorationchateau #restorationproject #escapetothechateau #escapetothechateaudiy #diyhomedecor #plastermold
When we first discovered our chateau not only was she sleeping soundly but there was a camper van that had rusted away to nothing leaning against her ! The top mansard windows broken and just surrounded by grass ...the picture with the scaffolding up is where we are now, new roof done , all the top windows refurbished and new glass in - the middle pediment repaired , the capitals up and gilded ,exterior walls repaired .
We haven’t worked on the middle balcony as we are going to take that down next year and rebuild it with the original double staircase it used to have in 1911.( black and white picture and technical elevation )
We have found a couple of pieces of the original external staircase in the park that had been turned into garden benches !- at least we can take castings from these pieces and have them copied to be exactly the right scale and detailing.Its a big job but we think it will make so much difference to the access from the grand salon and the look of the chateau from the park.
#grandstaircase #restoration #escapetothechateaudiy #châteaux #chateauxdefrance #architecturedesign #architecturephotography #architecture #restorationchateau
Sep 24
When we first discovered our chateau not only was she sleeping soundly but there was a camper van that had rusted away to nothing leaning against her ! The top mansard windows broken and just surrounded by grass ...the picture with the scaffolding up is where we are now, new roof done , all the top windows refurbished and new glass in - the middle pediment repaired , the capitals up and gilded ,exterior walls repaired .
We haven’t worked on the middle balcony as we are going to take that down next year and rebuild it with the original double staircase it used to have in 1911.( black and white picture and technical elevation )
We have found a couple of pieces of the original external staircase in the park that had been turned into garden benches !- at least we can take castings from these pieces and have them copied to be exactly the right scale and detailing.Its a big job but we think it will make so much difference to the access from the grand salon and the look of the chateau from the park.
#grandstaircase #restoration #escapetothechateaudiy #châteaux #chateauxdefrance #architecturedesign #architecturephotography #architecture #restorationchateau
It’s wet and miserable outside but another ceiling is done inside !- Just finished plastering the bedroom corridor that links the Chinese bedroom to the Garland bedroom .We’ve plastered the wall cracks , and it’s now ready for an undercoat of white paint before the hand blocked @farrowandball wall damask papers to go up .We have electric cables ready for this corridor to be filled with paintings with picture lights ( again beautiful tiny ones from @tmlighting ) and a collection of french garden landscapes that look like they’ve been painted in our park back at the turn of the century . The wonderful thing is that looking from the upper landing through into the side of this corridor it will be filled with detail, light , and a delicate colour of the damask , which because it’s hand blocked catches the light in a more three dimensional way. ( the paint as it comes off the block has a thickness to it ) The landing opening will frame that beautifully ...So exciting that we continue to move forward in these darker days... oh and talking of light we have already purchased the chandelier for this space which will hang in the middle of the hall opening.
#farrowandball #damask #handblock #handblockwallpaper #plasterwalls #restoration #restoration #restorationchateau #châteaux #chateauxdefrance #staircasedecor #designer #interiordesign #creative #escapetothechateaudiy
Sep 23
It’s wet and miserable outside but another ceiling is done inside !- Just finished plastering the bedroom corridor that links the Chinese bedroom to the Garland bedroom .We’ve plastered the wall cracks , and it’s now ready for an undercoat of white paint before the hand blocked @farrowandball wall damask papers to go up .We have electric cables ready for this corridor to be filled with paintings with picture lights ( again beautiful tiny ones from @tmlighting ) and a collection of french garden landscapes that look like they’ve been painted in our park back at the turn of the century . The wonderful thing is that looking from the upper landing through into the side of this corridor it will be filled with detail, light , and a delicate colour of the damask , which because it’s hand blocked catches the light in a more three dimensional way. ( the paint as it comes off the block has a thickness to it ) The landing opening will frame that beautifully ...So exciting that we continue to move forward in these darker days... oh and talking of light we have already purchased the chandelier for this space which will hang in the middle of the hall opening.
#farrowandball #damask #handblock #handblockwallpaper #plasterwalls #restoration #restoration #restorationchateau #châteaux #chateauxdefrance #staircasedecor #designer #interiordesign #creative #escapetothechateaudiy
Our starting point for the Grand Salon decoration and design was purchasing this stunning 1680’s portrait ( in its period frame ) from Louis X1V’s Court .I know it sounds odd but it critically gave us the confidence and styling to know which direction to take this beautiful room in .
The stunning ( and very heavy ) crystal chandeliers are original to the chateau but just using these lights would completely flatten the room so we purchased 5 Bronze Ormolu wall mounted lights ... this meant chasing these into the plaster walls which was quite a job .
The original green colour of the walls we decided was beautiful but in a bad state and too heavy to let the antiques and paintings shine .
We then went on the hunt for original rugs in the right colour and styles and eventually found a breathtaking 18th century Aubusson rug in a palazzo in Italy, which came in its own trunk .lol
The three different tones of off white on the walls build up the panel mouldings and the 23 carat gold leaf we mixed with under boles ( a painted colour surface under the gilding ) that you can rub back to show the deep rose colouring that works with the painting and starts linking the plaster work to the paintings and Aubusson’s .
We’ve also wired the entire top cornicing so we can hang picture lights down onto each of these paintings which will when dimmed allow the colours of these portraits to really look their best .The picture lights we’re using have the most amazing colour temperature and are LED so they don’t need replacing - by @tmlighting .
#louisxvi #louisxiv #portrait #portraitpainting #oilportrait #17thcenturyart #picturelights #tmlighting
#chateaulife #chateauelan #restoration #restorationchateau #chateauxdefrance #architecture #architecturephotography #architecturedesign #france🇫🇷 #versaillesdetails #versaille #artistsoninstagram #designinspiration #international #interiordesigners #18thcenturycostume #17thcenturyfashion #château
Sep 22
Our starting point for the Grand Salon decoration and design was purchasing this stunning 1680’s portrait ( in its period frame ) from Louis X1V’s Court .I know it sounds odd but it critically gave us the confidence and styling to know which direction to take this beautiful room in .
The stunning ( and very heavy ) crystal chandeliers are original to the chateau but just using these lights would completely flatten the room so we purchased 5 Bronze Ormolu wall mounted lights ... this meant chasing these into the plaster walls which was quite a job .
The original green colour of the walls we decided was beautiful but in a bad state and too heavy to let the antiques and paintings shine .
We then went on the hunt for original rugs in the right colour and styles and eventually found a breathtaking 18th century Aubusson rug in a palazzo in Italy, which came in its own trunk .lol
The three different tones of off white on the walls build up the panel mouldings and the 23 carat gold leaf we mixed with under boles ( a painted colour surface under the gilding ) that you can rub back to show the deep rose colouring that works with the painting and starts linking the plaster work to the paintings and Aubusson’s .
We’ve also wired the entire top cornicing so we can hang picture lights down onto each of these paintings which will when dimmed allow the colours of these portraits to really look their best .The picture lights we’re using have the most amazing colour temperature and are LED so they don’t need replacing - by @tmlighting .
#louisxvi #louisxiv #portrait #portraitpainting #oilportrait #17thcenturyart #picturelights #tmlighting
#chateaulife #chateauelan #restoration #restorationchateau #chateauxdefrance #architecture #architecturephotography #architecturedesign #france🇫🇷 #versaillesdetails #versaille #artistsoninstagram #designinspiration #international #interiordesigners #18thcenturycostume #17thcenturyfashion #château
Sleeping beauty...the first months of felling dead trees and actually getting up to the building, even in the early mist .... the first chateau built on this site had double hip roof line very typical of Normandy architecture...green shutters, and a huge contrast to the Parisian style ‘Haussmannien’ building that Georges Farcy designed for the family in 1911 ( the one with the stamp) .It’s so wonderful to see these postcards of that time and now a building that’s starting to look as good as new , we can’t wait for the scaffolding to come down!
#postcardsfromtheworld #postcards #châteaux #restorationchateau #chateauelan #chateauxdefrance #restoration #restorations #architecture #architecturedesign
Sep 21
Sleeping beauty...the first months of felling dead trees and actually getting up to the building, even in the early mist .... the first chateau built on this site had double hip roof line very typical of Normandy architecture...green shutters, and a huge contrast to the Parisian style ‘Haussmannien’ building that Georges Farcy designed for the family in 1911 ( the one with the stamp) .It’s so wonderful to see these postcards of that time and now a building that’s starting to look as good as new , we can’t wait for the scaffolding to come down!
#postcardsfromtheworld #postcards #châteaux #restorationchateau #chateauelan #chateauxdefrance #restoration #restorations #architecture #architecturedesign
Wonderful to look back at the early days of our restoration journey -the battleship grey of the hall walls , the untouched ceilings of the bedrooms and the original green of the grand salon.- which we thought was a great specialist paint finish until we realised it was mould. We have been trying to find the original manufactures for all the amazing work , spurred on by having all the original documentation of the 1911 enlargement of the chateau ,we have been slowly putting her back together.The Second World War was catastrophic for her , as the Nazis withdrew from this being their SS command HQ they shot up the building , stole many of the paintings ,Sculptures and broke up the boilers and heating .Its a challenge putting everything back but we are slowly making headway .#restoration chateau #châteaux #craftsmanshipmatters #frenchcraftsmanship #frenchiesofinstagram #frencharchitecture #frenchartist #farrowandball
Sep 20
Wonderful to look back at the early days of our restoration journey -the battleship grey of the hall walls , the untouched ceilings of the bedrooms and the original green of the grand salon.- which we thought was a great specialist paint finish until we realised it was mould. We have been trying to find the original manufactures for all the amazing work , spurred on by having all the original documentation of the 1911 enlargement of the chateau ,we have been slowly putting her back together.The Second World War was catastrophic for her , as the Nazis withdrew from this being their SS command HQ they shot up the building , stole many of the paintings ,Sculptures and broke up the boilers and heating .Its a challenge putting everything back but we are slowly making headway .#restoration chateau #châteaux #craftsmanshipmatters #frenchcraftsmanship #frenchiesofinstagram #frencharchitecture #frenchartist #farrowandball
A huge thank you to Karen @chateaulaperriere for this mornings ( and my first !) LIVE Instagram chat ... wow , it flys passed and I hope I didn’t bore everyone to tears ... Yesterday’s epic discovery was Daniel ( our other brilliant neighbour who grew up on the chateau estate and has known the park since he was a little boy - he also looked after the park on his own for nothing - just the love of the place -for the last 30 years) helped Steve find another amazing well ... basically on the far left of the model when you are looking at the chateau front elevation.Its in the perfect place for the 16 lion head fountains and the quite large sculpture of Neptune I would like to create above them ....It was used for the watering system for the Potager gardens back at the turn of the century.
We also have a massive Lavoir with stone walls nearby down by the lake ... but that’s a post for another day !
#well #restoration @chateaulaperriere @escape_to_the_chateau_diy #châteaux #restorationchateau #fountain #sculptures #sculp #balleroy #garden #gardenlife #park #italiangarden #chateauelan
Sep 19
A huge thank you to Karen @chateaulaperriere for this mornings ( and my first !) LIVE Instagram chat ... wow , it flys passed and I hope I didn’t bore everyone to tears ... Yesterday’s epic discovery was Daniel ( our other brilliant neighbour who grew up on the chateau estate and has known the park since he was a little boy - he also looked after the park on his own for nothing - just the love of the place -for the last 30 years) helped Steve find another amazing well ... basically on the far left of the model when you are looking at the chateau front elevation.Its in the perfect place for the 16 lion head fountains and the quite large sculpture of Neptune I would like to create above them ....It was used for the watering system for the Potager gardens back at the turn of the century.
We also have a massive Lavoir with stone walls nearby down by the lake ... but that’s a post for another day !
#well #restoration @chateaulaperriere @escape_to_the_chateau_diy #châteaux #restorationchateau #fountain #sculptures #sculp #balleroy #garden #gardenlife #park #italiangarden #chateauelan
Two years ago we walked down these forgotten front steps together for the first time having just picked up the keys to this faded , crumbling gem of a chateau we had just purchase and our love affair with her began.
Tomorrow at 10am ( sat 19 the sept ) I’ll be talking though some of the highs and lows of this amazing journey with Karen @chateaulaperriere live on her instagram.
What it was like to buy in france and to undertake a restoration on this magnitude.
We still have a long way to go but she’s already starting to look like the beauty she once was back in 1911 when she was at the hight of her splendour .
We had no idea of her history at this moment, that she was the SS headquarters for the Nazis before Eisenhower made it his command HQ and ran operation overlord from here.
The discoveries have been staggering-the history of this building and the lives it shaped has made it such an honour for us to restore .
It’s now taken on a momentum of its own and we are so privileged to be part of it and able to share it with you .
#buyingahome #buyingachateau #châteaux #chateauxdefrance #chateauxdenormandie #dream #dreambig #restorationchateau #restoration #restoring #restoringhope
Sep 18
Two years ago we walked down these forgotten front steps together for the first time having just picked up the keys to this faded , crumbling gem of a chateau we had just purchase and our love affair with her began.
Tomorrow at 10am ( sat 19 the sept ) I’ll be talking though some of the highs and lows of this amazing journey with Karen @chateaulaperriere live on her instagram.
What it was like to buy in france and to undertake a restoration on this magnitude.
We still have a long way to go but she’s already starting to look like the beauty she once was back in 1911 when she was at the hight of her splendour .
We had no idea of her history at this moment, that she was the SS headquarters for the Nazis before Eisenhower made it his command HQ and ran operation overlord from here.
The discoveries have been staggering-the history of this building and the lives it shaped has made it such an honour for us to restore .
It’s now taken on a momentum of its own and we are so privileged to be part of it and able to share it with you .
#buyingahome #buyingachateau #châteaux #chateauxdefrance #chateauxdenormandie #dream #dreambig #restorationchateau #restoration #restoring #restoringhope
