From French Farm to Dutch Barge

We like to keep life interesting at Le Petit Bijou...

 

Now we have never been known to conform to the norm.  That's why we love reviving old furniture that no one else wants anymore, rather that heading out to buy another fashionable flat pack piece that will last until the chip board gives up. 

 

Le Petit Bijou has come home for Christmas, after 2 great years in France we have decided to come back for the winter this year, 1) to start making contacts for selling our furniture, and 2) to be able to see friends and family, and so far we have done that very thing.  With so many wonderful people to see we are having a lovely time catching up with everyone, and those we haven't had a chance to see yet... we are on our way!!!

 

So here is a little blog to show all our unique accommodation for the winter...

 

 

Thanks to my mother, we are staying on her Dutch barge which she jollys about on for her summer hols, but otherwise stays empty through winter except the odd visit here and there.  It is such an inspiring place to live, built in 1894 it is an old sailing barge that worked transporting coal around Holland.  It now has a bespoke conversion to a beautiful house boat with a wonderful vintage shabby chic charm, with a free nomadic feel to it.

 

 

And if anyone who reads this is also inspired by this floating bit of history, my mum is trying to sell it https://sites.google.com/site/dutchbarge4sale/home 

However if my powers of persuasion work, with any luck she wont let it go.  In all honesty I wish she were to move here full time.  Maybe this cute picture of her dogs taken one summer on the barge will help me in my cause.

 

 
 

Take a look at my furniture at www.lepetitbijou.co.uk

Or follow me on twitter

://twitter.com/LePetitBijou    

Or like my page on facebook 

https://www.facebook.com/#!/lepetitbijouboutique?bookmark_t=page 

To stay updated of news and new stock arrivals!

ANTIQUE MARBLE TOP WASHSTAND WITH BASIN

For sale on www.lepetitbijou.co.uk



After                                           Before



I don't like to blow my own trumpet, but I just love the end result of this project.  Ok, I can't take all the credit for it, I had plenty of help and advice from my boyfriend, brother and the nice local marbrier.

The project started with cleaning the washstand up and treating it for woodworm with Xylothene.  After letting the treatment work its magic for 48 hours I filled the woodworm holes and sanded back the wood a little to prepare for painting.  There was some structural supports missing on the underside which I replaced with a little extra strength as I was planning to add a bit more weight than usual.

 Now with a blank canvas to work with I started by applying a couple of coats of a dark blue paint letting each layer dry thoroughly in between.  On top of the blue followed several layers of an off white colour.  Once this had fully dried, using a distressing technique I rubbed away the white paint on the corners and areas that would normally have wear, showing through small patches of blue to complement the now beautifully cleaned blue glazed tiles.  I gave the inside of the cupboards a flash of colour by lining the sides with this gorgeous paper.

Now came the tricky bit, we had to get a professional to cut the holes for the plug and taps, and after that I left it to my boyfriend.  After all was fixed, sealed, and water protected the finished article got the final polish, and what a wonderful end product it is!          For sale on www.lepetitbijou.co.uk

VINTAGE FRENCH CHEESE LARDER

Is is a bird cage? No, It's a Cheese Cage!

For Sale on www.lepetitbijou.co.uk/showroom


Before

After

I found this sorry looking item in a barn, and my partner laughed at me when I said it had beautiful potential.  He said "What do you want that old cage for? To keep Birds in?".  "No!" I told him, "I think the French used to use these things to put cheese and cured meats in, it could be very useful in the kitchen!"


I didn't want to brag but I was right, Its is known as a 'cheese larder' or a 'meat pantry'.  After talking to a local elderly Frenchman, and researching on the internet I discovered, it was probably made  around the mid 1900's, before electric fridges where in wide use in the French country home, for storing foods without little beasties getting to it before you did.


Now a days they are still very popular here in France, as it is often deemed sacrilege to keep your cheese and cured meats in the fridge where it cannot breath and mature, and have the cold temperature ruins the flavour.  It is  a superb original piece of kitchen history, and could have so many uses, not just in the kitchen. 
I have since lovingly restored it.  The wooden feet had rotten away, so a little doctoring had to be done there.  I then had to put my school level woodwork skills to the test and create a frame for the mesh as the edges had frayed and there were a few sharp edges sticking up.  I have to say I slightly impressed my self, and my partner with the neat corners I managed.



Then came the fun part, I chose a vintage pale blue paint, to give it a beautiful shabby chic feel.  The mesh and hinges had suffered rust which discoloured the paint, and with a few small holes where the mesh has worn away, I think just gives it lovely antique charm.

To give this piece the finishing touches I lined the shelves with some vintage craft paper with an added bit of colour to match the decorative ribbon and lavender heart I had made especially.

Et Voila!  A lovely decorative but practical piece that I hope will look lovely in somebodies home.


Find more of my restored antiques on www.lepetitbijou.co.uk

DUSTY PINK ANTIQUE CABINET

This Weeks Project

For Sale on: www.lepetitbijou.co.uk/showroom



Before

After


This dresser came from a house clearance of a French farm house, it was in a particularly sorry state, but even so I couldn't resist its charm.  However after getting started with the restoration I started to get doubts in my mind as to whether it was actually salvageable.  The base was completely eaten through by termites, woodworm, and wood rot, it just crumbled off in the hand.  There were numerous wood worm holes on the main structure, and after two hours of filling holes I was quickly loosing the will to transform this piece.

As always my faithful partner stepped in to give me that boost of motivation, and after rebuilding the base for me with new wood, I was feeling much more positive, and my inspiration had returned.

So now the dresser had been thoroughly treated against termites, woodworm and other nastiness, a new base fitted, all holes filled and sanded, and the old varnish sanded back to the bare wood, which revealed a beautiful natural colour.

 

This is where I step back, take a look at the blank canvas and decide what is going to happen next.  The wood was such a lovely colour, but there were far too many holes filled to leave it natural, It would just end up a bizarre spotted effect.  However the top surface did not have many markings, and after giving it a good polish with furniture wax it came up with a beautiful finish.  Now I just needed to find a colour to complement the wood finished top.

 

 

 

I find it very strange that in France they are not as keen as we are on painted furniture, and so we don't have the fabulous array of vintage and antique inspired paints that you can get in the UK.  So since restoring furniture in France I have acquired quite a knack for mixing the colour I imagine in my head.  This mix of rust red and ivory white paint gave me the deep pink magenta colour I was hoping for. All I had to do now was to give it that soft sheen wax finish that I love.  I mixed clear and dark wax to create a darker effect on the paint to give it a little aged look but keeping the modern chic feel.

 



...And so to give it that last finishing touch, my lovely assistant lined the inside with wall gold wallpaper that just so happened to have flowers of the exact matching colour I created for the exterior.  Wonderful!  I hope you like it as much as we do,

See more on www.lepetitbijou.co.uk