The French Connection ... Dixième (10th) Note ... It's A Sign!

a fading sign from times gone by, I would love to restore this beautiful old building ... and keep the signs! (épicerie = grocery shop)

Bonjour à tous! I thought it would be fun to share some snapshots of signs from Laon, a city near where I have been this winter.

Driving around most parts of France, you can find signs from so many periods ... and their accompanying styles and fonts. So often, I find myself wishing I had my camera to grab ... I get a lot of inspiration and ideas from all sorts of things, not just looking at other furniture but nature, cars, rooftops ... and yes, signs. They can put you in a mood, send you to review another era, display colors gone by and generally just get you thinking in another way about something you see every day.

Here, most signs are 'eries ... as in Boulangerie (bakery), Poissonerie (fish shop), Boucherie (butcher) etc. Signs are more often focused on the activity vs the name of the shop ... well at least it is the activity that is emphasized.



Neat as a pin Boulangerie (bakery).

Above, the emblems regarding the bread and flour.


















Cordonnerie (shoe repair).













Close-up ... It reads "teinturerie blancherie"

the little painting gives it away ... it is a Laundry shop, 'teinturerie is dyeing and blancherie is bleaching' ... they also iron clothes and launder by the kilo!

LOVE Love love that green ...






easier to guess this one ... but here he uses his name 'Nourry' on his butcher shop. He specializes in pork and sausages, could you tell!!



love the shades of grey and aging on that metal pig.









speaking of metal, I adore the sleek, industrial look of this sign, very modern!

Horloger (Watches) and Bijoutier (jeweller)










not a big fan of their clothing, but their sign is terrific ...

love that Déco font.



















another butcher!

(we were making the rounds on Sunday which is why the shops are all closed!)







Bar à Manger (rough translation "eat at the bar!") ... this has that early 70s feel, kind of ugly cute! digging that 70s orange too!

Another painted on stone, La Crèperie is a sign of good things to come!










kind of crappy picture, but you get the drift ... it is american (like) stuff! how about them stars on the As? lol














my post would not be complete without the Texas News ... made us smile because there is the good old flag of ... wait, what? Britain!? ha ha



















this is actually a beautiful, older but not SO old shop with a very mod sign and cool black tile. wish that car wasn't there!
















another beautiful example of a flashy tiled storefront in black ... this one is a print shop (imprimerie) with a déco flair!









finally, one of my faves. now I can tell myself (get thee to a rhumerie ...hee hee ... and do it! slurp!) Music AND rum, how could you go wrong?


See you next time!

*all images courtesy of Kimberlee Mancha

Our guest correspondent for The French Connection is Kimberlee Mancha, mother of Johnelle and co-founder of Mignonne Décor. Now living in France, Kimberlee started our sister shop "The Bohemians" in 2009. She will be providing live updates for all you Francophiles and lovers of beautiful European inspirations.

The French Connection ... Huitième (8th) Note ... Everything is nicer with a little whimsy!

bonjour chérs amis! so sorry for the delay, we are recovering from an internet blackout too complicated to describe but so happy to be back. I am ready to continue sharing about the fun times à la Maison et Objet, when last I wrote I promised whimsy so here we go!

Because optimism and general good spirits have been in short supply in the world, designers have decided that colorful, whimsical and affordable are ways to improve our dispositions and make our homes happier! there were lots of little ways to do this on display at the design conference.

Garlands, for example ... were to be found everywhere and in many forms ...





to be hung in a doorway or over a window, or in a kid's room near a closet, around a bed or crib ...













or as added accoutrements for a lamp or chandelier














Another playful feature were fun déco objects just for the sake of conversation ... like these huge fruits


or other whimsical objects ...





















There was fun furniture to dream about ... but these will be dreams that make you smile!




tee hee!!!























designers from ALL over were getting in the spirit of things .... even playful Germans!










this reminded me of one of those alien bar scenes from a Star Wars movie!!

this aspect of the show was definitely a bit of fantasy ... but I also found it inspiring to see how designers, small and large, were opening up their hearts and humor a bit and acknowledging the role that color and laughter can play in making a house a home.

Believe it or not, I still have quite a bit to share from this designers dream date ... next up, the lovely world of lighting!

jusqu'a la prochaine fois!! beeeee-zooooooo!

*all images courtesy of Kimberlee Mancha

Our guest correspondent for The French Connection is Kimberlee Mancha, mother of Johnelle and co-founder of Mignonne Décor. Now living in France, Kimberlee started our sister shop "The Bohemians" in 2009. She will be providing live updates for all you Francophiles and lovers of beautiful European inspirations.

The French Connection ... Quatrième (fourth) Note! glassware.

In addition to furniture ... Mignonne Décor is known for our love of vintage glassware. We have a universal love affair with glasses of all shapes, sizes and background, no matter how questionable.

At Mignonne, we continuously seek glasses to offer in the shop. When we find something marked 'made in France', we are even more delighted to share them with you. And of course, on each and every visit to France ... the search is on for the best treasures to bring home for our clients!




One well known French brand is Luminarc. Arc International (owner of the Luminarc brand) was founded in 1825 with the manufacture of demi johns or dame jeannes, storage containers for french housewives (pictured right).

photo courtesy of Antique Bottle & Glassware Magazine

The company was purchased by the Durand family in 1926, after having a major influence in the enterprise for many years. Luminarc was launched in 1948 and benefits from many of the techniques adopted by the Arc brand like the construction of modern glass presses (1947) and the use of automatic blowing machines (1950).






Another of Arc's signature glasses are the thick-walled ten-sided "working glasses" that were oh so popular in French kitchens after their introduction in 1978.

You might recognize their shape from a delicious jam vendor you find in your local market, "Bonne Maman".

image courtesy of artfire.com

We are usually MOST excited when we discover some vintage Luminarc glasses in one of their classic vivid colors like deep ruby red ... you've seen some like these before at Mignonne:


or these jazzy martini glasses ....

images courtesy of kaboodle.com

Luminarc is still going strong, creating designs that will become tomorrow's vintage pleasures. In addition to glasses, all sorts of tabletop designs for plates, serving dishes, aperitif accessories are available.

Somehow, I still prefer the delight of finding a vintage piece from the past ... imagining its history and durability and the pleasure it will provide gracing a modern day table.

Make sure to keep checking in at Mignonne ... whether you love pretty French glassware, retro American glass from the 50s ... or other unique pieces to complement your collection, you are sure to come across something that will capture your heart and imagination, but not your entire pocketbook! we love helping build a beautiful bar or serving collection for our customers, entertaining will be more fun after visiting Mignonne!


Our guest correspondent for The French Connection is Kimberlee Mancha, mother of Johnelle and co-founder of Mignonne Décor. Now living in France, Kimberlee started our sister shop "The Bohemians" in 2009. She will be providing live updates for all you Francophiles and lovers of beautiful European inspirations.

The French Connection ... Troisième Note! Grey, The New Neutral.

Grey has been a much maligned color in design schemes. In America, it can be considered somber, the color of ciment, a bit sad even... for me even prison-like!

Since moving to France, I have a whole new regard for the color grey. I am surrounded by all sorts of inspiring examples of grey which are so much more beautiful than those I remember in the U.S.

Here wherever you look you find a shade of grey.

Check out the beautiful cupola roof slates here ... not only is the color sharp, but the shape of these rooflines inspire me in all sorts of design directions ... just a typical corner of Reims, with the added bonus of a décor shop tucked away for future investigation.


You can be walking along a busy shopping boulevard, peek between two buildings and be blown away by the view behind. Here is a lovely example of soft pearly grey, very sophisticated.


Wait awhile, pass back by and discover a completely different shade, an almost bluish grey. The contrast of these neutral greys against the soft creamy beige of freshly cleaned limestone give ideas as well ...


Here, Reims' cathedral tower with aging stone. Limestone is affected by many elements and the colors can vary tremendously. Weather, traffic, age, smoke ... all of these add to the depth of colors present. Some might consider this aging 'dirty', but if you look beyond that label to the palette of colors, you find beauty.



Nature here provides some examples as well, of the beautiful options for neutrals in your design with greys, browns, creams. Take this tree bark for example. I am dying to put together a beautiful 'commode' (dresser) or 'placard' (cabinet), incorporating this color combination.


Here in the far north of France, I reveled in the early winter's seaside climate in the village of Cayeux as another creative inspiration. The thousand subtle shades of grey found in the beach stones, the effect of the foggy day on the color and reflections in the water ... the curvy shapes of the inlet, all reminded me that these neutral colors can compete, in fact overcome, the standard eggshell or ivory we sometimes lean toward.



I am currently finishing up a redesign project of a small stone house or what we have called 'chalet', incorporating a dark grey, a grey called 'plume' and a blue grey called 'ciel' or sky. You'll see how it all came together in an upcoming edition.

In the meantime, here are some examples of grey in design action:





Soft
Pearly
Grey

Makes for an inviting and classy
Welcome

In this Entry Hall ...

photo courtesy of apartmenttherapy.com

Here modern sleek lines in an
Open Kitchen and Dining area
are highlighted by a
SLATE GREY
accent wall

photo courtesy of gapinteriors.com

photo courtesy of iheartshabbychic.blogspot.com

This shabby chic bedroom with grey and soft brown patinas makes me want to snuggle up with a good book ... or walk barefoot on that plush textured carpet ... these neutrals are not boring!!

I hope this peek into some of my everyday discoveries here in la Belle France has offered some inspiration and a new view on (n)ever boring grey!

except where noted, all images courtesy of Kimberlee Mancha

Our guest correspondent for The French Connection is Kimberlee Mancha, mother of Johnelle and co-founder of Mignonne Décor. Now living in France, Kimberlee started our sister shop "The Bohemians" in 2009. She will be providing live updates for all you Francophiles and lovers of beautiful European inspirations.

The French Connection ... deuxième note

Bonjour mes loulous! OK it is the second note (deuxième note)from The French Connection from afar and why not have a little français for fun!


December is launched and winter is here in the north of France. Leaves have pretty much fallen and muted tones are all around. Some people find winter depressing, but for those of us who are always seeking design inspiration ... these shades of grey and taupe and soft earth colors bring new ideas for furniture palettes. Next update I think I will share some photos of how all of these greys ... grays ... les gris ... have inspired a recent project.


But for now ... DECEMBER is here and that means just a few weeks until the Maison et Objet Home-Fashion Showcase for Spring/Summer 2012 Collection! It is JANUARY 20-24 in Paris, well not in what I view REAL Paris but in one of those big convention centers not so far from Charles de Gaulle airport.


The names of the collections being presented have already whet my appetite for the coming visit:

• Urban Poetry...design to live
• Wonderland... major international brands in design
• Collection 2012 ... annual gathering of upholstery editors!
• The Gathering for Cultural Objects ... bringing cultural objects into the home
• Rare Pieces and Unique Objects ... need they say more?
• Beauty is on the Outside ... the art of outdoor/indoor living

Each has their own design hall and these are not small rooms ... this event is enormous and for the uninitiated, it can be a bit overwhelming! this show is attended by designers and retailers from all over Europe ... it is so fun to go and mingle, listening to the various languages and accents and observing how the attendees are dressed is inspiring in of itself!


That is what I go for mostly ... INSPIRATION! ... to see the latest trends in colors and styles ... to take tons of photographs and hopefully, find that one or two special vendor who might have something interesting and attainable for small and unique retailers like Mignonne Décor or The Bohemians. Staying up-to-date helps us recreate new looks for our clients and bring the latest ideas for you to consider...incorporating them in a way that is uniquely you. So whether it is discovering some really fun glassware that might end up as a new offering in our shops ....










CAMEO GLASSES ...
how whimsical!

or a new combination of colors like
Purple and Orange

or finding out that Mignonne Décor is a trendsetter with our custom wall murals ... (this one is from Maison et Objet ... ours have been around for awhile!)

And even when I see something I do NOT like (these upside down planter lights are trying WAY too hard for my taste) ... it was a great reminder to be willing to turn the old tried and true upside down, put something in a new position and see what happens!

So, there is a little teaser about what is to come in January! When I go, I squeeze in some sightseeing, treasure-hunting and off the beaten path snooping around ... picture will follow!


If one of the Maison et Objet collections interests you or you would like me to be your on-the-ground scout in Paris for something in particular, give a comment and I will do my best! Maybe you can't come with, but that could be the next best thing!

à bientôt! (see you soon!)

Our guest correspondent for The French Connection is Kimberlee Mancha, mother of Johnelle and co-founder of Mignonne Décor. Now living in France, Kimberlee started our sister shop "The Bohemians" in 2009. She will be providing live updates for all you Francophiles and lovers of beautiful European inspirations.

all images courtesy of the Maison et Objet blog