A Simple Summer Backyard Wedding à la Chic Provence

The appeal of the backyard wedding is stronger than ever. Brides today want to have their weddings in unique, personalized and..yes, less expensive settings. So, rather than rent the magnificent hotel ballroom or the caves at the local winery, if the backyard has some nice features and lends itself to a little sprucing up and has enough elbowroom for guests, it’s the perfect solution!

Pear & Pepper Fine Events and Catering asked me to designed this small, intimate and very chic wedding setting for an upcoming bride to see an example of just how charming and effective a backyard wedding can be. She was enchanted, P&P was happy, and she booked us both for the wedding!

For an early evening wedding, nothing is more glamorous than

flickering tea lights casting a soft glow on crystal,

silver, shimmering table linens and beautiful flowers. Don't you agree?

The centerpiece is a simple and elegant arrangement of vintage bottles

on a footed silver tray with a different flower stem in each..

very effective, charming and doesn't cost the earth!

Pear and Pepper designed this pitch perfect menu of delicious

Provencal dishes for the small wedding. The amazing

Provencal wines they chose will accompany each course. Yum!

Because the wedding is small..24 guests..we used gorgeous

dishes, glassware and napkins from Anthropologie for the settings.

The bride is thrilled to keep these lovely items for

her new home. And with the money she saves by having

a backyard wedding, she can keep all 24 settings, or give as

gifts to her bridal party. Notice the plums from the tree?

It's a signature of Chic Provence event design to use things from

nature whenever the opportunity presents itself!

A richness is created by the textures and jewel tones of the

patterned champagne and small tumblers (here used for tea lights), the

Ikat patterned napkins, the rich tones of the flowers and

the plum color of the ..well, plums from the tree!

This version is a little different; the cloches are placed on each plate and

the ikat napkins are hanging to show off their lovely design. We tried this

version earlier in the afternoon and decided the look just didn't work.

That's the fun part of design..it's always a process!

Although I designed the center table only, we Photoshopped in two more

tables to give the bride a realistic view of

three 48" square tables, each seating eight people.

We think we like the

"Louis Ghost" chairs (not sure). Do you?

A sheer lavender layer over old French linen tablecloths

is the perfect color for anchoring our scheme.

***

inspiration pieces: the rich purple votives,

and the bottle arrangement centerpieces we are designing

for a large fundraiser in the fall

***

some photos by Kit and the better ones by

Chris Golson Photography!

Celebrate Independence Your Way {Très Americaine!}

yes, you can make this double-layered American Flag Quilt yourself!

I have been (irrationally) in love with Alabama Chanin for years (irrational because the clothing is un peu trop ingenue for moi, and I'm not a needle and thread type!). Natalie Chanin originally hooked me with her one-off chandeliers crafted from found wood, wire, feathers, stones, bones; and her charming chair seat covers, tablecloths, for the elegant, rustic handmade touch for the home. Uniquely designed and handmade at her atelier in Florence, Alabama from natural cottons, linens, dyes and materials, her things are definitely in the "you won't see this anywhere else" category!

I'm thinking these DIY flowers could be perfect for the

fall farm dinner I am designing

fabric you ink yourself then make into a little summer dress!

(pickles not included!)

Now she has created a series of DIY projects of the most unique, touchingly hand made, sweet and rustic-chic kind. I'm not one for mail-order kits, but these are quite another story!

Celebrate your independence from buying readymade, and get over to Alabama Chanin DIY for these fabulous sewing, stenciling and beading projects...many are perfect for the home, some are great for simple skirts and scarves, and all will help you spend some old fashioned productive time as the summer days lengthen long into evening. You won't have to do these by candlelight!

Then brag to us here...or put your creations on etsy! I can guarantee a visit to Alabama Chanin will leave you inspired, and maybe even inspire a daughter or son to put down the iPad/iPhone/iPod for a few precious minutes and take that first handmade stitch towards creating something with their own two hands! La route d'independence!

medallion boudoir pillow with backstitch reverse applique

spiral applique and beaded camisole dress

bandana kit comes painted, stenciled and ready to sew;

do you know someone going through chemo who might adore this?

sampler quilt comes stenciled and ready to sew

I love this rooster and rose tablecloth...would someone just make

that one for me, please?

***

Alabama Chanin

BOOKS

just above are some fabulous books you can find at

Alabama Chanin's online store, or Amazon

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

Now *This* is Chic {Provence}

The very cool mother-daughter team of Appley and Zoe Hoare perfectly articulated the Chic Provence look in the 18th century old wine and eau de vie factory they recently finished restoring in the south of France.

And why shouldn't they? The Pimlico Road, London antiquaires have been dealing in French country furniture for over 15 years and have created a perfectly rustic, elegant vacation home in Provence (don't we all want that feeling in our own homes..a sense that we are on vacation from the workaday world?)

Come take a peek inside La Bastide, The Gard, France. Shall we rendez-vous there?

artichokes and lemons on a zinc-topped table..

says "vacation" to me!

I love this room: the long, low cabinet looks like it's from

salvaged wood; the breeze gently lifts the gossamer draperies

I love the spare and lean aesthetic

how would you like to have your (10) friends over for

a lovely supper in your kitchen?

limestone everywhere, and accented with the sharp

spring green of the pears and candles

can you see yourself, your family and friends all gathered round

this magnificent coffee table talking about the day's adventures

and playing a round of gin rummy?

a soothing, romantic retreat after sunny days exploring the

Roman ruins of Provence..or perhaps hiking by the sea

the off-handedly chic arrangement of rustic

items with a gilt Directoire mirrors is

simple and elegant

l'heure des aperitifs..un Bandol, with buttered radishes and olives?

an old iron gueridon and an armoire are perfectly spare and curved

and a great foil for the collection of pith helmets and straw hat

all photos from La Bastide website

***

featured in Josephine Ryan's latest book

{you can buy it here!}

***

Appley Hoare Antiques

.........................................

in 2010, it's:

Kit Golson Design

for elegant, sustainable and pragmatic

Chic Provence Interior Design

Tres Romantique..

*Sigh!* I'm just sayin'...

I could get settled in here and stay a while! Very posh & soothing!

What about you?

***

images marie claire maison

.........................................

in 2010, it's:

Kit Golson Design

for elegant, sustainable and pragmatic

Chic Provence Interior Design

Pavlova? or the 13 Desserts of Noel?

I've been looking for a special a dessert for our Christmas Eve celebration that is beautiful (of course!), delicious, simple, and that warms the spirit....and I found it! It's perfect!

Pavlova!

This delightful dessert is a designer's dream! Egg whites whipped into a silken alabaster pouf, the meringue a crisp and delicate base, filled with whipped cream, (so far it's pristinely white) then topped with a gorgeous array of fruits: the tart green of kiwis, the ruby red of strawberries, the deep coral of raspberries, the indigo of blueberries, the tangerine of, well, tangerines!

Made in honor of the ballerina Anna Pavlova on her 1923 tour of New Zealand, it is the epitome of elegant ease. I think even the Provencales would forgive me not putting out the traditional 13 desserts* this Christmas Eve when they see this confection!

Pavlova it is!

the top view of luscious Pavlova, the perfect ending

to Christmas Eve dinner

what could be more inviting for dessert?

Thanks to House of Annie for the Pavlova recipe and photos! Or for the American version (easier to follow!) check out Ina Garten's recipe.

............................

* Les Treize Desserts de Noel:

At Christmastime in Provence, in the south of France, there’s a tradition of having a Christmas meal consisting largely of vegetables, followed by 13 desserts. 13 signifies the number of people at the last supper – Christ and his 12 apostles. The table should be decorated with 3 candlesticks, representing the Trinity. The meal and dessert are eaten before the family goes to midnight mass on Christmas.

1. Black Nougats – Symbolizing evil – Hard candy made with honey and almonds.

2. White Nougats – Symbolizing good – Soft candy made with sugar, eggs, pistachios, honey, and almonds.

These four are supposed to symbolize beggars, represented by four religious orders (Franciscans, Dominicans, Carmelite Nuns, Augustinians):

3. Dried Figs

4. Almonds

5. Hazelnuts or other nuts

6. Dried Grapes

The symbol of Mary and Jesus’ safe journey from the East:

7. Dates

Some of the other desserts eaten, depending on the region, are:

Oranges

Clementines

Apples

Pears

Grapes

Quince Paste

Melon

Calissons d’Aix (almond-paste pastry with sugar icing)

Oil Cake called Fougasse or Pompe à l’huile (made with Orange Flower Water and Olive Oil)

Finally with these desserts, one drinks cooked wine, representing Jesus himself.

One must have a taste of each dessert to have good luck for the whole year.

the thought of 13 desserts is altogether

too much to contemplate this simpler Christmas!

............................

..................................

Contact Me!

Kit Golson Design

for elegant, sustainable and pragmatic

Chic Provence Interior Design