My friend Céline’s panelled room

 

Being part of the blogger community has delivered me so much inspiration and surprises! Writing my blog for a few years now, abled me to connect with people who share a common passion.

Céline Chollet, the author of the blog Céline Chollet Aquarelles, is one of those persons that I learned to know through blogging. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to meet Céline and to have learned more about all things that keep her busy in life and of course about her work. Céline is a very talented aquarellist, specialized in water-colour paintings of old buildings and interiors. I already wrote about Céline and her work in earlier blogposts (here and here).

 

Céline and I discovered that we had a lot in common. We both love blogging, we both love horses, we both love antiques, ancient houses and… we both love panelling !

Le salon des Cernailles. Aquarelle of a panelled room by Céline Chollet.

 

Céline visited me last year. We became friends by blogging.

Céline, her husband Olivier who is a historian, and their two children Lucie et Camille, live in Auxerre (France), in a gorgeous ancient house  ‘La Tour des Neiges’. The house has a stair tower, actually the most northerly tower in Auxerre, what means that snow will fall on it sooner than on the other towers in the town. This half-timbered house whas already there in the 16th century.

‘La Tour des Neiges’, the house in Auxerre where Céline and her family live.

By coincidence we discovered that we both were thinking about the redo of our living room. We both wanted to bring in a French styled, 18th century inspired panelling!!! Can you imagine! Yes indeed, we both share the same passion for the 18th century.

This was so exciting for us both and of course we were thrilled to share the progress of the redo of our living room with each other.

 

Céline hit me with this picture of a piece of an antique panelling including a beautiful original painting, she possessed since a long time and which was the starting point to create the new panelling for her living room.

Panelling detail    Photo credit Daniel Chaslerie

 

Céline’s living room before.

 

Installation of the panelling in progress. The panelling is executed in poplar wood and is painted by Céline!

 

This reminds me of the time our employees installed the panelling in our living room last year. See my blogpost here.

 

Céline at work. She started to repaint this 18th century piece of panelling in order to find the original colors of its painting. Céline remains faithful to the authentic gray of the wood panelling, or she likes to start from a grey-green. She is a maniac concerning colors. If she does not like the result, she is able to start all over again !

 

Céline and her husband contacted a local ébéniste to create the panelling.

I do love this picture of the French ‘ébéniste, carving the mouldings of Céline’s panelling. He is working in the traditional way, respecting the ancient way of making panelling. Exactly as the craftsmen do in the workshop of our company Lefèvre Interiors.

 

Lefèvre Interiors – traditional way of creating bespoke interiors and panelling.

 

Céline has even mixed different paint colors herself to obtain the perfect color she wanted to see on the panelling. She explained that it was hard to finalize. She had to think about adding more layers of gray, or adding more blue, considering a darker or clearer look,…

 

I have to admit she has done a wonderful job! Céline has chosen for a perfect painting. The panelling really obtained the look of ‘une boiserie ancienne’ !

 

This is the finished room. A warm and intimate room where the Chollet family will enjoy having dinner by candlelight !

 

Céline has painted the skirting with a faux-marble finish. Bravo Céline!

 

On Céline’s workshop’ desk : water colour paintings and living room skirting, awaiting more layers of paint. What a gorgeous picture! L’atelier of an artisan!   This picture illustrates well what Céline said : ‘J'ai toujours le pinceau à la main, gros ou petit.’ (‘I always have a pencil in my hands, large or small’.)

 

Even the family cat is happy with this cosy corner she took possession of.

 

Céline and husband Olivier, enjoying their finished panelled living room.

 

As you can notice, Céline and Olivier love to bring in antique furniture pieces and accessories, which they took home by visiting numerous flea markets.

 

A charming view towards the open fire place, the heart of the family home.

 

Absolutely wonderful !

Well done Céline!

 

If you have not yet visited Céline’s blog ‘Céline Chollet Aquarelles’, I absolutely recommend you to have a look at this blog and to discover Céline’s beautiful work. If you would love to have a handpainted water-colour of your home, please contact Céline for further details. She will be pleased to paint the exterior as well as the interior of your home.

http://wwwboitedaquarelles.blogspot.be/

If you are considering to panel one of the rooms of your home, please don’t hesitate to contact me at

 info@lefevre.be.

I would be pleased to help you designing your panelled room.

LEFEVRE INTERIORS – BELGIUMhttp://www.lefevre.be/

 

Wishing you all a fresh new start of the week !

xx

Greet

Source pictures of the home of Céline :  blog Céline Chollet : http://wwwboitedaquarelles.blogspot.be/ – with permission of Céline Chollet