The French Country Great Room


This weekend we went out to the house to see the progress that’s been made this past week.  The hubster took a photo of Autumn and I standing on the newly laid decking where our soon to be french country great room will rise up.  So it inspired me to write about what that means to me.  I love this photo below because it represents many of the elements  I love about today’s French country style.   We actually have several of the same features as seen here below.  From the vaulted rustic beamed ceiling, to the french chandelier, as well as the mantel/fireplace.  Even though the ceiling is high, the room feels warm.  That’s important when considering this style – it must always still be a warm and inviting space.

Country French style is curvy, with delicate lines, such as those of the cabriolet leg. These types of pieces are often paired with more sturdy pieces varying in finishes. The focus is on creating a feeling of warmth, with natural materials and a variety of textures. Some other notable features are rough-hewn beams, stone elements and rustic pieces paired with elegant ones.  More formal pieces, such as lavishly upholstered armchairs with delicately carved legs, can be paired with a bit more casual pieces.  Another example of contrast is ladder-back chairs, with rush seats, used to further combine texture and simplicity. A large, heavy armoire is an essential piece that may vary in style and finish from another wooden cabinet nearby. In other words, do not match tables, cabinets, etc. with one another, in either finish, or style.  Above all, Country French is a design style that has more to do with ambience than attention to perfection.

Today’s French Country Cozy…

QUICHE – I love quiche and the best part is – My little girl loves it too! So that’s a win/win in my house.  It’s comforting, healthy, and taste amazing.  It’s also extremely easy to make, I don’t even follow a recipe.  You can also prepare it the day before to serve with a side salad, for a lite brunch, the following day.  All I do is take a premade rolled pie crust and place it in a 8 or 9 inch pie pan.  (I prefer glass ones.)  Crimp the edges and use a fork to put holes in the bottom of the pie crust, so it can bake.  Next I just grab 6-8 eggs and crack them open in a mixing bowl.  I use a hand held whisk and stir in either water or a milk/cream of your choice – all the while whisking it together.  This makes the quiche light and fluffy, which I prefer over a very dense quiche.  It also saves on your eggs.  Then you can just grate/chop any toppings of your choice.  Throw them in, add some sea salt, give it a quick stir and pour it into your pie shell.  Bake at 350 until set in the center.  
Bon Appetite!  Have a blessed day.