~ Lighting ~
Interior
French Country interior lighting comes in many styles just like French Country exterior lighting on last Friday's French Design on Friday. A French château is one place to look for authentic French design for interior lighting and no château better to view than my favorite, Chenonceau.
Deep in the heart of the Loire Valley of France, renowned for châteaux built by French royalty, Château de Chenonceau was built centuries before electrical lighting. Imagine the chandeliers in the gallery with candles flickering above an extravagant soirée hosted by Catherine de' Medici, widow of King Henry II. She loved giving spectacular nighttime parties at the castle.
Oh, the stories Chenonceau could tell.
Henry II gave the château to his mistress, Diane de Poitiers. When Henry died, his widow Catherine, forced Diane to move to another château so she could live at Chenonceau.
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| Used by Permission, Source: Dennis Beaty |
The gallery spans the River Cher and was used by the French to escape Nazi-occupied France during World War II. The front door of the château was on the German side of France, and the door at the end of the gallery opened into the woods of "free" France on the opposite side of the river.
Larger triple-tiered chandeliers light a gourmet restaurant that once was the orangerie for the castle. The restaurant is open March to mid-November with reservations, extra euros, and plenty of time for a meal recommended.
Who wouldn't love lunching in these surroundings? The chandeliers are understated elegance and the center of attention. The black iron structure with white candle sleeves on curved arms does not have any crystals to distract from the graceful design.
You can hardly pull your eyes away from the chandeliers to see the rest of the beautiful architecture of the building and the impeccable French style of the table settings.
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Where do you find a French design chandelier... Without going to France? Here are some from Build.com {no affiliation} that are similar to the chandeliers of Chenonceau.
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| Source: Quorum International on Build.com |
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| Source: Feiss on Build.com |
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Come back each Friday for more snapshots of French architecture, houses, textiles, metal work, food, woodwork, landscapes... and discover inspiration for creating
a French-inspired garden and home.
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Do you like your chandeliers understated or with lots of crystals?
