Saturday, April 04, 2015

A Charmed Dining-Room

Watching TV With Magali (And Possibly Some Cats)


Some of you might remember how I looked for inspiration for my kitchen remodel in TV shows rather than in magazines. Well today is the first day of  a three-day weekend here in France and it's raining... So the cats and I thought we could watch some TV inside rather than sticking to plan A that involved painting the trellises outside in the garden. Would you join us?

Certains d'entre vous se souviennent peut-être que pour ma cuisine j'étais allée chercher l'inspiration dans les séries télé plutôt que dans les magazines. Aujourd'hui en ce début de week-end de trois jours, j'avais prévu de peindre les nouveaux treillis du jardin, mais il pleut : les chats  et moi nous sommes donc repliés sur le plan B, regarder la télé au chaud. Vous nous rejoignez?


Today, I'm taking you in a charming Victorian-inspired dining-room. It might seem to have nothing to do with my small seaside cottage, since the dining-room we're studying belongs to this huge house.

Je vous emmène aujourd'hui admirer une charmante salle-à-manger de style vaguement victorien. Cela semble n'avoir aucun rapport avec mon petit cottage au bord de la mer, puisque voici la maison où se situe la pièce.


You may have guessed this set belongs to the former TV-show Charmed. It's probably the first show where I found out that sets were actually more intersting than plots and charcaters.

Peut-être avez-vous reconnu la maison de l'ancienne série Charmed, la première série à m'avoir fait comprendre que le décor est plus important que le scénario ou les personnages.


So about that dining-room. It's a very cosy and very feminine room in which there are tons of things to notice and be inspired by.

Alors, cette salle-à-manger. C'est très cosy et très féminin et il y a plein de petits détails à remarquer et plein d'inspiration à glaner.


The designers are not afraid to add layer over layer of floral prints: the wallpaper, the fabric on the chairs and the flower prints in an oval frame.

Les décorateurs n'ont pas peur d'accumuler les imprimés floraux : le papier peint, le tissu qui recouvre les chaises, la gravure dans un cadre ovale.


Just in case we think this isn't flowery enough, they add fresh flowers on the table or on the mantel.

Pour le cas où cela ne soit pas assez fleuri, on ajoute des fleurs fraîches sur la table ou sur le manteau de cheminée.


The wood work adds to the coziness of the room. The fireplace is the center of attention, but the moulding around all the doorways is equally intersting and the baseboards are amazing. (I know, who notices baseboards in a TV show???)

Le travail du bois ajoute à la chaleur de la pièce. La cheminée est une pièce maîtresse dans cette pièce. Les moulures sont aussi superbes. Regardez ces plinthes! Comment ça? Vous ne remarquez pas les plinthes dans les séries???


It's a little dusty and mousy, isn't it?

C'est un peu poussiéreux et souricier, non? (Bien sûr, c'est un mot, c'est dans le dictionnaire de l'ordinateur, apparemment !)


I love the big rectangular table, that looks very simple for such a rather historic looking house.

J'aime beaucoup cette grande table rectangulaire, un peu rustique pour cette maison raffinée.



I'm in love with the sideboard under the window.

Le buffet sous la fenêtre me fait de l’œil. 


It does look like an old English pine sideboard, doesn't it?

Il a l'air d'être en vieux pin anglais, non?

And don't let me reveal the utterly ridiculous amount of time I spent tracking down a picture of the gorgeous cabinet with open shelves that is shown there...

Jamais je ne vous avouerai le temps que j'ai passé à chercher une photo du buffet style Saint-Hubert  qui orne un mur de la salle-à-manger.


It was worth my time, though...

Cela valait le coup, tout de même...


So what do you think? Too feminine? Too dark? Too flowery? Or very charming ? Very cosy? Very welcoming?

Alors, qu'en pensez-vous ? Trop féminin ? Trop floral ? Trop sombre ? Ou tout à fait charmant ? Très cosy ? Très douillet ?


It might be far away from what I envision for my cottage, but I still learned a few tricks. First, baseboards are important. Second, I always fall in love with old pine. Third, a rectangular table works great in a room that is both a dining-room and a room everybody walks through (it's between the sitting-room and the kitchen on the TV show, exactly as it is in my cottage).


C'est assez loin de ce que j'imagine pour Cottage et cependant, plein d'idées à piquer. En premier, se souvenir que les plinthes, c'est important. Ensuite, ne pas oublier que le vieux pin me fait toujours de l'effet. Enfin, découvrir qu'une table rectangulaire fonctionne bien dans une salle-à-manger qui est aussi un lieu de passage entre le salon et la cuisine...

Let me know what you think.

A vous d'ajouter votre avis dans les commentaires!

See you soon,

A bientôt,


PS: Yes, I'm working on writing the posts about my window so you can see it soon.



PS: Oui, oui, je travaille sur les articles sur ma fenêtre afin que vous puissiez bientôt la voir.

43 comments:

  1. mmm and I had a chance to buy a vintage sideboard like that one last summer at a yard sale but walked away. Still kicking myself over that one!

    Happy Easter Magali!

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  2. I have watched every episode of Charmed because I not only loved the show but I also loved the house itself!!

    I also enjoy watching The Murdoch Mysteries which is a Canadian show that takes place in the early 1900's. Great Victorian homes in that show too!

    Loved this post!!
    Happy Easter!!

    Hugs,
    Debbie

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  3. I still have to choose what kind of baseboards, and door and window moulding I want to use in our cottage. I DO think about these things too! We have a rectangular table, and love it. Very versatile.

    I also watch movies and check out the decor. I think one of my favorite movies for decor is 'Practical Magic', which was blogged about here: http://hookedonhouses.net/2009/10/25/practical-magic-a-victorian-house-fit-for-a-witch/

    What better way to come up with decorating ideas than to watch films while it rains?

    Enjoy!
    xo,
    Lin

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  4. I like the florals, the French doors and he rectangular table but find the room to be dark, overall. I like the light you have in your seaside cottage!

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  5. I don't know the programme, but prefer your cottage look to the somewhat Victorian splendour. Some of the Laura Ashley papers would look good in Cottage (if he agrees, that is.)

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  6. Hi Magali, this post reminds me of my daughter! Charmed and Practical Magic ( Lin's comment ) are favorites too! Both houses are very beautiful, inside and out. I think you can implement all what you need for your seaside cottage dining room. Cozy up with the kitties and be inspired by the sets on tv. Kathleen in Az

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    1. I also love both houses, though Practical Magic may be my favourite because of the location & garden! It's finally sunny today!

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  7. I love the room. Not the floral wallpaper so much though! It is a cozy space and the baseboards are specatcular! I always find myself noticing the details of the house or set of a movie more than the story line at times...lol! Enjoy your three day weekend!

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  8. Very cozy but too dark for me..... Love the table but looks like it really belongs in the kitchen..... Flowers belong everywhere..... Love the woodwork too and the sideboard....... You need to watch the movie 'Practical Magic' as mentioned above.....the kitchen is to die for !!! Happy weekend...xoxo

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    1. I love Practical Magic's kitchen. I think it stuck in my mind since I watch the movie when I was young!

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  9. Happy Easter dear Magali!

    I like your dining room better, the "charmed" one is to dark, to crowded. But charming indeed.
    Many greetings to the cats and cottage!
    Sarah

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  10. The Victorian room is nice....but your cottage is so much more beautiful!!! Follow your heart.

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    1. Cottage and I agreed on something a little simpler, a little less Victorian ;)
      Magali

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  11. Very cozy but way to dark for me. I love lots of light in my dining, which I do have. I had wall paper, but when I changed my decor to Country French I had it taken down and painted the living & dining room a very light soft yellow. Waiting to see what you end up doing. I am sure that it will look terrific. I have liked everything that you have done so far,
    Happy Blessed Easter to you and yours.
    Mary

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  12. I knew that room even before you showed the house Magali! I think. it's charming, and I agree with the sideboard, a beautiful piece indeed! hope you have a Happy Easter!

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  13. i have never seen the show, but I too like looking at houses in shows.

    The room is lovely, but too dark for me.

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  14. I've never seen the show, but like the house. It's a lot like mine, except mine has painted trim. We have some flowery wallpaper that has kind of grown on me... we just moved in 5 months ago and I was going to paint but now I'm wondering if I need some rose wallpaper?

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  15. I'm terrible for looking at TV shows for inspiration, and my worst one to drool over is the home in 'Home Alone'! I love the homeliness and decor of the whole house. It's dated now but I suppose if I lived on my own that this would be what I would model my perfect house on :-) Have a wonderful Easter xx

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  16. It's a little old fashioned for my taste, but I do love the woodwork and the cozy feel of it, and the stained glass window is fabulous!

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  17. What's really bad is that two of the women, Holly Marie Combs and Shannon Dougherty (sp?) have their own reality show, maybe like that of like Nicole Ritchie and Paris Hilton. I have never it, though, and I don't plan to. I also have not watched the show you are talking about, but I enjoy seeing this dining room. I do like the flowered wallpaper, which many people would say is very dated, but I don't care. It's quaint and cozy. And, the baseboards. I think about those, too. The baseboards in some of today's houses are so insignificant! If/when we get a house and are going to redo it, I wonder if there are any rules about baseboards that I should know about? Also, how wide is the wood framing around doors supposed to be? So many details to fret over! I can't wait to hear about the window that almost wasn't. I hope that's the one!

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  18. Coucou Magali
    Moi j'aime beaucoup les appliques de la première photo ainsi que la chaise en bois, je cherche des chaises de ce type mais pour l'instant je n'ai pas trouvé mon bonheur
    Si tu recherches des vieux meubles sympa et au caractère ancien alors il faut que tu trouves un dépôt d'Emmaus, pour y être allée récemment avec ma fille car nous cherchions de vieilles porcelaines, j'ai vu des meubles à tomber, des buffets anciens magnifiques à repeindre ou laisser dans leur jus... et surtout à des prix défiant toute concurrence
    Je te souhaite un très bon week end de Pâques
    @ bientôt

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    1. On va être en concurrence alors, parce que moi aussi je cherche une chaise qui aurait un beau dossier en bois comme celle que l'on voit à côté de la cheminée!
      Bonne semaine!

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  19. Dear Magali, It's so funny that you would spotlight this house. I watched all of the episodes so that I could take a good like at the house. Even though they changed a few things in and out through the years, the pine and the baseboards all stayed the same. Beautiful and charming. The stair railing is gorgeous as well. Happy Easter! Jo

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  20. Love the raspberry red and pure white facade and Victorian touches on the exterior much better than the dated wallpaper and woody interior, although that long, farmhouse table is a winner. Absolutely no competition for Cottage!

    Happy Easter, Magali!

    Poppy

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  21. I love that you track down these pictures for us to enjoy Magali! I have never watched Charmed but if its on Netflix I just might have to. You are so right, baseboard can make or break a room!!!

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  22. Pour moi, c'est un petit peu trop fleuri sinon tout me va. J'aime bien les tables rectangulaires, celle que j'aimerais serait une table de couvent, très très longue & très étroite. J'aimerais pour mettre autour des chaises dépareillées, mais surtout il faudrait que ma maison ait les pièces beaucoup plus grandes.
    Je crois qu'on est jamais content de ce qu'on a.
    Ce matin je devais reprendre les vide greniers mais il pleuvait & j'avais peur de glisser avec le sol mouillé & je compromettre la guérison de mon genou.
    Quoiqu'il en soit pour toi, tu es en bonne compagnie.
    Bisous & caresses aux petits. Babette

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  23. Hi...i still watch charmed now an then..Love that that show..as well as the house..an the kick ass girls an leo is ok too..every room in that house is great but i do love the kitchen..small but oh so..charming =^)

    hope the rain clears out an you can get outside before the long weekend is over..at least there's only 4 days til it's back again this week..

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  24. I now watch TV in a new way - at the set designer's work and miss parts of the dialogue! I did love the house in the series. I never noticed they had actual dust on the baseboards when the mice (rats?) marched through. I love long rectangular tables - probably because I can only have small square ones.

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  25. It's certainly cosy and feminine but a little dark and definitely too mousy for me!!

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  26. I do not think it's possible to be too dark, flowery, and feminine for my taste. Not to say that I don't enjoy light, white, and feminine either, because I very much do, but I have a passion for dark, flowery, and cottagy as well which has never been quenched. If you like dark, flowery and feminine may I point out the Geraldine McEwan versions of Miss Marple? I have just discovered them, and am currently IN LOVE with this version of Miss Marple's cottage. I have watched this episode which shows us both the exterior and the interior of this epic cottage in the most extensive fashion of the series THREE TIMES in the last three days, and you KNOW I'm supposed to be doing other things right now. But the call of a really great cottage can not be ignored. Here's the address, in case you want to pop for it
    http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0073J5SOO/ref=dv_dp_ep2 I'm sorry I don't know how to insert a link here, but I guess you can copy and paste it. Anyway, I think it's brilliant and I adore it, and it's definitely dark and flowery and feminine. I have spent an inordinate about of time with the frame on freeze, staring at the wall paper. :)
    xoxo Sara Turkey Plate, Sara Marie, Emily Rose (and who knows how many other aliases!)

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  27. PS-Just in case that address doesn't work, it's episode two of season one, "Murder at the Vicarage" with Geraldine McEwan playing Miss Marple (there are a lot of Miss Marples, and they all have great cottages, but I'm bonkers about this one just at the moment).
    Also, I adore "Charmed" for that house, and also some of their clothes are pretty awesome, for example that top that the beautiful Alyssa Milano is wearing in the last picture is one I could do with!
    Sara

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  28. Well that cottage is pretty but i do like yours the best.I love to watch shows with old house so i can see the furniture pieces and the structural beauty.

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    1. Thanks a lot! Maybe you'd be interested in catching up with my other TV related posts. They can be found on the tab "TV show inspiration" under the title of the blog.

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  29. un peu trop fleuri pour une salle à manger... et pour tous les murs... mais j'adore les plinthes hautes et moulurées !! les meubles peints sont lumineux dans une cuisine ou une salle d'eau mais j'aime la chaleur des "tons bois" dans un séjour et comme j'ai une préférence pour les chaises en paille, leur coussin imprimé personnalise la déco... et ne craint pas le lave-linge contrairement aux chaises tissu - et oui, le buffet est trop trop beau !! bon début de semaine ! cordialement - monique59

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    1. Moi aussi, ces plinthes m'ont vraiment plu ! Les chaises en tissu, c'est superbe, mais impossible avec des chats qui refusent de s'essuyer les pattes en rentrant du jardin!
      Bonne semaine!

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  30. J'apprécie beaucoup les motifs floraux mais par touches seulement, là le papier peint c'est un peu trop pour moi... Le tout est certes cosy mais un peu trop sombre à mon goût. Mais au vu des photos que tu nous as montrées (trouvées sur Pinterest), je ne pense pas que tu partes sur cette voie-là...
    Bonne journée.
    Nathalie

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  31. Pour moi aussi c'est "too much" ! Mais j'aime beaucoup votre façon de regarder les séries !! ;-) Joyeuses Pâques, Flopsy

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  32. There are things I like about the room and things I don't. I like the floral wallpaper, but find the room a little dark. I don't like the chair floral with the wall floral together. I love the table and baseboards, and yes I would of noticed too, since I love architectural elements. I find the room warm and charming, but needs lightening up a bit.

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  33. I'm quite surprised your cats didn't get those mice! What were they doing??

    -andi

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  34. OMG! I always choose my TV shows by the decor, I thought I was the only one. Have you seen Once Upon A Time? I love love love Snow's house (and her wardrobe). There were some episodes where they walked in circles in a jungle and I completely lost interest, but now they are back in the pretty town :-)
    Amalia
    xo

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  35. Ooh, it's way too flowery for me and although I love the woodwork I would want to paint it all white, including the whole of the outside. It's a beautiful house though, I'd be very happy to own a house like that.

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  36. Je suis d'accord avec toi au sujet des plinthes: super important! Mais dis-moi: les souris sont aussi des actrices de cette série? L'ambiance très désuète qui transparait sur tes photos est tout à fait charmante mais je ne supporterais pas ça chez moi. Par contre super dans un B & B...

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