Hallway Interior : Modern French Vintage

Hallway Style

 Following on from decorating my bathroom (see Bathroom Interior), I've moved onto the hallway and I've just finished. Again, I've kept the style calm, fresh and quirky - my 'Modern French Vintage' style.

 I also posted some shots on my Instagram account : @opulentscrawls

Padded Linen White Wallpaper: Koziel @ Rockett St George
Bespoke Mirror: Joby Woodhouse
Antelope Heads: SIA
'Wey' Frame: Habitat
Vintage Vogue covers: Broadway Market
Large Vase & Orchids: Habitat
Horseshoe: Trekehners Can Jump
Owl Bookends: Laura Ashley
Pearced Book (on Shelf): Pearced Book Blog / Amazon

Stay : L'Hermitage Gantois, Lille, France

A unique, charming hotel 

I recently stayed at L'Hermitage Gantois in Lille, France. It's a charming hotel in a converted hospice, dating from 1664.

 More photos and full review can be seen in the 'Stay : Hotel Reviews' section of this blog, or by clicking here

Instagram : The last month

Photo update

I realize it's been a month since I've posted - it's been busy. This is what I've been up to:

 L-R: Damien Hirst at The Belvedere, Holland Park; Sunday outfit - A new Tom Ford pocket square and Louis Vuitton Electric boots; Patum Peperium 'The Gentleman's Relish' Ltd Ed porcelain cases at Partridges; Food Heaven at The Belvedere, Holland Park

 L-R: Snowy Days on my Vespa; Snowy Rooftops - A view from my apartment; Goyard on Mount Street - My new shopping destination street; Cable Knit - A new deep green cable knit with toggles from Joules

 L-R: Boulevard - in Paris for trade fairs, watching the sunset from the hotel; Folies Bergere - Stumbling across Art Deco Icons whilst shopping in Paris; Desert Retreat - Some relaxing time at Qasr Al Sarab, Liwa Desert, UAE; Dune Bashing - some adrenaline driving in the desert

 Follow me on Instagram : @opulentscrawls

 http://instagram.com/opulentscrawls

Bathroom Interior : Modern French Vintage

Bathroom Style

 I've just finished decorating the bathroom. I wanted to keep the look modern, but still calm, fresh and quirky.  I've called this style 'Modern French Vintage'.

 Originally inspired by the bathroom at 'Majeka House' in South Africa, and then further by the clean, modern vintage look seen in hotels like '20 Degree Sud' in Mauritius and 'The Jalousie Plantation' in St.Lucia.

Wallpaper : Cole and Son 'Flamingos / Contemporary Restyled'
Tiles : Topps Tiles 'Metro'
Lantern : Oliver Bonas
Candles : Sandy Bay @ QVC
Mirror : Cooke & Lewis Lozenge Cabinet
Porcelain Apothecary Jars : 'Brissi' on Westbourne Grove

 Bathroom: Before & After

Louis Vuitton's Writing Room

Writing Collection : Louis Vuitton

After re-inventing the art of travel, Louis Vuitton have turned their hand to re-vitalizing the art of writing, a refreshing change in this current technology obsessed day. The label announced a new writing collection inspired by literary greats and their own heritage of trunk closures.
 I'm obsessed by this Louis Vuitton envelope with embossed detailing:

In the Louis Vuitton writing collection, notebooks and paper products feature alongside luxury pens & pencils, including small trunks to hold your writing equipment.
 The collection launches at Louis Vuitton's writing room : 'Le Cabinet d'Ecriture Louis Vuitton', a pop up shop at 6 Place Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris, France on December 13 2012.

Louis Vuitton : Website

Must try : Champagne

Newly discovered Champagne

 Discovering some new Champagnes; 'Beau Joie' - a copper armor clad bottle of a Champagne, and the new trend of White label Champagnes - 'Moet & Chandon Ice Imperial' and 'Lanson White label'.

'Beau Joie' is a relatively newly launched Champagne, and yes it's mainly about the show off bottle; a copper wrap that is claimed to keep the Champagne cool out of an ice bucket, but really I think it just looks incredible.

 On the actual Champagne side, it is a 'grower' Champagne, and a 'zero dosage', both of which are emerging trends in the Champagne market (as I discovered at 'Battleground Champagne')

The other emerging trend is the new 'White Label' -
 Moet & Chandon were first of the mark with 'Moet & Chandon Ice Imperial' designed to be drunk over ice from a balloon glass. Exclusively available poolside, so I've yet to find this in a shop
 'Lanson White Label' is described as fresh, zesty and refreshing - a more informal style of Champagne, again recommended to be served in a wine glass rather than a flute, it's more suitable for day drinking (I like!) and ideal for the addition of fruit, to further enhance the flavors.

 Hopefully I'll write more when I've tried them!

Links:
Beau Joie Champagne
Moet & Chandon
House of Lanson

Tea Tuesday : (Well, Coffee today...)

Coffee : Poker Chips Espresso set

 A change from the normal 'Tea Tuesday', today it's coffee. An Espresso in a Poker Chip set that I purchased in a beautiful interiors boutique in Mauritius.

 The set is by 'Bruno Evrard Création', a French family company specializing in the creation of 'arts of the table'.

Espresso Set : Bruno Evrard Création

Construct : Cocktail Sunday

Cocktail Sunday : Classic Champagne Cocktail

 A simple, yet elegant and impressive cocktail - that depends purely on it's ingredients. Champagne, A sugar cube and Bitters.

 An elegant Champagne I discovered whilst in France : Canard Duchêne - Grand Cuvée Le Victorieux - Charles VII. An impressive bottle; a complex, refined and elegant Champagne.

 
 Bitters: A great travel kit to ensure perfect cocktails on your travels, containing 5 different bitters. I used 'Jerry Thomas Bitters' - these bitters reveal citrus and dried fruit aromas which unite with the spicy flavors of cloves, angostura bark and cinnamon.

 Classic champagne cocktail recipe in 'Make - Guides & Recipes'

 Champagne
 Website : Canard Duchêne 
 Bitters
 Website : The Bitter Truth
 Stockists
 Website : Selfridges
 

French Manors

Chateau de Montreuil

Hotel & restaurant in historical town

 'Chateau de Montreuil' is a charming hotel and restaurant in Montreuil Sur Mer.
 Once the country retreat of the Rothschild family, this manor house now combines English charm with Fine French dining, all within a stones throw of the Channel Tunnel.
 Take lunch outside on the terrace, next to the small pool, with views down the lawn towards another majestic french manor full of faded grandeur.
 After a relaxing lunch of typically gourmet French food  - you can take a stroll around the town ramparts and visit some of the interesting vintage shops scattered around town.

Chateau de Montreuil
4, Chaussee des Capucins,
62170 Montreuil
France
http://www.chateaudemontreuil.com/