My oh so chic French mother in law is in town.
Everyone thinks she is my sister.
My Belle Mere (Mother in Law, in English. Though literally Belle Mere means: Beautiful Mother.)
She is.
We went shopping for the Paris apartment's kitchen today.
We picked out cabinets, floor tiles, a counter top and all the appliances.
The kitchen cabinets are going to be made out of rough pine wood. Though they won't feel rough, just look like it. No drawer handles, a contemporary old look.
My Belle Mere saw them first and fell in love. Can you imagine how surprised I was that she liked these cabinets? Her kitchen is very modern. It is floor to ceiling bright yellow shellac.
It felt so good to have someone with me. Especially since we were seeing alike... maybe we are sisters?
The kitchen and bathroom floor are grey small stone square tiles, with a slightly lighter grey mortar. The stone tiles are about three inches x three inches, and they are uneven cut, unlike the photo shows. The floor board around the cabinets will be in inox. I held the three elements in place, while my belle mere got on her knees to take this photo.
Got on her knees, without holding on to anything! She is amazing at 83!!
I am the younger sister, even if I do not look it.
The counter top.
Well, I wanted to hug my Belle Mere when she exclaimed, "Oh this, this is it! What do you call this?"
"Concrete. Made to look like concrete. Fabulous." Three decisions made in a heartbeat.
I think I gotta have her by my side throughout the project.
Later at home I showed her the photo I took of an old shutter, "My color scheme is:
"Sand, pavement and slices of silver. What do you think?"
Giggling, "Oui Oui Oui!" was her reponse. I wonder if Yann is paying her to agree with me?
Tomorrow we are wiring the chandeliers I bought at the brocante.
I should say, "My older sister knows how to do the electric thing."
Next on the list is the bathroom. My Belle Mere said, "Old marble is best."
Wait until I show her the sink.
What project are you working on?
Love it! I can see where you are going and it's going to be a stunner!
Great tension between modern and antique and awesome textures.
Posted by: WR | 09 April 2013 at 11:47 PM
I love what you and Belle Mere chose, especially the flooring. OUI!!! This post made me giggle. I cannot imagine picking out house redo items with my Mom. We are opposites in every sense of the word. The apartment is going to be tres chic!
Posted by: Jeannie | 09 April 2013 at 11:47 PM
I'm terrible at making decisions of that nature. What a boon to have your Belle Mere with you and to be in agreement as well! Good for her that she is so able to take photos on the floor; I think she might be my sister too!
Love all the decisions you've made so far and can't wait to see the pictures once they are installed.
Posted by: Star | 09 April 2013 at 11:53 PM
Everything looks wonderful! It's going to be so beautiful!
I think those colors are somewhat similar to the ones I'm presently using. I'm working on a bracelet, pendant and earrings for my sister-in-law to wear for her son's wedding. She is wearing a gorgeous gray, hematite colored beaded dress. She didn't like how dark the dress was for a May wedding, so I put shades of silver, hematite and bronzy gold together.The colors looked beautiful together. Lots of crystals, pearls. She loved the color combo and it looks great with the dress.
Can't wait to see your finished apartment.
Posted by: Becky F | 10 April 2013 at 12:05 AM
I can't wait to see the progress... love this part of a project!
Posted by: Nancy in Solana Beach | 10 April 2013 at 12:13 AM
Well, she also has beautiful blonde hair like you!
I love what you two have picked out for the apartment.
Posted by: martina | 10 April 2013 at 12:35 AM
A woman of taste and style just like you!! I love that you two are on the same wavelength and are having fun on this project together, so much easier to make quick design decisions. Your relationship has come so far and this must make you both very happy. Looking forward to more of your Paris apartment shopping expeditions!! I bet she loved your new painting of the beautiful bubble girl.
Posted by: Leigh NZ | 10 April 2013 at 12:54 AM
Yes, so nice to have help with these kinds of decisions--an added bonus, if Yann questions any of your decisions you can say it was his mother's idea.
Posted by: kathleen in OR | 10 April 2013 at 01:03 AM
OH wow, perfect timing, to see your choices for the Paris Apt. Kitchen, I love it....I love the concrete look, we have lots of cinder block houses here on the coast with original terrazzo flooring....great for the sand we track in all the time.... and they have withstood so many hurricanes.....yall's color combo I love too! How fun is this and to share a great day with your Belle Mere (another new word for me)....... :-))) XO
Posted by: Suzanna | 10 April 2013 at 01:16 AM
Oh my, I kept reading further, Old Marble, sublime ~ XO
Posted by: Suzanna | 10 April 2013 at 01:17 AM
So glad that you two are having a good time :)
Projects: current sermon, knitting a pair of socks, and knitting a sweater for a project that will send sweaters to girls starting school in Afghanistan.
Posted by: Bev S. | 10 April 2013 at 01:31 AM
THAT'S YOUR MOTHER-IN-LAW???????? No way. the side shot appears as if she was in her 50's. if she 83,then i am 115. her hair is even perfect. Bestest
Posted by: Denise Solsrud | 10 April 2013 at 01:36 AM
Oh, your Belle Mere is "formidable"!!
Love all the choices the two of you have made, and specially admire French women with strong opinions -- they are always right in my experience!
Posted by: monika | 10 April 2013 at 02:41 AM
Beautiful!
I am planting some california native plants in my yard. I started with a few plants in the fall and am gradually adding a few more.
Posted by: pattyg | 10 April 2013 at 02:42 AM
Corey, I love all the stuff you are choosing for your new apartment in PARIS. It is going to be beautiful. Your mother in law looks stunning, can she give us a lesson on how to be young forever?
BTW, I am so glad that Annie is fine, you gave me a scare yesterday.
All is well.
Posted by: Alena | 10 April 2013 at 03:33 AM
It is going to be gorgeous! How lovely to have your "sister" to share in the shopping experience. No projects yet, need to do my bookkeeping, then onto some sewing projects.
Posted by: Marilyn | 10 April 2013 at 03:34 AM
The apartment is looking fab so far.
Such fun !
My project:
I am just finishing up painting
the cupboards in the guest bath.
Black chalk paint with a waxed finish.
Looking quite nice with all the
black and white photos of
the Eiffel Tower.
Posted by: Janet with Eiffel | 10 April 2013 at 03:51 AM
So sweet you two shopping and choosing together. This is the way it should be...priceless.
Posted by: Rhonda | 10 April 2013 at 05:04 AM
O.M.Gorgeous!
Love the finish on the cabinets and the tiles.
I'd love to see your MIL's yellow kitchen - sounds fab!
MIL and DIL relationships are funny old things aren't they? You are thrust together at first whether you like it or not - sometimes things stay prickly forever. Other times they shift and shape into an appreciation of one another and something to be valued. I guess it's one of those challenge/reward things that life throws at us.
Posted by: head in the sun | 10 April 2013 at 06:08 AM
we are building a sunroom, and battling city hall so the building is sill in the preliminary stages, and of course the weather decided to turn warn, cant wait for all the delays to be over as time marches on !!!! and at this pace it maybe fall before it is done!!!!
How nice to have your Belle Mere willing to help, all the choices look lovely.
Posted by: annie vanderven | 10 April 2013 at 06:57 AM
i am in love with you and your mother in law's choices. i am impressed w/ her sense of what is historic parisien and at the same time very contemporary industrial appearance which is popular in california.
anxious to see the next few stages. xoxo
Posted by: Lana Kloch | 10 April 2013 at 07:31 AM
Oh, how I love that sink! Andyour mother-in-law! I wish she were here to help me with the two master bathrooms that we are remodeling. That woman has a keen eye! You are blest in many ways in the family department
Posted by: Chico Sue | 10 April 2013 at 07:38 AM
Such activities unite me with my Viking mother-in-law. But when it comes to personal advice concerning us and grandchildren, she transforms into her self proclaimed title of "mother-outlaw!
Posted by: jend'isère | 10 April 2013 at 08:11 AM
outlaw! lol, love it Jend'isere!
Posted by: French la Vie | 10 April 2013 at 08:16 AM
Hi Chico Sue
I'll send her over, she LOVES to help and can do anything and everything: Sew, electricity, wallpapering, cooking, minor construction... Endless!
Posted by: French la Vie | 10 April 2013 at 08:18 AM
Head in the Sun
So so true.
After years of prickly, something amazing bloomed.
Posted by: French la Vie | 10 April 2013 at 08:20 AM
Janet with Eiffel, I love your name. Love how you added Eiffel so I could remember! Very clever. I am curious about the waxed chalkboard effect. Do you have a photo?
Posted by: French la Vie | 10 April 2013 at 08:22 AM
Becky do you have a photo? Is it like the amazing bracelet you made me? Readers Becky's wire and bead work is stunning. If she had a link I would add it!
Posted by: French la Vie | 10 April 2013 at 08:26 AM
I am working on three projects for clients, yours sounds exciting + so does your adorable mother-in-law. Happy hunting to the two of you. xxpeggybraswelldesign.com
Posted by: Peggy Braswell | 10 April 2013 at 08:49 AM
Looks stunning so far - wonderful that you two can shop together like sisters! My current project is regrouting our ceramic tile countertop in the kitchen in our medieval house. Bonne continuation!
Posted by: 24/7 in France | 10 April 2013 at 09:34 AM
I agree with "head in the sun" DIL and MIL relationships are funny old things. You seem to have fine tuned yours. Can't wait to visit the tres chic Paris apartment. My current project is working in my rose garden which is about to be in bloomapalooza!!!!! My other huge project is to stage my parents' home to sell. Sad but time to move on.
Posted by: TEXAS FRANCOPHILE | 10 April 2013 at 12:42 PM
I love that sink!!!!! You posted it for the first time the day I saw my new bathroom done. It came out way more modern than I planned! Why don't u send it over here??!!
Posted by: Dd | 10 April 2013 at 01:32 PM
Love your selections. If you can believe it, Corey, I am still trying to finish my kitchen renovation. I started it when you were working on your kitchen years ago (can't remember - was that 5 years ago?).
Your belle mere is amazing!
Posted by: Debra | 10 April 2013 at 03:40 PM
What a lovely woman, and it must be so nice to have a partner for your project.
The apartment is going to be incredible. Cannot wait to see "after" pics.
Di
Posted by: Di | 10 April 2013 at 05:10 PM
What a successful day! Your M-I-L is darling...nice to have someone to help make the selections for your apartment. I am currently packing for a two week trip to Italy, including art supplies for my visual journal, and camera gear! Nothing like new sights to fuel one's creativity! Ciao' Corey!
Posted by: Karen Carson | 10 April 2013 at 05:26 PM
Hi Corey,
I'll send a photo after I have completed the pieces. Her dress has a 1920s/art deco looks to it. So these pieces have a much more structured, geometric look to them.
Posted by: Becky F | 10 April 2013 at 08:43 PM