Room Refresh: A French Style Chair and a Spring Mantel
In this post: Sometimes it just takes one new piece to make an impact in a room. This French style chair adds a note of authority to the fireside, while the mantel is dressed for spring.
Are you one of those people who has a room decorated from top to bottom in one go?
If you use a decorator perhaps that’s the case, but even then, you likely add your own personal stamp as time passes.
But for most of us, the evolution of our rooms is a process that plays out over many years, maturing along with the unfolding of our lives. The functionality of the space and our life experiences inform our choices and influence the progression of our homes.
And for some of us, that process is half the fun!
So just last week, a lovely new piece of furniture came to join us in my home. I’ve had my eye on it for quite some time and so I was delighted to work with my sponsor, Soft Surroundings, on this post. I knew exactly what I wanted to choose from among their beautiful pieces.
The French style chair is called the Fontaine Wingback Chair and it was inspired by a 19th century chair found at a market in Avignon, France. It’s a lovely mix of tufted and curvaceous elegance with deconstructed rugged detailing. The exposed frame, textured burlap back and tufted threads add to the vintage feel.
I originally wanted this chair for my son’s bedroom, but when the chair was delivered and I saw how beautiful it was, I thought it would look perfect next to our fireplace. I hadn’t intended to replace the bergère chair that usually sat there, but this is how things in a home come to evolve.
SUBSCRIBE AND GET my free guide:
“20 Ways to Update Your Home for Your Changing Lifestyle”!
And since I was eager to decorate the mantel for spring, I knew it was a great time to test the chair out in this spot. It lends a certain gravitas to the space, stately and grand, albeit sinewy and pale.
Time will tell if I will leave it in this corner or bring it upstairs to lend authority to the bedroom. For now, the bergère was moved upstairs and the delicate chair that was there was moved down into the study. I’m feeling like everything found a new and better home, just from the introduction of this one new piece.
The mantel was draped in fresh greenery, with white hydrangea, blush hyacinths and fuchsia ranunculus layered in. The stems were left long are tucked behind the clock, where their ends are wrapped in water soaked paper towels. They won’t last very long presented this way, but for an evening of entertaining they look lovely up there, and can be moved to awaiting vases when the time is right.
On a stack of books on the nearby coffee table, rests a ceramic peony fragrance diffuser with an intoxicating home fragrance in the aged glass vessel.
Our family room has undergone many updates, surprising given the short time we’ve lived here, but it’s finally emerging as the room I had dreamed of. When I look back at pictures from only a year ago, I realize just how far it’s come.
Yep, the process is half the fun!
Resource Guide
To get the look, click on the items below for direct links to the products. Where actual items were no longer available, I’ve provided similar options. If an item is out of stock but may be restocked, I left it on the list.
(This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.)
That chair is perfect in that spot!
I love your new chair. It’s stylish but comfy, cozy. Your mantel is very romantic with all the beautiful flowers. How do you get your flowers to last more than a day or two?
For myself though, I would want it fully tailored. The deconstructed look is not one I embraced. A similar chair would be perfect in my bedroom which I’ve decorated in creams.