Tuesday, August 11, 2009

A pinch of brocante

Michaela used the image yesterday of a blog post being like a recipe. I gave you the main ingredients of our holiday in my last post, so here is her 'pinch of brocante' to finish off the dish!Really, as I said, it's just vintage-style troc, not the real broc thing, but part of it is visible in this breakfast scene - I bet you won't spot it!
Here it is, back at home, and somewhat more civilised...
It's a little folding table - Ben fancied one for our terrace, to hold the breakfast essentials like the toaster and coffee machine. He and I looked at them new and second hand, and agreed that folding tables are rather pricey - 10 euros would be a good deal.
In the Troc Shop near our campsite, I found this red folding table, plus two rather comfortable folding armchairs, for the desired price - 10 euros including the chairs! All French...
In the same Troc Shop were two embroidered cushions in boutis.
They are new, but boutis is the top-most-desirable French brocante fabric - it's the Provencal quilting which you can see on this close-up, and on the small boutis quilt below the cushion.
Boutis is pretty much essential in every vintage French photoshoot. These pages from Campagne Decoration magazine show you how it goes...
Boutis on the daybed and on the grass...
Boutis as a tablecloth..?
It looks lovely but I'm not risking mine like that. Even though it's all new and machine-sewn, it can stay on the spare bed.
So what do you think are the English-language equivalents of boutis, the things that any self-respecting vintage magazine shoot wouldn't be without? Do they vary according to country? Let me know what you think - and a special hello to my newer followers - it would be lovely to hear from you too!

8 comments:

Cal said...

Thanks for your concern Floss. Will do. And thanks for sharing all these pics. Boutis looks lovely.

Cal x

Michela said...

Glad to have inspired you another post's title!Many thanks!
Those little wooden fishes are so cute!
I've got something looking like your boutis onto my bed, but it's not so precious!
Great finds! In my family, we usually bring back from holidays local food..

Hen said...

Lovely photos. Hmm, I think a vintage floral/paisley eiderdown is pretty much de rigeur over here, "Stanley" type dogs are popular too as are caravans, being either vintage/gypsy/shepherd's hut and Morris Minor cars. A few dahlias/sweet peas/english roses might poke their way in! Oh, and how could I forget bunting! (And the Union Jack) (and vintage floral paintings!) I must stop now..
Well done on your finds.
Hen x

silverpebble said...

I think the current essentials are enamelware, vintage floral linens and crockery (like Burleighware), something bright and mismatched - like a 'harlequin' set of vibrant glass tumblers and seaside-y interiors - deckchair stripes, pale painted floors and pebbles. Phew!

Elizabethd said...

Oh, (sighing,) I do love Boutis, particularly the old ones, if you can ever find them.

Lululiz said...

Oh well done on finding those very pretty cushions, I love them! I think the closest thing to a boutis quilt would be a durham quilt over here, which usually is a wholecloth quilt with the most intricate designs all over ( ahem, I may have one or two ). Some are a solid colour one side, and a floral pattern wholecloth on the other side, others are solid, but different colours on both sides.

Debbies-English-Treasures said...

I TO AM IN L.O.V.E WITH YOUR CUSHIONS!
WELL SPOTTED!!!
THANKS FOR THE LOVELY AND INSPIRING MAGAZINES CLIPS!
DEBBIE MOSS
(ENGLAND)

Mami said...

thank you for sharing about boutis.Lovely quilting with nice detail embriderry.