Blog Description

A French-Inspired Garden and Home by Judith Stringham

New Wood Chandelier for the Garden Shed

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

{Disclosure: If you purchase items from Botanic Bleu, I receive compensation for your purchase. See my Disclosure and Privacy Policy for more information.} 


A new wood chandelier in the garden shed was added above its sink by replacing the new chandelier's hardwired connections with a lamp plug-in cord. 

Summer is a great time for sprucing up the garden shed with both a new chandelier and fresh interior paint. Fresh paint is exciting, but not as exciting as a new chandelier. 



New wood chandelier for the garden shed converted to plug-in light
The ceiling in the garden shed/house is vaulted and has a ceiling fan / four-light fixture combination in the center of the room. While working at the sink along the wall, I had to work in my own shadow caused by my body being between the light source and the sink. 

A little creative thinking for installing a ceiling light above the sink was all it took to solve the working-in-a-shadow problem. 

French Country Pantry Makeover

Thursday, July 25, 2019

{Disclosure: If you purchase items from Botanic Bleu, I receive compensation for your purchase. See my Disclosure and Privacy Policy for more information.} 



While cleaning the pantry, a bad stain on the sheetrock made it obvious the pantry needed a makeover even though I already knew the pantry was getting a makeover. A French Country makeover . . .  with the perfect opportunity to add a beautiful blue and white toile wallpaper inside the pantry.  


Pantry with new toile wallpaper 

French Country Pantry Makeover with Seasons Toile Wallpaper in blue and white

Inspiration for a toile wallpapered pantry came from The French Nest Company interior designer on her Instagram account. Her colors and pattern are not what I used for my pantry, but seeing her French-style papered pantry sparked the idea to use a toile pattern in my pantry. 

3 Design Factors for Exterior Stairs

Saturday, July 20, 2019

{Disclosure: If you purchase items from Botanic Bleu, I receive compensation for your purchase. See my Disclosure and Privacy Policy for more information.} 


Tips for designing beautiful exterior wood stairs in the backyard to lead to a second floor storage area above the garage include design ideas for style, safety, and durability. 

If you have ever fallen down steep stairs, you know how important good design is to building stairs. Like all good designs, each of the three factors of style, safety, and durability is intertwined with the other two. Each decision for how to create the new stairs was based on all of these factors. 



3 design factors for exterior wood stairs include style, safety, and durability
Finished last winter, the stairs are beautiful to see from inside looking out through our dining room windows. 

French Country Early Summer Table Setting

Sunday, July 7, 2019

{Disclosure: If you purchase items from Botanic Bleu Square Market, I receive compensation for your purchase. See my Disclosure and Privacy Policy for more information.} 



An early summer table setting with beautiful French Country white enamel scroll flatware and pink peonies is one of my favorite table settings this year.   


French country early summer table setting with white dishes and pink peonies
Finding beautiful French country style white enamel flatware was quite by happenstance. Sometimes you can find the perfect pieces to complement existing china without intentionally searching for them.