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Sourcing direct antique French oak flooring and hand-finished antiqued French oak floors in chevron, herringbone and parquet de Versailles patterns cherished for luxury home interiors. Curated collection of French reclaimed terra cotta tiles salvaged from old French farmhouses, antique French limestone flooring from old chateaux, and antique Belgian bluestone from 18th churches add significant value to carriage houses, brownstones, English manor and country house interiors. Specialize in antique Delft tile
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  • Reclaimed and Antiqued French Oak Floors 
    • Antiqued French Oak Flooring - The Olde Oak Collection
    • Antiqued French Oak Flooring - The Great House Collection
    • Antiqued French Oak Flooring - The Country House Collection
    • Antiqued French Oak Flooring - The Elegant Farmhouse Collection
    • 18th Century French Reclaimed Flooring
  • Antique and Aged French Limestone & Belgian Bluestone Floors 
    • Aged French Limestone Flooring and Antiqued Belgian Bluestone Flooring
    • Antique French Limestone, Antique Belgian Bluestone & Antique English Limestone Floors
  • Antiqued Delft Tile & Decorative Wall Tile Collections 
    • Dutch Blue 17th Century Antiqued Delft Tile Collection
    • French Provincial 19th Century Cuisine de Monet Wall Tile Collection
    • l'Art de Fez Authentic Hand Cut Zellige Tile Collection
    • Carriage House 14th Century English Encaustic Wall Tile Collection
    • On the Road to Florence 16th Century Italian Decorative Wall Tile Collection
    • Gardens in the Cloister 16th Century French Encaustic Decorative Wall Tile Collection
    • HDM's Glazed White Ceramic 3" x 6" and 6" x 12" Subway Tile
  • French Reclaimed Terra Cotta Tile and Belgian Brick 
    • French & Belgian Reclaimed Brick & Terra Cotta Tile Flooring, Antique Clay Roofing Tiles
    • Italian Terra Cotta Tile Wall & Floor Collection
  • Master Crafted Antiqued Solid Wood Doors
  • A Small Production Antiqued Cement Tile Collection
  • Antique Limestone Trough Sinks
  • Poterie d'Anduze French Ceramic Glazed Vases
  • One-of-a-Kind Lots
  • Country

  • Home
  • Reclaimed and Antiqued French Oak Floors 
    • Antiqued French Oak Flooring - The Olde Oak Collection
    • Antiqued French Oak Flooring - The Great House Collection
    • Antiqued French Oak Flooring - The Country House Collection
    • Antiqued French Oak Flooring - The Elegant Farmhouse Collection
    • 18th Century French Reclaimed Flooring
  • Antique and Aged French Limestone & Belgian Bluestone Floors 
    • Aged French Limestone Flooring and Antiqued Belgian Bluestone Flooring
    • Antique French Limestone, Antique Belgian Bluestone & Antique English Limestone Floors
  • Antiqued Delft Tile & Decorative Wall Tile Collections 
    • Dutch Blue 17th Century Antiqued Delft Tile Collection
    • French Provincial 19th Century Cuisine de Monet Wall Tile Collection
    • l'Art de Fez Authentic Hand Cut Zellige Tile Collection
    • Carriage House 14th Century English Encaustic Wall Tile Collection
    • On the Road to Florence 16th Century Italian Decorative Wall Tile Collection
    • Gardens in the Cloister 16th Century French Encaustic Decorative Wall Tile Collection
    • HDM's Glazed White Ceramic 3" x 6" and 6" x 12" Subway Tile
  • French Reclaimed Terra Cotta Tile and Belgian Brick 
    • French & Belgian Reclaimed Brick & Terra Cotta Tile Flooring, Antique Clay Roofing Tiles
    • Italian Terra Cotta Tile Wall & Floor Collection
  • Master Crafted Antiqued Solid Wood Doors
  • A Small Production Antiqued Cement Tile Collection
  • Antique Limestone Trough Sinks
  • Poterie d'Anduze French Ceramic Glazed Vases
  • One-of-a-Kind Lots
  • Country

Meanderings of Our Authentic Life

Inspirations from Our Summer in Provence

September 04, 2016

A trip to Provence, François' birthplace

The inspiration for this blog - as seen from it's title - came easily to me since we just returned from Francois' birthplace, Apt, France in Provence.  As an  American - I partly define myself as a Francophile. I was a French high school teacher - but beyond that - the French language always holds a passion for me.  The words do fall from my tongue. I finally understand more nuances than during my college years studying l'imparfait.  

Married to a Frenchman for nearly 17 years - I still have not accomplished the upside down smile - although my daughter has.  The standards and exactitude of the French cultural when it comes to food, beauty, architecture - it's all very real.  We can spend upwards of 15 minutes discussing what is the perfect angle to slice un gâteau that has an irregular form.  Sentences like, "ce n'etait pas mauvais" discussing the cake afterward - the most amazing cake I have yet to experience...was qualified as, "it was not bad".  This is exactitude.  This means that surely someone else somewhere can make a more delicious and more beautiful cake.  The bar is always that high.  Maybe unachievable...

Circling back to my life - Pavé, François...we always search to perfect our products. We see the standard of beauty in our minds...we know it exists...we want to reach that high. So we follow our passions...our instincts....and we get inspired from our summers in Provence.
Summers in Provence French Limestone pavers
If I could only pack away the light of Provence in a magic box...and open it during cold New England days...

Walking in Provence - in small villages like Oppedette, Viens, Vachères, Céreste is the most favorite and crucial "loisir" François and I do when we are in Provence.  We take it in - most times in silence...the beauty leaves us speechless.

Oppedette, France French Limestone

Endless inspiration...did this mason realize the depth and breath of beauty he was creating so long ago...using materials of the region...the "humble" French limestone from Provence? 

Summers in Provence Antique French Limestone Building Materials

This door left both François and I, "bouches bés"...meaning speechless..........

Summers in Provence Harvesting Lavender

After a long day in the lavender fields with François' cousin, Olivier - François returned that evening smelling like Provence and sleeping like a baby...

Summers in Provence Marché d'Apt

Saturday mornings and never do we miss le Marché d'Apt.

 les melons de Cavaillon

Those famous melons de Cavaillon...François' mother serves them cut in half, seeds scooped out and replaced by Porto and a spoon.

Marché d'Apt, France

Where's François?

Le Marché d'Apt

Hum...what to cook tonight?

Le Marché d'Apt

Les fruits de Provence...je me régale...

Le Marché d'Apt

Merci, Monsieur!  Quel bon pain!

Le Marché d'Apt

This was just one of a dozen's of cheese stands...but it looks like a professional photo shoot. 

Summers in Provence Le Mistral

Le Mistral as seen through my daughter's hair...Viens, France

This last photo is my favorite.  It invokes all that is important to me.  My family and life's simple pleasures - like our walks.  The extent of this beauty before us...I am still in awe. As my mind circles back to Pavé and Historic Decorative Materials - I realize I will forever be running after this bar...achievements of beauty before my eyes that may only be created and found in the Heavens....

Thank you for your time.  Sincerely - I know it's limited.

Emmi Micallef

Co-owner Historic Decorative Materials, a division of Pavé Tile, Wood & Stone, Inc.

 



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