I took this picture in the "Hall of Mirrors" last July ~ loved the candelabra and also the gorgeous mirrors.

This gorgeous chateau is Vaux le Vicomte ~ 1656-1661 ~ I took this picture when visiting Vaux in July last year. It is actually 17th century but I think set the precedent for the 18th century. " Vaux-le-Vicomte, Nicolas Fouquet's estate, the Lord high treasurer of Louis XIV, is, in the middle of the 17th century, one of the most modern and elegant masterpiece that none of the royal properties can yet compete with. Irritated by such ostentation, the young Sun King, condemned Fouquet to life imprisonment, and took from Vaux his inspiration to build Versailles." (Quote from Vaux-le-Vicomte brochure).

Obviously it didn't pay to outdo the King! However this stunning chateau is hauntingly beautiful and every summer they do a re-enactment of the party that Fouquet gave the King in 1661. I attended the Summer Candlelight Visit where they light 2000 candles within the chateau and there is a champagne bar in the gardens and an orchestra. One felt like one could have gone back in time..... It is interesting to think that if Fouquet had not created Vaux with the help of the architect Louis Le Vau, the painter Charles Le Brun and the gardener Andre Le Notre would Versailles have been born? All these men achieved great status with "the construction, decoration and gardens at Versailles" but were relatively unknown when Fouquet commisioned them for Vaux. Would history have been different?

strawberries and cream "fairy cakes"

with accompanying rose petals of course!

Another one of the bath!

I think Marie Antoinette would have liked this bath ~ it is a French slipper bath which I had custom painted in powder pink. I also teamed carrrara marble tiles and benchtops in this bathroom to create a very elegant 18th century style bathroom

Designers Guild bed definitely Marie Antoinette style!

This bed by Designers Guild is one of my favourites ~ it has a very Marie Antoinette style feel to it with the padded and buttoned head and end. Also, the gorgeous plush bedlinen and fat pillows.

I baked these cupcakes with my daughter Georgiana ~ we had great fun! I was wondering about the pronunciation of "Georgiana" in "The Duchess" film as it was pronounced as "Jor Jayna". My Georgiana was named after the Duchess of Devonshire and of course, "Miss Georgiana Darcy" of "Pride and Prejudice" and I believe it was pronounced in Regency times the same as it is today ~ so I am querying the authenticity of that pronunciation in the film. Was that how it would have been pronounced?

This is exquisite ~ imagine how much work was involved in creating these masterpieces. When I was at Versailles the tour guide commented that they very rarely washed their hair and that Marie Antoinette introduced regular bathing at the court of Versailles. Is this correct?

I love this image from the Marie Antoinette film - the fan is gorgeous as is the hat.

Hello World here comes M.A. the 2nd!

This is my first posting on my brand new blog site! I have a passion and an obsession for 18th century history, art, architecture and culture. I am an interior designer who would actually love to have been in the thick of interiors during this time. Vaux le Vicomte followed by Versailles are my loves and I would think being Charles le Brun's apprentice would be manner from heaven!

I am very new at this and very excited at finally being able to mix with like-minded souls. I have an affinity with the past particularly this period in history. I look forward with anticipation to the fun and frivolity of an 18th century repertoire!