Beautiful Interiors ..... French Style!

Beautiful Interiors of The Ritz Hotel in Paris .... this is the gorgeous sitting room before entry into the breakfast room .... the chandelier and the gilded bergere chairs ....

I took these photographs three years ago when we were in Paris and I still remember the magnificence of the hotel ... it was stunning.  Our room had a gorgeous marble fireplace with an ormolu clock sitting atop.  I remember picking these flowers from the flower markets near Madeleine Chapel ....notice the delectable Laduree boxes that I had bought that day!!!  I have more of The Ritz but I think I will save them for another day as I want to show you this ...

These beautiful interiors are from an apartment we stayed in after our time at Versailles.  I had researched and found this one at Guest Services Apartments on Ile St. Louis, one of two small islands in the middle of Paris in the Seine.  Ile St. Louis is considered to be the old or original part of Paris and where the aristocracy in the 16th and 17th century had their townhouses.  The island is named after King Louis the 14th of France "Saint-Louis".  The apartment we stayed in dated to the 17th century and was absolutely amazing.  We had two balconies overlooking the Seine and the back of Notredame Cathedral. 

The French doors leading to the kitchen and dining room ....

Gorgeous antiques filled the apartment with walnut inlay on the dining room table and Louis 16th style painted dining chairs .... it was a pleasure setting this table for dinner....

The main bedroom was called the Marie Antoinette room and the parquet flooring is all original and the squeak as you walked on them reminded of the age of the building that enveloped us!  The patina of the flooring was exquisite .....

Notice the gorgeous corbels and architectural detailing ... and acanthus leaves.  The grey with the white detailing was perfect with the classical cornice ....

Preparing dinner .... it was an amazing stay!

Then thinking of architectural detailing and mouldings and plaster reliefs I remembered the photos I took at Petite Trianon .....

Notice the fruit in the urn and all the gorgeous scrollwork ....

I love decorative rosettes and the border of the acanthus leaf ...

The exterior of "Le Petite Trianon" ....

Le Petite Trianon was owned by King Louis 15th and after he died of smallpox his grandson, Louis 16th who ascended the thrown, gave the estate to Marie Antoinette.  The Queen actually maintained much of the interior design by Gabriel, but did replace the staircase (above) with her gilding and black iron and her monogram.

I absolutely love this shot of the "blue doors" with the royal coat of arms and Louis the 14th's emblem of the "Sun King".  I think these doors opened onto the music salon ......

Georgiana and I outside the Domaine de Marie~Antoinette ..... this is three years ago and I can't believe how little Georgie is ....

Georgiana and I at dinner at Gordon Ramsay's Restaurant au Trianon .... after the Petite Trianon this was the perfect end to a perfect day .... I have more photos to show you and this is just the beginning as we are going back in June and I always feel as excited as I was the first time I set foot on French soil .... it has a magic that completely entrances you ......

I would just also like to thank the "Decorating Forum" for asking me to be their guest blogger for this week.  Thank-you so very much and especially to Julie-Ann for the honour and pleasure of sharing my blog with you all. I do hope you enjoy it ..... go to the Decorating Forum on http://www.decoratingforum.com.au/

best wishes M.A. the 2nd!