Today, I’m sharing the living room in our new home as well as one of my favorite pieces, an old church board from France.
There’s one item in our home that I get lots of questions about, and that’s the antique French church board. Every time it’s shown in photos, I will get several emails inquiring about it. What is it? Where did it come from? Do you want to sell it?
So, today, I thought I would share some photos of the living room in our new home, and also tell you a little bit about this rare piece that just happens to be one of my most cherished pieces.
Looking into the living room from the dining room.
Our living room is bright and sunny on most days with a large bank of windows looking over the back yard. It has high ceilings, hardwood floors, fireplace, and gorgeous crown moulding, which are all details that I love.
The architectural details, such as the pair of columns framing the opening to the dining room, are some of my favorites.
I’m not a huge fan of open concept designs, and while this home does have a partial open concept floor plan, it’s not totally open. It still has plenty of walls to define the spaces, and lots of walls for decorating.
Looking from the breakfast room.
One of my most cherished pieces is this antique French church board. Every time it shows up in photos, I get lots of questions about it. It definitely gets lots of attention whenever someone visits, and it tells a story all on it’s own.
I found the board many years ago at my favorite monthly estate sale.
It had been imported from France and dated to circa 1860, and originally, it had been the attendance board in a French Catholic orphanage.
In faded letters at the top of the board is “Enfants de Marie” which translates to Mary’s Children.
When I found it at the estate sale, I literally couldn’t walk away from it, and knew that it had to come home with me.
It’s painted in beautiful French blue with red accents and gilded in gorgeous gold leaf. It had become very worn over the last century with lots of chipping and wear, but that only attracted me more.
The one thing that spoke to me about this piece more than anything else, was the small slips of paper that the nun’s had written the children’s names on.
The slips of paper are very fragile and oh, so sweet.
The piece hanging at the top of the board is not original. It’s a salvaged pediment from a Station of The Cross that I found in Florida a few years ago.
I’ve had so many people ask if I would sell it, but it’s not something that I think I could ever part with.
It’s definitely a one of a kind piece and I doubt that I will ever find anything similar.
The living room, as well as all of the rooms, is a work in progress. It’s far from finished, and will evolve a few more times I’m sure before I’m done. I’m looking for a large sideboard to place on the wall below the church board, so what you see there now will be moved to another location at some point.
Above the fireplace is a vintage Italian Florentine mirror with Florentine sconces on each side, and on the mantle are a trio of metal wreaths on stands.
To the right of the fireplace is a large French armoire that I purchased a year ago from a friend of mine. He is a passionate collector of all things French, and I was able to buy a few beautiful pieces from him when he was downsizing. The armoire is gorgeous with it’s original blue and gray paint. It was perfect to hide the tv in.
A new piece that I found a few months ago is the large angel on the left. You might have already guessed it, but yes, I found her at the monthly estate sale that I always attend in Mobile, AL.
She has such a great weathered finish from years spent out in the elements. She stands on an old gilded architectural pedestal that I found about 20 years ago.
The Louis XV wing chairs sit in front of the windows with an antique lyre game table in between that belonged to my precious mother in law.
I just realized you can see Miss RubyLou’s tennis ball in the corner! Oh well, it’s just a sign that we do live here!
I love decorating with antiques and vintage items. They can bring such a sense of history to your home, and a “collected over time” feel”. Everything in this photo is vintage or antique picked up at various estate sales or antique markets.
The candelabra sconces flanking the church board are from an antique market in Florida. They came out of a Catholic Church that had closed and I love the milk glass lilies that are on each one. As you can tell, I have a soft spot for religious pieces.
This next view is looking from our entryway toward the back door with the breakfast room on the right. I love the wide crown moulding, and I’m so glad that I won’t have to add it to this room like we did in our last home.
I have plans to paint the walls and the crown moulding and I’ve been looking at paint colors. I’m still drawn to the colors we used in our previous home, and I may end up using them again.
The only other planned changes in the living room are to add window treatments, and replace the ceiling fan with a pretty French style chandelier.
We’ve taken the last few months to settle in before we start tackling projects, but I’m getting anxious to start painting walls and making a few changes!
Miss RubyLou is loving her new home and her large backyard, and she’s so excited every time she meets a new neighbor! I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing the living room and learning a bit more about my most cherished piece, the antique French church board.
Cheers, Cindy
Very lovely! I love all your beautiful religious artifacts. I collect as many as I can from estate sales. Nothing as beautiful as yours. When we were in Lourdes, France, I found a wonderful antique shop near the shrine that had some fabulous old medals and Holy water fonts from the 30s and 40s. Always enjoy your posts.
Thank you, Lina!
Cindy, I too would love to own the church board, but I know how much you love it and would hate to part with it. Do you think that the added piece to the top was part of the Stations of the Cross from a church? It’s so beautiful and looks as though it was always there.
I love reading your posts, and what you have done with your new house. I hope the house will hold many wonderful moments for you and your family.
Thank you, Louise! Yes, the piece at the top of the church board is a salvaged piece from a Stations of the Cross. It came out of a closed church.
The living room looks magnificent! Love the new angel and that armoire. Your always find the perfect piece to fit your home. It would be so fun to shop with you! Can’t wait to see more.
Thank you so much, Linda!
The French church board was a great find! Love seeing how you place things in your new home. But I’m also wanting to see your stuff at your house you renovated. I hope you didn’t sell those treasures!!
Nancy, some I’ve kept, some I’ve sold and looking for new treasures!
One of the delights I enjoy is unique artifacts. You have captured it all, from the aged statues to the gilded mirrors. I enjoy old chippy mirrors, collages, and worn statues. When antiquing for that particular piece, I reflect on the overall decor you have used in your designs. The peaceful settings feel wonderful especially enhanced with your Schnauzer.
Thank you so much, Bettie!
Your home is beautiful! The vintage/antique pieces and your decorating style are so unique. Thank you for sharing your home and the history of your finds.
Thank you, Sandra!
I follow many decorator blogs, but yours is definitely the most beautiful and awe inspiring. I could move in as is! Thanks for sharing . BTW, I love your online shop, too
Thank you so much, Lorraine!
Your home is so lovely! I loved your other home as well! I have an open concept home and find them more challenging to decorate. I’m sure getting some great decorating ideas from you! I can’t wait to see what you do with this home!
Thank you, Mary Anne!
How stunning is your home!!!! I know you are putting up a gorgeous chandelier soon; that fan looks so out of place in the midst of such glorious items. That church board is such a find!!. Your sweet dog looks very happy.
Thank you, Eileen! Yes, the fan is definitely going!
Cindy, First I want to wish you a very Happy Friday and I hope it’s the start of a lovely weekend. Second, your home is breathtaking. The Church Board IS magnificent. Your decor is OUT of THIS WORLD gorgeous! I, too, collect religious reliquary. While my collections seem pale in comparison, your blog
serves as true inspiration to me. Thank you for your time and talent!
Annie, thank you! Your sweet words have made my day even better!
Cindy, the pictures of your living room make me smile. Form the sunlight to the tennis ball to the beautiful furnishing I just want to sit and soak up this lovely room. Cherry
Thank you so much, Cherry!
Everything is beautiful, Cindy! Yes, that French church board is my favorite of yours as well. Miss Ruby Lou looks very happy. Can’t wait to see what else you do to your new home.
Thank you, Deb!
It just gets gorgeouser by the day! Thanks for keeping us up to date with your changes. Looking forward to what paint colors you decide on. Can you recommend a nice creamy white for kitchen cabinets?
Thank you, Deb! Sherwin Williams Alabaster is a beautiful white!
Stunning, absolutely beautiful. I love your new pieces and so glad to see you’ve kept so many of the beautiful pieces from your last beautiful home. I was worried you may have sold them when preparing for your move. What fun this is to see your new home unfold. Love your style. Your monthly antique auction house is on my bucket list. I’d love to bump into you there. I’d be the one standing guard on some beautiful piece I’d stumbled upon! Do you still have your retail booth or are you only doing online sales now? Cheers!
Thank you so much, Shelley! We closed our retail booth at the first of the year so we are concentrating on our online shop!
That’s a favorite piece of mine too! The little slips with names are priceless I love your new home. It’s so beautiful and looks so comfortable. What a wonderful forever place for you, John and Miss RubyLou.
Thank you, Debbie! We miss you guys too! We’re hoping to make a trip back up there to see my brother in law in the next few months, hopefully we can see you!
Hi! I love your decor and have actually collected lots of similar items like gold candle sconces and just about anything gold and sage green velvet it seems. Your home is beautiful!
I couldn’t help noticing your overstuffed sofas and chairs. Where did you find them? They’re gorgeous.
Thank you for allowing us a peek into your fabulous collection!
MGL
Thank you, Mary! Our sofas are from IKEA! I love them because they are covered in slip covers and they are so easy to wash.