Living Large In Small Spaces - Loire Valley, France Stone House



This photo of our cottage was taken this morning. Last summer while we were painting the exterior falu red I envisioned how our home would appear nestled in winter's snow. All these months later I am not disappointed.

Forgive me for shamelessly beginning today's edition of Living Large In Small Spaces this way, but I wanted to share my joy with you -- my friends. Seeing dreams come to life is a wonderful gift, and I thank God for ours.


Welcome to the sixty-second post in the series
"Living Large in Small Spaces".


Now on to our featured home in France. I chose this small space for its wonderful character and the fact that it's decorated for Christmas. What can I say? The Christmas spirit has a hold of me in a big way.

The front door of this two bedroom, one bath home opens directly into the living room.




Picture 1




The living room opens into a dining area with aged terracotta floor tiles, a ceiling with painted beams and an original old cupboard.


Picture 2



Double glazed French windows open onto the delightful courtyard. 

Picture 6


Unfortunately, there are no photos of the kitchen, which is stated to be right off the living room and has a window that overlooks the courtyard. 

This old original cupboard is wonderful with all the dishes and glassware.



The bathroom floor is tiled with old terracotta tiles. 



Bedroom 1 features a large tuffeau stone fireplace, two original cupboards and natural finished ceiling beams.


More terra cotta floor tiles.







The second bedroom, which is accessed by stairs from the first bedroom, is not shown.

I hope you enjoyed this home in Loire Valley, France. 

Interior Design: Stephen Shubel

This is the last edition of Living Large In Small Spaces in 2015. I'll be taking a blogging break to enjoy Christmas and New Years with my beloved Dennis.

I'll be back in 2016 with more Living Large In Small Spaces.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 
to all of you. 
May all the blessings of the season be yours. 


43 comments

  1. Such a cute cottage. Merry Christmas Nancy!! May 2016 bring you everything you wish for! xo

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  2. that living room? swOon fAint tHud . . . . .
    in other news, your cottage is precious draped in the white stuff!

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  3. Nancy I could settle in as a house cat in this French cottage and never feel the need to leave. I find every thing in every room exquisitely gorgeous and all I'd ever need. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year, I post my winter theatrical presentation on Dec. 21st as my gift and will return to kick off my third year of blogging after the New Year.
    Nancy you have graced us this year and invited us in to your building of your pretty cottage and seeing the picture with snow brought a new appreciation of your charming home.
    xoxo,
    Vera

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  4. It really is cute. Would be fun to vacation there.

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  5. Your home looks beautiful in the snow, sort of Swedish.
    I am in love with this cottage. It's is my favorite sort of home. Books, glass cupboards, beams, and old floors. Merry Christmas to both of you. xoxo Su

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  6. Perfect snow covered cottage. Well done.

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  7. Oh la la Nancy. This one is too sweet. Love those french doors going out to the garden. So pretty.
    Merry Christmas.
    Kris

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  8. I have very much enjoyed all your Small Spaces posts. Seasons Best Wishes Nancy. I love seeing your home capped and surrounded by all that white.

    Joy

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  9. Merry Christmas, Nancy! And thanks for all the beautiful cottages I've enjoyed this year. God bless YOUR beautiful home in 2016. (It DOES look wonderful in the snow.)

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  10. Good morning Nancy!

    A French cottage is always a favorite, and this one is stunning. Exposed beams, terra cotta floors...the essentials let the details rest beautifully. I love the way the French decorate for Christmas, using natural elements and keeping the colors almost neutral...again, letting natural elements do the driving.

    As for your GORGEOUS home, the red is perfectly nestled in white and it truly looks like a Scandinavian cottage! How we miss our snow....none yet, and we may not even get any for Christmas! I am so waiting for it, just to get some photos!

    Enjoy as we have FIVE days left!

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  11. Your new cottage looks wonderful nestled in the snow. Yes, dreams do come true.

    What a lovely, old world cottage there in France.

    Thanks for this lovely series of posts you have done. They are enjoyable and inspiring.

    Have a wonderful Christmas and a glorious start to 2016 and a fantastic new year.

    Love & hugs ~ FlowerLady

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  12. Merry Christmas to you and yours..Thanks for finding this one..I could move there yesterday..it's WonderFul.!! your home is beautiful as well..no snow for us..but what else is new here on Maryland's eastern shore..calling for rain..4 days this week..yuck..Hope Santa treats you well.!!

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    1. Thanks for your many visits and nice comments this past year, Wende. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

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  13. I would love that house in France. :):) I was raised in a small red house on the corner of Mill and Cleveland.LOL. It was my world for many years. I am so glad you love your red house. May you be forever blessed there. xoxo,Susie

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  14. Your red cottage looks so picturesque in the snowy setting! Enjoy your first Christmas in your new cottage!

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  15. Your little home looks snug and cozy in all that snow. My favorite thing in the French cottage is those terracotta floors! May your Christmas be merry and your blessings continue into the New Year. Hugs, Debbie

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  16. What a pretty place, so light and bright. Happy holidays, Nancy.
    Amalia
    xo

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  17. Nancy, where do you find these treasures, week after week? I am in love with this one! Your red cottage looks sweet nestled in the snow. Like a Christmas card!! :)

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  18. Hi Nancy, Your charming red cottage looks so lovely in the snow - the perfect Christmas card! Love the French cottage and all of the cottages you have shared this year. I don't know where the year went and I have not been very good at leaving you comments - just wanted to say thank you for your wonderful posts and wish you and your family Blessings and Merry Christmas. Erin

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  19. What an amazing post, about a so charming place, a dream-cottage for me !
    I'm so very glad to have found you and your blog, I'm following you with so much joy, believe me, I love everything talking about the past !
    Merry Christmas to you
    Daniela

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  20. Lovely cottage... I feel like I need to spend some time in the Loire valley! Your cottage looks like it belongs to one of those films that depicts the perfect Christmas!
    Merry Christmas!

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  21. oh Nancy thank you for stopping by for a visit so my return to this post would not have been missed.
    I dream of such a place more often then not, and I too live in a small place, living large in a small space.
    My home being under 1,400 square feet allows me to create uniquely in more ways then not. Coming from a larger 3,800 square feet and 1,400 live able attic space was way more then anyone needs. The real challenge was to weed out all that one does not need, and have the pieces of use and of beauty close at hand in a smaller investment home.

    I am not even sure if I could be comfortable again in such a large home. Your cottage I followed way back in its early stage of building and see that all your beautiful needs were met in living large in a seaminly smaller space.
    I had painted my front room floor with plans to tile more with a blend to what already is In The entryway, I could so do the paver look, yet perhaps tone of neutrals to blend with the larger tiles used in the entry.
    If I could do this place up all over again, I would pave with tile in every room giving it a flow of larger and a wonderful grounding for footsteps.

    Love this post, and I am going back to see more of what I have maybe missed in your cottage.

    Love it nested in all the white of snow... Your home feels like a Nordic Jeanne d Arc living, magazine featured home....love the red and white, it reminds me of Janet's home at the Gardeners Cottage she is on my side bar, her home was red and white, until this years make over where her small 960 square foot cottage took on a black and white exterior paint finish in Black bean soup. You must visit her she will charm you.

    Xoxo
    Keep inspiring us,
    Blessings to you and yours

    Xx
    Dore

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  22. Your cottage looks absolutely charming in the snow. It is a picture postcard of winter in the northwest! The cottage in France is not bad either! I could live and/or visit either one!

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  23. Your home is beautiful. I know what you mean about the first snow. We haven't had any yet but anxious to see our new home in the snow. Love your cottage. The featured one is really pretty too. Happy Holidays.

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  24. It is absolutely charming. Merry Christmas from a very warm malaysia :)

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    1. Thank you for dropping by. Merry Christmas to you, too!

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  25. I don't blame you one bit for posting a photo of your little cottage covered in snow - it's so fun to see the first time!!!

    I LOVE this cottage, Nancy. The wood beams, tile floors, built in cabinetry, and fireplace ~ sigh, so beautiful!

    I'm wishing you & yours very happy Holidays!
    Much love,
    Lin

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    1. Thank you, Lin. Happy Holidays and much love to you, too!

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  26. I loved seeing your sweet cottage in the snow. It's exactly as wonderful as I imagined it would be! Wishing you a very Merry Christmas with your sweet husband. I'll be back again to share more cottages with you. Including yours.
    ~Adrienne~

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  27. Merry Christmas Nancy! Look forward to connecting in 2016 in blog land!-Aimee

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  28. Hola amiga querida ,, espero que pase una linda Navidad junto a sus seres queridos y este 2016 llegue cargado de bendiciones
    Catiños

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    1. Gracias. Espero que hayan tenido una hermosa Navidad.

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  29. That is an adorable cottage, thanks for the look. Happy New Year!!!

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  30. Thanks for your comment on my blog post. There are always so many interesting connections with people--my daughter lives in Ohio with her son! She and I both have small homes, too.
    Looking forward to continuing to read through your blog posts.

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  31. Your cottage looks so pretty in red, in the midst of all the snow! And the Loire Valley cottage? I'm ready to move in. The built-ins cupboards and the terra cotta floors, and the French doors onto the courtyard have me sold!

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  32. Your Joyful Cottage home is simply gorgeous, I loved seeing it surrounded with snow! What a delight to follow with you through this year in all the steps that it took to get to this point.. such joy indeed! Enjoyed your post on the delightful Loire Valley cottage, just darling! I loved the open feel of the home, and missed seeing the kitchen, as you mentioned. The outdoor space was delightful as well!

    Hoping that you are enjoying the holidays, dear Nancy, and do appreciate your friendship so much throughout this year as we downsized as well! I look forward to 2016 and all it has to offer :)

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  33. Your Falu red cottage is looking just right in the snow. My friend in Vermont just painted her renovated house falu red and posted a lovely photo of it in the snow on Instagram today. There's just something about seeing a house in the snow from the outside...

    Another charming cottage you've shared today. That photo looking out through the french windows of the cottage in France... swoon!

    Hope you and Dennis had a wonderful first Christmas in your new home!

    p.s. Love the new photo of you in the sidebar (and I hope it's new and I'm just not so observant)! :)

    Wishing you all the best in 2016! I'm so glad our paths crossed this year!

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    1. You're very observant, Anne. The photo is new. I'm glad our paths crossed, too. Praying good things for you in 2016.

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  34. Nancy! Your brand new home looks amazing, love the beautiful vibrant colour.
    This French house is outstanding. How I'd love to live there.
    Thank you for all the sharing in 2015 and giving me the opportunity to share my own story.
    Hope your Christmas was joyous and meaningful and wishing you peace, joy and good health in 2016.
    Hugs,
    Linda at Beautiful Ideas

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  35. Warm and inviting your cottage looks in the snow.
    Wishing you a Blessed New Year
    Betsy

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Your comments bring me joy! Thanks for stopping by.