International Women's Day 2020: interview with Chloe Kempster

Question 1)
Tell us a bit about yourself, what is your name and your business? 

My name is Chloe Kempster and I started Maisie’s House at the age of 26, shortly after having my second child. Like Annie, I am a qualified artist and professional furniture upcycler. I embrace colour and creativity on a daily basis and create one of a kind pieces from my workshop in South Leicestershire, I like to think of each piece as functional art.

Question 2)
How did you come to create this business?

For so many reasons, Maisie’s House is a perfect fit for me, it enables me to do everything I love doing alongside the people I love! I had completed a Fine Art Degree previously and had worked in retail as a Visual Merchandiser. Interior Design was also another passion and when furnishing our first family home on a tight budget, a necessity. After starting my family, I knew straight away that being around for the kids was something I really wanted, so I took the leap leaving my job in retail at the time and began working from home. Yes, it was a risk and financially it has been difficult at times, but I wouldn’t give up spending the early years with the children for anything.

Question 3)
What inspirational people have you looked to throughout your career?

I am thankful to my mum for surrounding me with creativity as a child, for always providing a good supply of art materials and her eternally positive spirit, not to mention she has a brilliant eye for interior décor! We have just always had so much in common and  I am so grateful that I have someone I can relate to who is a great source of encouragement, she is the first one I call when I have finished a new piece to ask her opinion, love her to bits! Like her I have always encouraged my own children to believe the future is in their hands and I feel like Maisie’s House is a good example of that, I hope to be a positive role model to them like my mum was to me!

Question 4)
What was the single proudest moment you've had in business?

There are a few, I think one of them definitely has to be my role as an Artisan on the BBC1 show Money for Nothing. Television isn’t something that I had thought about before and working on the show has taken me completely out of my comfort zone and also inspired me to push my boundaries creatively. And of course being asked to be Annie Sloan’s Painter in Residence was beyond my imagination, what a privilege, I am so honoured to be a source of inspiration to other people in the industry, I love to encourage people to think outside the box and in particular be brave with colour, this is what really makes me smile.

Question 5)
What advice do you have to anyone starting out?

Stay true to what you are passionate about, It is so important that your work really represents you and the things you love and believe in, if you believe in what you are doing, then other people will, and of course a bit of hard work and determination also helps!

Question 6)
And finally if you were a Chalk Paint colour, what colour would you be and why?

If I was a Chalk Paint® colour, I would definitely be Florence. Not only is this my favourite Annie Sloan shade, I feel it can take on different personalities and represents my eclectic taste! It can be fun and bright, yet also sophisticated and mysterious!!

International Women's Day 2020: interview with Annie Sloan

Question 1)

Tell us a bit about yourself – what is your name and your business?

My name’s Annie Sloan and the name of my business is Annie Sloan Interiors (you can see what I did there) and I am known for inventing Chalk Paint® in 1990, when I was 40. Which is interesting I think, as I started my business when I was a little older. I had been doing other things, writing books and working in furniture restoration and running a small independent business, but 1990 was when it really took off. My children were small, all under five years of age, and that was a huge motivating factor. I couldn’t continue working the hours I had been and missing them growing up.

Question 2)

How did you come to create this business?

I did it because I wanted to stay at home more for my children. Inventing Chalk Paint®, which can be painted in the morning, left to dry, then waxed and returned to its place in the home before the boys came back to school gave me and so many others the flexibility that we needed. It democratized the process of furniture restoration and of interior design so that rather than me doing everything for people they could do it themselves. Teach a person to fish and all that. Once people saw how easy, and how enjoyable it was, there was no going back.

Question 3)
What inspirational people have you looked to throughout your career?

The people that inspire me or gave me strength are other creative women. Virginia Woolf and the other women from the Bloomsbury Set. I also devoured Germaine Greer’s theories when they first came out, the idea of conditioning and that a woman can do anything a man can do, she has simply been conditioned to believe that she couldn’t was a liberating concept. It’s also something Victoria Woolf explored in Orlando. I’m also lucky to have had a very sensible father, who although born in 1909 was staunch in his belief that women can do anything.

Question 4)
What was the single proudest moment you’ve had in business?

My proudest moment…it is difficult to highlight just one. Starting our own factory felt like a real arrival at something. Chalk Paint® is now made inhouse at my factory in Oxford, in a building where I also have my studio and the Annie Sloan Interiors offices. We’ve built a brilliant team who I’m also incredibly proud to come to work with every day.

Question 5)
What advice do you have for anyone starting out?

The thing that I have to constantly remind myself is “no one else is going to do it”. You have to do it yourself. That’s very difficult, but it’s true. You know your business better than anybody. I also think it’s important to be kind to everybody; there’s this fallacy that to success in business you have to be tough and hard and horrible but in my experience it’s been the opposite.

Question 6)
And finally, if you were a Chalk Paint colour, which would you be and why?

Florence is the first colour which came into my head. Because it’s vibrant and unusual and not everybody’s cup of tea. It’s warm and it’s cool just like me!

The Colourist Issue 3: Fill your life with fabulous colour

Welcome, to the launch of The Colourist Vol. III! Fill your life with fabulous colour, starting here. This time, I've focussed on blues and greens.

How time flies. It feels like only yesterday that I was announcing the launch of Issue 2, and barely any longer than that when I was introducing you all to the very first edition. But here we are, and what difference a day (year) makes! We've listened, re-calibrated and rejuvenated The Colourist yet again, taking our best bits and building on them. Get set for a Bookazine like no other.

Packed to the gunnels, my third bookazine is based around the colour blue and, in particular, my divine new Chalk Paint® colour, Oxford Navy! That’s the hero of this issue, with sterling support from sidekicks Provence and Florence.

We’ve gathered together diverse pieces from all over, such as the vibrant Truck Art of Pakistan, fabrics from the legend that is Lucienne Day, idiosyncratic Indian glass paintings, Adam Calkin’s fantastical painted house, a piece on the healing power of painting, all that’s magical about Brooklyn, New York, two brand new Chalk Paint® colours never before announced, as well as furniture painters from all over the world. Just one thing unites them… colour. Colour in all its combination from lively and bold, to quiet and gentle.

As well as this and more, we've supplied six more step-by-steps for amazing projects you can recreate at home; from using your two free stencils (!!) to create your own Art Deco looks, to the secrets of frottage and distressing, via fantastical tassel creations and gemstone imitation – all of which can be done using furniture and Chalk Paint® you already have! I have always been especially thrilled by how well the How-Tos at the end of The Colourist have done. I get a real kick from seeing how you take my Inspiration and incorporate it into your own homes, with your own twists and tricks. I can only urge you all to give this issues a try!

You may already know that I’m a bit of a culture vulture. I love looking at pictures and patterns wherever I go, but art galleries and museums are always a brilliant place to start. I’m very lucky to have the wonderful Ashmolean Museum right on my doorstep in Oxford. Established over 300 years ago, its collection was described as a ‘cabinet of curiosities’ at the time, which is a delightful phrase that describes an enclitic collection of rare and interesting finds. I think I also subscribe to this type of collecting – I’m always in the lookout for amusing, thought-provoking pieces for my own home!

It could be said The Colourist is a kind of a modern-day ‘cabinet of curiosities’ in magazine form: you’ll find things to amaze, inspire fascinate, surprise – and maybe even make you want to cry a little – in this issue! And if that hasn't convinced you to pick up a copy, you can see a sneak peek inside here.

Thanks for reading, staying in touch and supporting me through my ventures. I hope to do the same for you. Tag me @AnnieSloanHome on social media with the hashtag #ColouristMag so I can see what you get up to.

Yours,


Annie.

Gilded Trunk

I'm so excited finally to introduce my new Gilding Wax. I have lots of inspiring projects to share with you that feature the wax – and I can't wait to see how you use this new product, too!

My Gilding Wax comes in five colours: Warm Gold, Bright Gold, Dark Silver, Bright Silver and Copper. Whatever colour you choose, the wax is perfect for bringing out carvings and details on furniture – or even for doing something a little more adventurous, just like this painted trunk!

This project comes from my son, Felix, who works with me at Annie Sloan HQ and is the co-author on my book 'Room Recipes for Style and Colour'. He transformed this old chest with Chalk Paint® and three Gilding Wax colours. I love the contrast between the Gilding Wax and the rich blues he painted on the chest. The overall look is modern and bohemian.

If you'd like to try this project at home, you will need: 

Chalk Paint® in Aubusson Blue, Florence and Graphite 

Clear Chalk Paint® Wax

Annie Sloan Gilding Wax in Bright Gold, Warm Gold, and Copper

Annie Sloan Pure Bristle Brush
Annie Sloan Wax Brush

Masking Tape

Newspaper

Step One – Using a Pure Bristle Brush, paint your trunk in Aubusson Blue all over, moving the brush in every direction to create a textured finish.  

Step Two – Once the paint has dried, use my frottage technique to create a distressed look. Mix water with Graphite to around the quantity of single cream. Moving quickly, paint an area with this wash and then before it has dried, place a crumpled piece of newspaper over the top. Gently remove the newspaper to reveal the patterned paintwork underneath. Repeat all over the piece. Paint little squares in Florence on the bottom corners of the trunk.

Step Three – Once you are happy with the paint finish, apply a quick coat of Clear Chalk Paint® Wax all over.

Step Four – Use masking tape to mark out your design for gilding. Make sure to gently place the tape down so as to not remove any of your lovely paintwork when you peel it back! 

Step Five – Apply Gilding Wax using a wax brush, working the wax in as you go. You want to create movement in the finish so apply all three wax colours unevenly, highlighting different areas with Copper in some places or Bright Gold in another. Don't be afraid if some of the blue paintwork shows through, you want the overall look to feel aged and distressed. If you have brushed any Gilding Wax in a place you didn't want it to appear, you can use Clear Chalk Paint® Wax as an eraser, applying it over the top and rubbing the excess away.

Step Six – Once the Gilding Wax has dried, carefully remove the masking tape. And there you have it! If you want you extra shine, you can also give the whole surface a light buff the next day.

Has this inspired you to use my Gilding Wax? What will be your first project with this new product? Let me know by using the hashtag #AnnieSloanGildingWaxes and tagging me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @anniesloanhome

Yours,

Annie

The 12 Crafts of Christmas - No.7: Papier-mâché Lettering

For the seventh of my 12 Crafts of Christmas, I'm sharing these letters that have been made from papier-mâché and finished with my paint, Chalk Paint®, Copper Leaf and Dark Wax. These were made by Amy who works with me at Annie Sloan HQ. Amy studied Fine Art and used a lot of typography in her work, so this was the perfect project for her!

Amy started by printing her letters off, and then cut 2 of each letter out of cardboard. She then rolled up strips of cardboard, about an inch wide, to create spacers to sit between each letter cut-out, and attached them using masking tape. (See picture below.)

Using strips of newspaper, Amy covered the letters in newspaper, gluing the paper down with my Decoupage Glue and Varnish. This worked brilliantly as the glue really hardens the newspaper and makes a good surface to work on later. It also dries very quickly, which means you can begin painting the same day!

Using Florence from the Chalk Paint® palette, Amy painted the letters using one of my Pure Bristle Brushes to create lots of texture. Once dry, she painted the top surface with Gold Size, allowed the size to dry for 10-15mins and then applied Copper Leaf which she has crumpled in her hands. She finished by applying Clear Wax to the letters, and then worked Dark Wax in to bring out the texture and create an aged look.

Have you been using any of my paint or products this Christmas? I'd love to see your projects!

Yours, Annie

Follow #12CraftsofChristmas on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Tim Gould's "WOW" Side table

The third project from my fantastic Painter in Residence, Tim Gould, is this mid-century side table, painted with my paint, Chalk Paint® to create a geometric pattern that spells out the word "wow".

Tim started by painting the side table in Pure – a cool clean white from the Chalk Paint® palette – that creates a crisp contrast with bright colours. As the paint dried, Tim worked on his amazingly fun stencilled detail. The pattern for the piece was created in Adobe Illustrator, and is made up of individual stencils which piece together to create an overall image.

Using his stencils, Tim began to paint the triangle shapes in. He started at the right end of the sideboard, using my colours Henrietta and Florence to work from right to left, along the front of the sideboard. He added a little Pure to each colour as he worked to create a gradient – going from dark to light, right to left.



Tim sealed his masterpiece with my Clear Soft Wax, and then, to give the paintwork character and texture, he lightly sanded the painted triangles back to reveal a little of the Pure below. One last coat of wax to seal et voila!

Yours, Annie

Follow Tim on Instagram, Facebook, and his website: http://www.objectables.co.uk/

And remember to follow #PaintersInResidence on Instagram and Facebook, as well as my Painters in Residence board on Pinterest.

A painted and gilded bath at Annie Sloan HQ

We’ve got a room here at HQ that we use as a studio, workspace and course room. It’s where I play around with ideas, create new pieces and explore techniques. It’s also where I hold training sessions for my Stockists (all my Stockists are trained as paint and colour experts). There’s a small room leading off this space where I’ve had an old roll top bath plumbed in – this is where we dye fabric with my paint! It’s a practical room, but there’s no reason why it shouldn’t also be beautiful.

In my book Colour Recipes for Painted Furniture and More, I describe how I transformed the white enamel bath in my Normandy home by adding a resplendent copper leaf to the outside. I decided to do the same with our rather dilapidated old bath here in Oxford.

I’ve gone for a recreation – or perhaps an exaggeration! – of natural copper by applying it over a base of my colour Florence. If you like this idea, play around with it and make it your own. You could try this with silver leaf – perhaps over Emperor’s Silk, or gold with Aubusson Blue.

The soft, warmer tones in copper and rose gold are popular at the moment, and the natural progression of copper is to form verdigris. The pinkish-orange of copper and the pale green of a true verdigris patina form opposites on the colour wheel, a complementary colour scheme. I used Chalk Paint™ in Florence to paint the base of the bath. I then brushed it with my Gold Size and, when the size was completely clear, applied my copper leaf over it (crumple the leaf in your hands before putting it over the size to make sure the look isn’t too uniform). I let small gaps and cracks appear in the leaf so that a sublime flash of Florence green would peek through.

Once the whole thing had dried, I applied my Clear Soft Wax all over to give it some protection – this flattens everything out, giving a smooth finish. Next to the bath, a series of tiles provide a patchwork splash back (these beautiful Welbec tiles come from my Stockist Rock Pool in Cornwall, UK. I sent her several old postcards and letters to make the tile designs!).

Behind it, I painted the wall with Chalk Paint™ in Emperor’s Silk. I’ve stencilled the whole thing with two different designs (my Arctic Poppy and Petrushka stencils) to create a wallpaper effect.

The bath is so small it has to stand on a base to be practical as mixing heavy swathes of fabric can be pretty back-breaking. However, by painting it in Olive, a cooling green next to the bright red walls, the whole effect is rather grand and certainly pleasing.

Yours, Annie

Agnieszka Krawczyk's Boho Cupboard

I love this second project from Painter in Residence Agnieszka Krawczyk. Agnieszka has used Florence and Graphite – two very strong, rich colours from the Chalk Paint® palette. They work beautifully with the golden wood of the cupboard. 

Agnieszka started the transformation by applying two coats of Florence (one of her favourite colours) to the outside of the cupboard. Distressing each layer using a metal scraper, sandpaper and a putty knife, she revealed areas of the original golden wood beneath. She painted the shelves and interior of the cupboard in Graphite (a soft black that can be darkened with my Dark Soft Wax) and then, once dry, gently sanded the paint back in certain areas. 

To finish the cupboard, Agnieszka applied Annie Sloan Clear Soft Wax all over and, while the wax was still soft, began working Dark Wax into the surface to highlight texture, darken the colours, and adds richness and depth. Agnieszka left the wax to dry without buffing to create a beautiful matt finish. 

I love how Agnieszka has used my Work Book to experiment with her colour combinations and plan this project. How have you used yours?

Yours, Annie

Follow this blog for exclusive pictures from Agnieszka's residency and follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and her website: www.beforeandafterblog.pl 

And remember to follow #PaintersInResidence on Instagram and Facebook, as well as my Painters in Residence board on Pinterest.

Abigail & Ryan Bell's Succulent Chaise-Longe

For their first project as Painters in Residence, Abigail and Ryan Bell (of Abigail*Ryan) used my paint, Chalk Paint®, to cover an old Victorian chaise-longe in hand painted succulents. And doesn't it look amazing?

Abigail and Ryan painted the leather upholstery of the chaise-longe in Pure, to create a clean fresh canvas to work on. Abigail then began sketching simple succulent forms on to the surface with a pencil. As soon as she was happy with the shapes and composition, Abigail used a small artists' brush to paint the leaves – using certain colours directly from the pot, such as Henrietta and Emile, and mixing bespoke shades of green from Pure, Antibes, Florence and Provence. Abigail left the paint to dry completely and then used a black fine-liner pen to work detail into the paintwork.

The creative couple finished the transformation by painting the woodwork of the chaise-longe in Florence and the trim of the upholstery in Aubusson Blue. A couple of coats of my Soft Clear Wax were applied to the woodwork and the following day the surface was buffed with a clean cloth – this gives a soft sheen. They decided to leave the fabric un-waxed as the piece is purely decorative and will not be used as a chair.

What do you think? Have you ever been inspired to hand paint a pattern on to your furniture?

Yours, Annie

Follow this blog for exclusive pictures from Abigail and Ryan's residency and follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and her website: www.abigailryan.com

And remember to follow #PaintersInResidence on Instagram and Facebook, as well as my Painters in Residence board on Pinterest.

Janice Issitt's Vintage Floral Bedroom

After treating herself to this vibrant floral bed linen, Painter in Residence Janice Issitt decided to create a colour scheme to complement her new bedding.

The striking cupboard that sits next to her bed has been painted in a number of colours from the Chalk Paint® palette. The hot pink/red colour is a mix of Emperor's Silk and Henrietta, and was left over from another project that Janice worked on. She used Country Grey and Old White to provide a neutral background to frame the rest of the cupboard.

Janice cut her own stencils to give the cupboard character and a vintage feel. She painted the stencils in Aubusson Blue, Antibes Green, Florence and Greek Blue, picking out colours on her bedspread. She then finished the cupboard with Clear Soft Wax to protect the surface.

Janice also painted the mirror that sits on top of the cupboard in Paloma, a contemporary neutral with a purple tone. She used a combination of Clear and Dark Soft Wax to give it an aged appearance – the perfect complement to the vintage floral style of the room.  

What do you think of the finished look? Have you ever created a vintage floral colour scheme using Chalk Paint®?

Yours, Annie

Follow this blog for exclusive pics from Janice's residency and follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and her blog: janiceissittlifestyle.blogspot.com

And remember to follow #PaintersInResidence on Instagram and Facebook, as well as my Painters in Residence board on Pinterest.

Janice Issitt's Art Deco Room

Janice was commissioned by one of her Rock 'n' Roll clients to transform this room. With a palette of Graphite, Florence and gold, she went for a bold art deco look.

Janice started by painting the wall with Chalk Paint® in the colour Graphite. She then applied an art-deco-inspired stencil – painting it in Florence and then picking out parts to highlight with brass leaf (she adhered the leaf with Annie Sloan Gold Size). She then used my Dark Soft Wax to darken the whole wall.

She painted the chair in Graphite, highlighting the carvings on the legs with brass leaf. For the cabinet, Janice chose the same palette of Florence, Graphite, and gold. She even painted the candles in Florence!

It doesn't cost a lot to achieve a bold look like this. Janice sourced the cupboard and chair for just £11 on eBay!

What do you think of her Rock 'n' Roll Art Deco look?

Janice Issitt's Boho Bathroom

The first project from Painter in Residence Janice Issitt is this fabulous boho bathroom painted in my paint, Chalk Paint®. 

Janice started this project by creating a floral backdrop using my Decoupage Glue and Varnish and Pierre-Joseph Redouté's rose illustrations. Rather than working with decoupage on furniture, she decided to use it on a large scale, creating this eye-popping wallpaper effect.

Next, Janice wanted to match the colour on her enamel bathtub. She mixed together Antibes and Old White to create a similar hue and used this to paint the wooden chair and shelf, shown in the background.

To give this a boho edge, Janice works in bright contrasting colours. She created the pink on the chest and shelf using a mix made from Emperor's Silk, Henrietta and Old White.

The shelf also features flashes of Provence, Burgundy and Florence.

Thank you to Janice's local Stockists, Making the Best in Leighton Buzzard, UK for lending the vintage towels, bath products and red trug!

Have you used Chalk Paint® in your bathrooms?

Yours, Annie

Follow this blog for exclusive pics from Janice's residency and follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and her blog:janiceissittlifestyle.blogspot.com

And remember to follow #PaintersInResidence on Instagram and Facebook, as well as my Painters in Residence board on Pinterest.

Introducing Painter in Residence Janice Issitt

I chose Janice Issitt to be a Painter in Residence because I love her use of bright, clashing colours and patterns. I knew she'd be absolutely perfect for it.

“Hi I’m Janice Issitt and I like weird colour combinations, and things that stand out with a punch. I guess that has come from my travels to India, Sweden Morocco, South America, and Japan. I like collecting things from all these places and working out how to put them together in an interior so it works. I find quite often it’s the colours that tie in the objects from places as far apart as Mumbay and Malmo.

Every picture tells a story – and my tattoo art does just that.

I worked in the music biz for a big record company which kindled my love of travel and photography. I use my house as my studio in which I photograph other peoples products  – people need mood shots and that’s what I do well – I show people how to incorporate that piece into their life (not just a product shot on white background). The whole of my downstairs house is like a giant prop. I’m currently working with West German 1960’s lava ware which has mad colours and effects that look like lava flow. I’m also advising a tattoo salon and I’ve just taken the plunge to tell my life story in tattoos, and I love stencilling. It’s very random.

And Annie's paint? 

I like the quickness of it, creating a colour effect really fast which is what I need to do for my photoshoots. I like my finishes to be either really matte or really shiny, not in between, and many paints just can’t do this. When I put Chalk Paint® on the wall it looks like velvet it doesn’t even look like paint – it looks different in different lights much more so than other paints.

I also really like her Craqueleur for achieving a crackled effect that brings out a depth in the colour and changes the colour.

I heard about Annie’s paint through the grapevine (I was scouring antiques fairs for ‘props’ to paint). I was getting bored with the other paint colours on offer so I starting buying tester pot after tester pot after tester pot of Chalk Paint® and realising that this is fantastic. I don’t have an allergy to this paint (I did to other brands) and I really like the colours and the fact that it was quick, so when you’re styling up for a photo session that’s great for creating a really beautifully coloured backdrop.

I like the fact that Annie is a businesswomen but she also has the creative flair. She’s very influential, she’s got a ‘history’, you can’t deny what she’s done and she’s done it a long while and she stuck to what she believes in for many, many years when it wasn’t as popular as it is now.

What you’ll see from me

So I’m really looking forward to showing my projects which include an Art Deco cupboard using Florence but crackled and dark wax and it looks really wicked and done with lots of gold and copper leaf – I’m really enjoying playing with these effects. I’m also styling a garden summer house (let’s say it ain’t no shed!) with stencilled panelled screens, dyed lace curtains painted in Emperor’s Silk and Henrietta, a little old cabinet in Antibes Green with Craqueleur and gold leaf, and a massive snowflake in  pink to name a few bits and pieces. ”

Heres a sneak peak of projects to come from Janice:

Follow this blog for exclusive pics from Janice's residency and follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and her blog: janiceissittlifestyle.blogspot.com

And remember to follow #PaintersInResidence on Instagram and Facebook, as well as my Painters in Residence board on Pinterest.

I'm Missing France

We haven't been to France for a while so I started thinking about the houses and the colours.  So much so that tonight we are off to France to our house in Normandy. We'll probably get frostbite - there is no heating in the house except a big log fire, some 'slow to have effect' electric heaters and hot water bottles.  It'll take ages to warm the house and then well be coming home. 

But the colours will be good 

and the patinas That'll keep me warm...

Positive colour but so beautifully toned it doesn't look loud or shouty.  
This is in the north of France on the Normandy coast - in historic and ancient Honfleur - it was under English rule in the 14th century, it's  where French settlers left to for Quebec in 1608, and many of the Impressionists lived and worked in the area 

 

Coco with some Old White might do it or even some Paloma in it ? 

Greek Blue and some Old White or maybe some Louis Blue 

Of course the shape of the door is beautiful and the lamp post looks like Louis Blue. The top of the widow has a very pale Paloma look about it - interesting combinations I think. 

Country Grey 

French Linen

Old White door and dirtied and slightly whitened Greek Blue

Old Ochre and make the green with maybe Florence and French Linen 

This is the town of Eymet in Aquitaine and one of the old Bastide towns - meaning they are medieval fortified villages. They are little changed and quite magical.  This one is one of the most touristy.  I was there to run a workshop for a stockist of mine. 

Provence - the shutters are this colour 

The shutter catch on a house in Bergerac although they are seen all over France. 

Olive or Chateau Grey mix with Provence

                                      à bientôt, Annie !

                                  ( see you soon) 

PS . Have a look at our list of stockist in France - distributed by Claire in Brittany.  We have a new one in Cherbourg.... yippee! 

 http://anniesloan.com/acatalog/Ireland_and_Europe.html#France