COTE DE TEXAS: FRENCH COUNTRY FALL BLOG TOUR

FRENCH COUNTRY FALL BLOG TOUR

 

Have you seen the Soft Surroundings home decor catalogue lately????

HERE

OMG!   So many really great things – and the prices are great too – very reasonable.  This company, who for years was known mainly for their comfy clothes and plush bedding, has made a big push into the home decor market.  Think Restoration Hardware’s look without the huge price tag.

 

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Soft Surroundings has a large following for their unstructured clothing.   Their furniture line has been quite successful too and since 2005, they have been opening retail stores around the country.  Just recently Soft Surroundings opened their THIRD Houston store!  To go with their Town and Country and The Woodlands store – they now have one in First Colony.   Nationally, they are adding 15 new stores this year alone.   And these stores are very, very popular.  Apparently, when their new stores open, the lines of fans waiting outside is very long.

 

Waiting on line for a new Soft Surroundings store to open.

To celebrate the changing seasons,  the Soft Surroundings people chose a few French styled decor bloggers to show off their product in their own homes.   These bloggers have organized a Soft Surroundings French Country Fall Blog Tour and teamed up with Romantic Homes Magazine.  By the way, the new Soft Surroundings furniture looks great in their houses. 

First, here are a few pieces in Soft Surrounding’s Decor catalogue that I love:

 

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Love this tufted chair.  It comes with an ottoman too.  HERE.  A pair of these chairs in a bay window or across from a sofa would be so cute.

 

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This French styled chest is a demilune.  HERE.  They also sell the same chest – with straight lines.

 

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Love these tufted side chairs!!!  In two colors.  HERE

 

Much of the Soft Surroundings furniture has a French feel to it, like this end table.  HERE.

 

There are a few sofas in the line – with a practical slipcover.  HERE.  This beauty is now on sale, as is a lot of their furniture.  They sell a lot of rugs too.

For the French Country Fall Blog Tour, decor blogger Shabbyfufu got together a group of French decor bloggers to show off their fall decorations.  Soft Surroundings was kind enough to offer major discounts so that the bloggers could show off their catalogue furniture in their own houses.  Lucky, lucky girls!!!

Here are a few photos from the blog tour – be sure to click onto each of the participants to see their darling houses!!!  I love seeing new decor blogger’s houses and I hope you will enjoy this Fall tour around the internet:

First up is Amy Chalmers of Maison Decor 8 showing off the Fontaine Wing Chair, in the dark option, sitting in her living room.   The pillow also came from Soft Surroundings.  Too cute.   I love her living room and the new Soft Surroundings chair really adds so much to the decor.

 

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  In the catalogue - the Fontaine chair in the Light option HERE.
 
 
 
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And on her coffee table, Amy layered a vintage grain cloth from Soft Surroundings HERE.  Vintage? Did you know that Soft Surroundings sells antiques from France in their Brocante Section????  HERE.  Again, great price points. 
 
 

This blog, Dixie Delights, showed her bedroom with her new chests from Soft Surroundings.   It looks so pretty!!  She actually got two chests – one for each side.  This is the straight line chest – there is also the demi lune version.

 

 

From the catalogue - Flemish Bedside Chest HERE.

 

Maison de Pax showed off her new Soft Surroundings round convex mirror above the bed.

 

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The convex mirror from Soft Surroundings catalogue - HERE.

 

This is my favorite Soft Surroundings mirror – a copy of a French Louis Philippe antique.  It comes in two sizes.  HERE.

 

The Soft Surrounding slipcovered Tristan chair was shown in the very, very popular Cedarhill Farmhouse blog.  This is Anita Joyce’s darling new vacation house in the North Carolina mountains, that is also available for rent.  She added two of the chairs in this room.  Anita also has tours of her Houston Heights house, her guest house, and her Round Top vacation house!!!!  Each one is darling.    

 

Another blogger, Debbie of Confessions of a Plate Addict, chose the same chair but added its matching ottoman for her family room.  LOVE this chair!!!  She paired it with a darling French styled pillow.

 

Another look at the chair from the catalogue. HERE How cute is it?  It would look great in a living room or family room – even as host chairs in a dining room.

 

Cindy, of Edith & Evelyn showed off her master bedroom in the French Country Fall Blog Tour.  Her item from Soft Surroundings was the painted green bonnetiere – or the Fantine Linen cabinet as they call it.  Cindy’s bedroom is very pretty with its wood ceiling and chandelier.  

OK.  I TOLD you their French furniture in their catalogue is great!!

 

The Fantine armoire is HERE.  This would be really cute in almost any room – think outside the box, like a bathroom, even a laundry room or a mud room, or the entry hall.  Or how about this – use two to flank a bed and create an alcove?

 

Housepitality Designs chose this Soft Surroundings chair for her living room.  It’s got a distinctive fabric treatment – plain linen mixed with a striped linen on its sides. 

 

The Helena chair shown in the Soft Surroundings Catalogue with its charming side panels in striped fabric HERE.

Jamie of So Much Better With Age chose the bar cart from Soft Surroundings for her dining room.   Her dining room is fabulous and so not orangey-fall.

 

Instead, the dusty pink linen tablecloth is a surprise Fall touch.  The French chandelier and the Mora clock add much feminine interest!  She’s been restoring her house and it’s filled with ideas.

 

The Soft Surroundings Burgundy Bar Cart HERE.

To see the entire Soft Surroundings Catalogue, go HERE.

Don’t forget – there’s a new Soft Surroundings store in First Colony – Houston.

AND…

Be sure to visit all the blogs taking part in the Soft Surroundings/Romantic House Magazine “French Country Fall Blog Tour”

Start HERE – and all the participating blogs will link to each other.

AND AND AND!!!

Do you LOVE Peppermint Bliss – Bailey McCarthy????   She’s on One King’s Lane with new pictures of her country house!!!  omg!!!  HERE!!!

23 comments :

  1. Very pretty things, both the clothes and the furniture. Totally my taste.
    But the brocante store was a shocker. I realize shipping and insurance makes the prices much higher than here but $300 for a demijohn? I just threw away a dozen of them because they were too much trouble to sell for the €3 apiece they fetch in France.
    I have an antique armoire too many and we are having trouble selling it on the equivalent of craigslist because there are just so many for sale. There's a marble-topped bistro table like the one they list for $1000, and the ad says "donne"--giveaway. There are two more listed at €50 and one at €100.
    I need to get into the antiques business, hauling stuff to the U.S.!

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    1. Hello Taste of France, I,too, am shocked but not surprised at how ignorant / foolish my fellow Americans are when it comes to the value of certain "French" items. Even here in the US, you can get a very nice 1880's armoire for under $1,000 on Craigslist. I got mine for $250. However, some people need the bragging rights so they spend 3 to 4 times that amount to buy the same thing on upscale websites with fancy graphics and la-di-da names.

      I just created a dead-ringer for the Fermob bistro table which sells for over $800. Mine cost me about $80 (including paint).

      Oh well, more money for me to enjoy Champagne and pâté de foie gras.

      Smiles from Charlotte Des Fleurs

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    2. You need to know a bit about furniture construction when dealing with craigslist and brocantes or you risk getting ripped off, plus there's the transportation, so I do understand the allure of click-and-have-delivered sites that offer quality goods.

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    3. Agreed. Some of the people on Craigslist do not have a clue about the value of the things they sell. But I have also had "reputable" antique shops try to sell me a bill of goods. I trust my own research and education far more than I trust a story spun by someone who is trying to sell me anything.

      No matter how you look at it, knowledge is power!

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  2. Yes, I'm always appalled by the prices quoted on American bloggers' lists of French goods for sale. Have seen and sometimes bought so many similar things in French brocantes at a mere fraction of the price. Also, fail to understand the American craze for old French hessian bags. There are so many wonderful brocantes at places all over France, not only Ile sur la Sorgue and Clignancourt. Have brought home many pieces like Third Empire trays with handpainted flowers and gold borders, wooden boxes, candleholders etc. All of which can be taken home in checked or hand baggage. Also fabulous vintage designer jewellery - so much cheaper outside Paris. Also you can buy wonderful French furnishing (and dress) fabrics by the metre at Marche St Pierre in Paris. Amazing variety and amazingly well-priced! And not only the washed out looks favoured by so many bloggers. Best wishes, Pamela

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  3. I wonder if they offer a designer program. If so, I would totally snatch up a few pieces. (Of course, I can probably determine this by going to their website but I’m just too slammed to take the time today.)

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  4. Thank you so much for sharing our French CountryFall Blog Tour!! I've been a fan of your blog forever!
    Cindy
    Edith&Evelyn

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  5. "Soft Surroundings" has been my "go to" catalog for years and I can attest to their quality, policies, etc. They have opened a store in Richmond, VA...I just call 'them' and they do "everything!" franki

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  6. Thanks so very much for sharing our French Country Fall Tour!....I ditto Cindy!...a fan...and must say that it was great to work with such a wonderful company as Soft Surroundings!

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  7. I love Soft Surroundings Joni! Did you make it to the opening in Sugarland? I went opening day, but couldn't stay, because I had to leave for the Round Top Antique Show. We have awful jobs, don't we?

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  8. Have to laugh...a few years ago, several of your bloggers slammed me for standing up for French Country design. "Passé", they cried with fists raised. Country French may not always be the latest trend, but it will always be with us. Whether the cool greys and white of French influenced Scandinavian / Belgian design or the rich walnut and chestnut wood of southern France, it is comfortable yet elegant and charming.

    It is always exciting when a new rendition of Country French comes out.

    Smiles from Charlotte Des Fleurs

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  9. Thanks so much for sharing our French Country Fall Tour, Joni! I have been a fan of your blog for a long time. I must also say how much I love Soft Surroundings...so much fun to work with them! Hugs...Debbie

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  10. Thanks for sharing our French Country Fall Tour. I'm loving the rug I ordered from Soft Surroundings for the tour and will be showing off my new gorgeous bedding when I reveal my new French Country Coastal master bedroom in the next few months. It was great to work with them. Love your blog! I miss Texas (near Dallas for 12 years).

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  11. Thanks Joni for pointing out a reasonably priced source for home decor and sharing the blog hop. Will be fun to look through those bloggers homes and posts! I don't think Traditional French style will ever be passé, just hoping that it won't continue to be as trendy as it's been lately. Maybe it's just me but tired of seeing so much "trendy" French style. Maybe it's living in Houston where all the interiors look the same, like a catalogue that leans towards the "cool grey" tones mentioned above. These McMansions/huge new builds especially look down right cold with all that grey/pastel blue/white throughout the entire home. Often very pretty and well done but cold as ice. And I'm sure all the husbands are tired of their entire home looking so feminine! Maybe people should buy a few pieces of the walnut/chestnut variety at SS!

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    1. Agree the magazine pics of "French Style" all look pretty much the same. Boring really. Don't think it's truly French style, more the US version of it. Our French friends' houses (Paris and Provence mostly) are decorated quite differently (have shopped the brocantes with them - and they often like quite quirky, though of course really authentic, things) and have a real feel of their personalities - not like these bland interiors. Best wishes, Pamela

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  12. Soft Surroundings found my po box several years ago, I was drawn to their photography. Vanishing Threshold with garden views. Then, I noticed their comfy clothes. Have not ordered anything, nor looked at them online. Buy YOU know I thought they were SMART, intuitively styling with Vanishing Threshold for sure.

    Will click your links this weekend. Hope I don't buy anything !!

    Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

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  13. Joni thanks for sharing our French Fall Tour. You've got the best blog and it's a personal highlight to be featured by you! Love the Soft Surroundings furniture and clothing, as you said it's reasonable and good quality.

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  14. Do you know where Soft Surroundings furniture is manufactured, in the U.S. or China? Is it ethically sourced?

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  15. I've passed by their store many times at The Woodlands Mall, but never went in because the clothes never appealed to me. I love the décor items you listed. I will definitely stop in next time!

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  16. I lived in First Colony until three years ago. It might be time to go back for a visit!

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  17. This is a true Texas Country French home inspired by your blog. Www.1riatadrive.com.

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  18. HELLO JONI! THIS IS TRULY FUNNY!! About 8 years ago.......(time flies and I have no sense of it!) Soft Surroundings called and wanted to shoot a catalogue here at our house in Montecito!!

    (I love the clothes.....and I also really love "when the house works...).and anything the house makes is spent on the house!" My rule from 45 years ago.....when one of my houses in Pasadena was used for a photo shoot!)

    anyway, Robin (the originator of Soft Surroundings) arrived....with models.....and was here for three or four days.....fantastic! All the models....all the clothes.......and ....They brought all this great looking furniture.....and she told me why the furniture!

    She had carefully picked the houses to shoot her catalogues...and she has an unbelievable and great eye. She said that so many customers were asking about the furniture.....(the owners own furniture) that she decided to make some! They loved the old, antique, crusty painted furniture. So they started making it! SO SMART!!!

    When they filmed here; they moved all of our furniture out of our house....almost...and put their furniture in! It was beautiful photography!
    Tara sees "indoor- outdoor....vanishing threshold.....YES! She has such a great eye....she picks the houses that have that. And her furniture and interior things she has gleaned from the things she has photographed in other people's houses! Fascinating. And she is a genius!

    I remember I walked out my kitchen door to greet her.....I had on this sweater......she said....."Aha! That is my 'weekend sweater!'" Yes......it was "her sweater....and that was the name of it! They still carry it!)
    this woman knows what she is doing!

    I would much rather find those pieces at the local "Collective"; or "flea market"; (She has hers made in China or somewhere.....) but she has the best eye ever.....and she doesn't have time to go to flea markets.
    Fascinating.......I knew you would love this story!!! I love you, Joni! Please come visit! I will try to find the catalogue filmed here! Robin is darling!

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  19. We’re not quite sure where Mister and Missus Jackson will move when they leave their short-term villa http://www.mmovers.ca/

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