Breton decoration

[Will]

The idea of nice rugs sounds good. I could maybe personally cope with those tiles just round the edges, but the whole floor - no way. We have rugs over our plain tiles, which makes what is quite a big area of shiny brown ceramic seem warmer and quieter though the dogs have a nasty habit of messing up the rugs so nice ones are unfortunately a bit of a waste for us.

[cooperlola]

[quote user="Cassis"]Come clean, Coops - what have you got on your floors? [:D] 

Has anything blown down over your way yet, by the way?
[/quote]1.  You will see - basically what the previous bods left, so far - modern and uninspiring but fine pro tem.  2.  Nothing but a couple of plastic plant pots. We spent a good deal of time yesterday putting everything we thought might move into the barns.  It's a good test for our new roof!

[WJT]

LG, thanks the link worked. The London Mosaic ones are the original authentic ones like yours. I must admit, I think they are beautiful. They would look silly in a place like mine (old farmhouse) but in a beautiful elegant French room with all of the features you mention, I think would be gorgeous. I love the faded French white shabby chic look as well so would be tempted to go quite heavy on the white glaze.

However, I haven't been able to find examples of the other look I was imagining. I imagine using some sort of a dark glaze (reddish for Terra cotta or ochre in colour) to cover most of the pattern and the appearance would be similar to an old faded fresco. In any case, I wish this was the sort of problem I was having at the moment instead of electrics, plumbing, sorting out damp etc.. [:)]

Edit: Agree with Will, beautiful rugs can transform a room [:)].

[LanguedocGal2]

[quote user="WJT"]

 In any case, I wish this was the sort of problem I was having at the moment instead of electrics, plumbing, sorting out damp etc.. [:)]

Edit: Agree with Will, beautiful rugs can transform a room [:)].

[/quote]

No doubt, it must be a pain at the moment but when it’s all finished, you’ll be in heaven. [:D]

You've read my reaction to tiles in perfect condition that I hate, so can you imagine what state I would be in if I had to worry about plumbing, electrics and septic things? I’d be more of a wreck than the place.

Putting things to my taste (kitchen, bathroom, walls, tiles etc) is all I can cope with. When I read what people have to go through in terms of renovation of their French homes, I cross myself and I’m not even religious. You’re a courageous bunch.

Re Rugs: I think I’d see the tiles through them[:(]. 

[5-element]

Bravo LG for taking the plunge! I knew she could count on the forum members for the excellent suggestions!

I too, like WJT's idea of some glaze or wax which would take most of the edge of the patterns. It's true the tiles are a bit much on a large surface such as the living room. They could make you feel queasy if you had a hangover, or the dreaded gastro.

I wonder why nobody suggested something else: "parquet flottant"? Maybe it is too heavy, or maybe there is only poor quality available, I don't know much about it, but I can imagine parquet would look very good against the rest of the flat - with the large volumes, high ceilings and windows and inner wooden shutters, it would look very elegant and in keeping with the genteel turn-of-the-century ballroom atmosphere... I can already imagine the chandeliers!

I usually like rugs a lot, for their cosy feel.. But here in the Midi, many rugs are often not quite right- unless maybe some Berber-type rugs in keeping with the  Mediterranean feel and the very strong light. The point with tiles of course, is that they stay cool on the feet in the long summers.

[WJT]

[quote] user="LanguedocGal2] When I read what people have to go through in terms of renovation of their French homes, I cross myself and I’m not even religious. You’re a courageous bunch.

Re Rugs: I think I’d see the tiles through them[:(]. 

[/quote]

Well, I hope I don't insult anyone here but going through the experience at the moment I would call it stupidity not courageousness [:D].  I must admit that I would never go through this again.

5-Element has a good point, you could always put a parquay floor over them and would certainly be in keeping and beautiful.

Regarding rugs, we are going to be putting down stone floors but will still use rugs here and there to soften. We have a few Persian rugs here in the UK that I love and would want to use in France but would also possibly want a few old French Aubussun style rugs. However, we are located in the Dordogne not Languedoc. Unfortunately, as I have said before, this is the least of our problems, we have too many other things to worry about before we even get close to that stage [:'(].

LG, let us know what you decide [:)].

[LanguedocGal2]

Re Parquet

When I first moved in, I did look into wooden floors/parquet as that’s what I’m used to, but quickly dismissed them once I realised that the only ones I liked were around 60/100 € per sqm. The devis for the laying were also very high.  The cheapest I could have done the room for was in the region of  4000 €.  Well, after that, alternative solutions had to be found! In the short term, I thought I’d leave them to see if I could get used to them. Mais non! Not possible!

In fact, it was whilst researching this DIY issue and French inheritance laws (to see how to get around them[:@]) that I came across the LF forum. So, very glad the forumers have helped resolve one issue. The other, sadly, is out of your hands.

Wjt: Re final choice: It’s pretty much a toss-up between the glaze/wax or good quality lino. I’ll spend a couple of months researching the best option out of the two.

Having decided this much, I suddenly feel very Zen. WJT, I send you and yours some of my Zenness to arm yourselves with for the next time you have to face the builders.[;-)]

[WJT]

[quote user="LanguedocGal2"]

Re Parquet

Having decided this much, I suddenly feel very Zen. WJT, I send you and yours some of my Zenness to arm yourselves with for the next time you have to face the builders.[;-)]

[/quote]

Thank you for sending the Zen. We are leaving tomorrow for France and the macon is meant to start on Monday. Could you send me enough to ensure that he will [:-))]!

By the way, I personally think you could make them look beautiful [:)].

[LanguedocGal2]

[quote user="WJT"][quote user="LanguedocGal2"]

Re Parquet

Having decided this much, I suddenly feel very Zen. WJT, I send you and yours some of my Zenness to arm yourselves with for the next time you have to face the builders.[;-)]

[/quote]

Thank you for sending the Zen. We are leaving tomorrow for France and the macon is meant to start on Monday. Could you send me enough to ensure that he will [:-))]!

By the way, I personally think you could make them look beautiful [:)].

[/quote]

Bon sejour and lots of luck.  I can transmit the zenness but you may need a miracle or two[8-)].  Hope all goes to plan.