double take: a good year.

Kylie‘s back at it today with another fabulous Double Take— go for it, dearie! :)
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A Good Year = Good sets + good actors + good plot + the most spectacular scenery you have ever seen. Director Ridley Scott brilliantly transports the viewer through different worlds — from the fast-paced financial hub in London to the slow-moving countryside of Provence. This travelogue really hit home for him as Scott lived in Provence for fifteen years with frequent day-trips back to England. Provence is a place that I only wished I could call home…

If you haven’t read any of Peter Mayle’s books, then add A Year in Provence, Toujours Provence, and of course A Good Year to your list. That’s exactly what I did at the beginning of last summer then we (thanks to my sweetheart) took a little trip to the Lubéron hilltop towns to see what all of the fuss was about. And no wonder Mayle has written a small library of books about Provence. Gordes, Lacoste, Ménerbes, Cucuron, and Bonnieux are just a few of the towns that are featured in film (if you are interested, there is even a small-group tour).

Château la Canorgue took center stage in the movie as it became the home of Max Skinner (Russell Crowe), the high-powered stock broker turned vineyard owner after the passing of his beloved uncle. This château rests at the foot of Bonnieux and is known for producing fine organic wine. Few alterations were made to the property for the movie (it’s just that beautiful!) with the only major one being a second swimming pool for filming purposes.

Sonja Klaus, production designer, was responsible for transforming the château to the home of dear Uncle Henry. Klaus used beautiful antiques and rustic furniture to give a sense of nostalgia. Even if we don’t have an Uncle Henry or a vineyard in our backyard, we can try to recreate the general feeling of this château with a few selective pieces in our own space.

The washroom is my favorite set with its sink console, small cocktail table, vintage french lace curtains and gorgeous floorlength mirror. You could create a similar look with the lucca single skin console, jessie table, alencon lace curtains, and carved cheval mirror.

The cottage ride headboard (available in several sizes and finishes) would be the perfect backdrop to your bed before waking up to breakfast prepared in your rustic kitchen. Drink your morning coffee at the provence extension dining table while using your Hutschenreuther blue onion china. For an evening glow, find some vintage candlesticks from the wide selection on eBay.

And finally take in the breathtakingly beautiful scenery on your wyndham outdoor cafe armchairs (similar chairs available in a copper patina finish here). All we need is a chess table and we’re all set for a glorious afternoon in Provence. Perhaps I’ll pop the dvd in for the eighth time…

Image credits: Twentieth Century Fox, Pottery Barn, Amazon.com, Wikipedia, Picasa, The Luberon Experience, Luberon Live, Horchow, Oly Studio, Home Living Style, 1stDibs, Crate & Barrel, English China Shop, eBay, & Ballard Designs.