At Lois
Preface
Hello,
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Lois, and I’m a photographer. Sometimes, when the mood takes me, I write a little on my blog. My husband Arnaud is a pastry chef, and we have three children – Zoé, Hugo and Simon. Over the last few years, we’ve wandered between London, Barcelona, and various cities across France. Arnaud’s job means that we travel and have had to move several times.
Chapter 1
Second to the birth of one’s children, renovating a property is one of the most intense adventures in life. It can be a really trying time for a couple’s relationship and for family life. But it’s also a time of learning, a school where one learns, amongst other things, patience, and the extent of one’s limits…
Chapter 2
We are still hard at work, and there is still much to do before the house is finished. However, that hasn’t stopped me from coming up with ideas for a lovely festive table. Surrounded by rails and plasterboard, there are two trestles and a wooden board, with a few branches and scavenged glass trinkets. An improvised candle-holder with a wooden end.
Chapter 3
2019 – This year we’re putting some money into the place! The building work is coming along nicely and if it carries on at this rate, the inside of our house should be finished this summer. I’m really pleased about that. That, and the first rays of sunshine – it’s just great! When it came to the order of work and things to do, the children were our priority…
Chapter 4
I’ve been freelance since I was 25. The idea of having my office at home never bothered me, quite the contrary. I’ve always enjoyed the freedom and flexibility of working at home. To be honest, I really love it. Over the years, I’ve managed to identify the type of space that suits…
Chapter 5
As you know, I’m Spanish, so I love the sunshine. More than that: I need sunshine. Since returning to France, I’ve got to admit that I’ve struggled with the winters. They’re long, very long… too long for me. The arrival of spring…
Chapter 6
This room changed everything. When we saw it, our hearts skipped a beat and we were powerless to resist. We got carried away: we saw ourselves sat on our comfy sofa, enjoying this soothing, magical view…
Chapter 7
July has gone by at lightning speed, just like every month of the year. In recent days, we had a seaside break where we filled our lungs with the sea air and topped up on vitamin D. The sun, the sound of the waves and the sand certainly leave you relaxed… It was wonderful…
Chapter 8
The start of the new school year can usually be summarised in one word: “stressful”. Poor old September just flies by and is doomed to be an anxiety-inducing month. We rush around madly, registering for this and that, filling in forms, making appointments at the doctor, going to meetings at the school,etc…
Chapter 9
This will be our third autumn in the country! Isn’t it crazy how time flies? But then I feel like I’m always saying that. Clearly because it fascinates me. Time passing.
This autumn promises to be particularly special because one of the biggest projects in the house is finally complete. The kitchen and living room, the main rooms, our living spaces, are liveable…
Chapter 10
There’s something about autumn that just makes you want to snuggle up at home. To curl up and binge-watch movies, warming yourself up with a cuppa and a cosy throw…
It was with these times of the year in mind, when the temperature drops and our homes become a fortress…
Chapter 11
The house is taking shape and we’re starting to get things the way we want them. Renovation is a bit of a roller-coaster ride, full of emotional highs and lows. We’re enjoying this new project, but at same time we’re worried too. By the time we start to see the light at the end of the tunnel, we’re so exhausted that, personally, I find it hard to enjoy the finished spaces right away. I think it really is a kind of ongoing process.