The Louis XVI debate!!

Chers Amis de l'Ecole du Bon Goût! Bonjour d'Uzès!! The Louis XVI period is whole heartedly praised by many and is maligned by others!! Certainly the architecture, furniture and decorative arts were brilliant, fresh, new, intellectual and documented takes on their classical Roman antecedents! And yes, the life styles of many of that period were "libertine"!!! President Jefferson, the most "bon goût" Renaissance man to ever occupy the "Maison Blanche", came home from his tenure in Paris as ambassador (1784 to 1789) with a large shipment of "brand new" Louis XVI furniture and decorative arts. We know his taste was not only cutting edge but also flawless!

Here in Provence, the Louis XVI style had particularly fresh and easy going interpretations as it did in colonial Louisiane. We would call these interpretations "provincial" Louis XVI today. An interest in personal comfort and easier to live in interiors had become a relatively new concern at this period. This may be seen evidenced in the use of more comfortable "bergère" or closed arm chairs with loose cushion seats, painted furniture in general, as well as smaller more cozy rooms for personal use, as apposed to rooms of grand size built to impress and to receive the masses!

Following are photographs of some Louis XVI interiors as well as a selection of Louis XVI furnishings available at Au Vieux Paris Antiques, in case you would like to create a Louis XVI enclave of taste and comfort of your very own!! Come by the shop in Breaux Bridge in person, or call us at 337 332 2852 or visit the website at www.auvieuxparisantiques.com

Merci Cordialement, Robert E Smith

Visit the Au Vieux Paris Antiques homepage (click here)
Browse a sampling of the merchandise available (click here)

Mes Amities,
Robert E. Smith   (337) 332-2852
http://www.auvieuxparisantiques.com

Gratitude for 2013! +++Trust in 2014!!

Chers Amis de l'Ecole du Bon Goût! Bonne Fête d'Uzès!

Today I was reviewing what I am grateful for having experienced in 2013! Besides the most important subjects of good health and great friends, I think the next on the list would be being able to live in Louisiane 6 months of the year and Uzès for the other 6 months of the year! In both places I am most grateful to occupy residences which are not only located on amazing sites, but are brimming with bon goût inside and out! The Louisiane and Uzès "lives" certainly offer different opportunities, but they have one thing in common: bon goût living environments which are nourishing to my eyes, mind and heart! See following a panache of 2013 photos in these two locations!

I trust that you too have had many blessings in 2013 for which you are grateful! Let us celebrate them and all trust that 2014 will be a year blessed with health, kindness, laughter and love!! ( and lots of Bon Goût !!!!)

Cordialement,

Robert E. Smith

Visit the Au Vieux Paris Antiques homepage (click here)
Browse a sampling of the merchandise available (click here)

Mes Amities,
Robert E. Smith   (337) 332-2852
http://www.auvieuxparisantiques.com

Man's best friend: The Table

Chers Amis de L’Ecole du Bon Gout! Probably the hardest working piece of furniture is the table!! I think they could rightly be called “man’s best friend in furniture”!

Your bedside table dutifully stays up all night to hold your phone, reading lamp, alarm clock and night cap ( a liquid one or a cloth one!).

Your dining room table supports the splendid meals for your celebrations with friends and family . Fortunately the “multi-leaf” system of even the 14’ long table now at Au Vieux Paris, can be adjusted to many smaller sizes down to 5’ in length!

Today with our miraculous computers at work, a medium sized table can become a complete office for a sizable business! A friend of mine in France uses a tasty Louis XV table 36” square as his entire “office” to run an international business! It supports his computer, printer, and a flat screen to do Skype conferences!

The French in the 18th century “invented” forms of tables which were intended to be easily moved to where you needed them for their service! These were “table volant” ( These could “fly like the wind” around the room following you! ) and the “server mute” ( These multi-tiered tables, set near the dining table could hold all the necessary dishes, silver, glasses and even food for the following courses, eliminating the intrusion of “live” servants . President Jefferson, who we know was a champion of “bon gout”, particularly liked this way of dining and you may too!

Attached here is a sampling of “man’s best friends” available here at Au Vieux Paris Antiques! Call me at 332 2852 or come in to select your “new” helpful companions!

Mes Amities,
Robert E. Smith

Visit the Au Vieux Paris Antiques homepage (click here)
Browse a sampling of the merchandise available (click here)

Mes Amities,
Robert E. Smith   (337) 332-2852
http://www.auvieuxparisantiques.com

Need a unique gift for that unique person????

Chers Amis de L’Ecole du Bon Gout, Holiday time is a time of giving and sharing in special ways! We choose gifts for those important in our lives to let them know how we feel about them! We also have special get-togethers to celebrate the value of these friendships! Certainly meaningful words on a card can convey a lot, however a unique antique gift proclaims: “you are so special to me” and keeps on giving that message, year after year!

See here a small selection of possibilities for gift giving found at Au Vieux Paris Antiques. Free creative gift wrapping is always available! Give that special person (or persons) a real “Coup de Coeur” with the gift of a unique antique bon gout treasure!!!!

Mes Amities,
Robert E. Smith

Visit the Au Vieux Paris Antiques homepage (click here)
Browse a sampling of the merchandise available (click here)

Mes Amities,
Robert E. Smith   (337) 332-2852
http://www.auvieuxparisantiques.com

An abundance of "new" Bon Gout has arrived at Au Vieux Paris!

Mes Amis, Bonjour! I had a great Provençale summer based in Uzes, with many hope filled expeditions to go “fishing” for antique treasures! I even had acquired special light weight “fishing” pants, shirts and hat, at a sports store here before I left, to be sure I would be ready for the intense Provençale sunshine and heat! After all, the summer “fishing” was very good and my shipment has arrived, ready to be seen and enjoyed here in Breaux Bridge! Attached here is a sampling of just some of the diverse selection available!

Free creative gift wrapping is always available here if you are thinking of a gift for that special someone!!!

Call me if you have any special needs at 337 332 2852, or plan a visit here in person, or visit the web site at www.auvieuxparisantiques.com ( Now with movies svp!)

Merci Cordialement,
Robert E. Smith

Visit the Au Vieux Paris Antiques homepage (click here)
Browse a sampling of the merchandise available (click here)

Mes Amities,
Robert E. Smith   (337) 332-2852
http://www.auvieuxparisantiques.com