Chez Fleur Part I

Last spring my parents bought a French Provençal beach house in Seagrove Beach, FL - by architect Tom Christ and interior designer Patrick Dunne. That is, the architect who helped plan and design much of the Seaside community and the renowned New Orleans designer. I know. Crazy. Even crazier if you actually know my parents who would rather be in bucket hats (my dad) and flip flops (mom), instead of reclining in an iron scrolled chaise lounge. However, the location on their beloved 30-A coastline in scenic Seagrove Beach, FL couldn't be beat. And so they bought a beach house full of French antiques and accessories and had no idea what do with it all. Until I came for a week-long overhaul last April. What should stay and what should go to make this house and all (or most) of this furniture functional for our family and the way my parents live. We wanted an open, welcome, and comfortable interior while still honoring the integrity of the architecture and design of the house. We are still in the middle of this process and will post "after" photos eventually. However, we are lucky enough to have some excellent "before" photos, showing Patrick Dunne's original interior design, published in the July/August 1999 edition of Southern Accents. And HERE is a video from when Chez Fleur was featured on the show "Homes Across America" in 1997.