It's All About Location...English and French Country Houses

While surfing the internet, perusing blogs and websites devoted to all things old and must, crusty and dusty, I found this wonderful site, JJ Locations, that provides locations for film, photography, fashion and commercial shoots.  I could easily waste a day looking at each and every house...but as always, was drawn to the old houses of England, with a few from France thrown in for good measure...you Francophiles need love too!  So I decided to feature a few of my favorites.  I know the maintenance on these homes must be incredible...but a girl can dream...I just want to check in for a month or two..in May or June...with my dogs and my laptop...and an Aston Martin to get me to and from.  Enjoy...

Old brick, slate roof...old shutters...perfect

Do you really need more than a nice swing on a  grassy  country path on a spring afternoon? Nope

That's the kind of "green" money cannot buy - it takes time and age 

This would make for a beautiful walk each day

Don't you always wonder what's behind a door like this?

So "Price and Prejudice" - what's not to love?

What a lawn...

So lovely --- snow and an old farm...

I could easily hang out right there...

Overgrown, neglected....and wonderful

Interior view of one location in England -- the  natural light in this hall is nice

Beautiful Meadow - this could actually make me skip:)

Another beautiful farm

This photograph appears to have been taken in the spring time  -- perfect time to explore England

How many horses have trotted along this path? across this wooden bridge over time?

More snow - beautiful - this is near Scotland

How incredible is this staircase? And all that muted white and gray?

Probably someone's weekend estate -- I would settle for just one weekend

Same house...this reminds me of the film "The Duchess"

Peaceful Perfection

Let's have a girl's night out in the conservatory, shall we? We can invite Prince Harry

Scotland location - probably really cold but I can handle cold weather

Gothic Spendor - and the steps!

Another gothic beauty

This one is in France -- it looks like a fairy tale

I have always dreamed of living next to a river - love the sound

Potting shed from the above estate - love the simplicity of this space

Southern states aren't the only place to find wisteria - such a beautiful vine

All photographs copyright of JJ Locations

The Little Cottage Shed - When One Room is All You Need

As I sit in my little upholstered chair in my living room, thinking about how much I enjoy living in this house that I shared with my sweet, late husband and my daughter for the last 18 years, I am also thinking about how overwhelming it is to take care of now that I am on my own.  With a finished basement and two additional floors, an acre of landscaped grounds and a pool and pond, I sometimes wonder if I will ever be able to keep up with all that is required.  It's not that it's a palatial estate -- just that it's a lot of house for this 49 year old soul.  But I love it here.  I have around 60 roses, over 300 bearded iris, and the house works great for me with my antique and ebay business.  And of course, I am blessed to have a home...a place that brings me such joy and reminds me of how fortunate I am in so many ways.

Downsizing continues to be a strong possibility in the future, but not any time soon.  In the meantime, I was thinking to myself, "how much room does one woman with two dogs and an old cat really need?"  I think I could easily live in one of these enchanting places.  Enjoy

Who needs a house when you have a pool house like this?  I love how close this  place is to the pool itself

You know me and my love of Britain - I'm guessing this thatched roof beauty is somewhere there. 

 My guess is Hansel and Gretel can't be far behind...and the Seven Dwarfs for that matter.

 

Victorian perfection - I especially like the steps and the fence

Based on the surroundings, I would guess this is out west - straight out of "Little House on the Prairie"

Gothic grandeur - this is possibly my favorite

More thatched roof love

Solitude amongst the mountains and a lake - how wonderful

What a setting

I love the old wood, the windows that look like they could use a good scraping

My love of robin's egg blue is in full force here

A mini chateau in your backyard

A storybook cottage if there ever was one...love the gingerbread work at the roof line

Now that's a tree house - my second favorite here

Modern, yet cozy and warm -- what a view - looks like the islands

All we need here is Jeremiah Johnson to complete the picture...then I truly would be in heaven

Another tree house - how fantastic - looks like it was built in a day from the scrap yard

Just prop me up in that robin's egg blue chair next to this little beauty and I will stay forever

Not exactly a cottage or a shed, but wow...I want to peer out my kitchen window at this every day

Love among the ruins - how romantic...I could even overlook the probability of mice

Perhaps that is a note tacked to the window from Mr. Darcy himself, letting me know that he will return soon

Winter beauty - I do love cold weather

White wander -- what a picture of spring perfection

I love the Cape Cod look of this - and the flowers...and the windows

Hope you had as much fun looking at these little gems as I did finding them.  Photo and design credits are unknown so please forgive.