When the kids are at camp, you take the trip.
I recently found myself back in Bordeaux for a week of adventure, architecture, and beautiful surroundings. I came home thinking about a quieter kind of luxury: the art of making things work beautifully.
What struck me most was how naturally beauty and practicality seemed to coexist. The materials were sturdy and unfussy, and architectural details served a purpose without sacrificing beauty.
The limestone used throughout the region was a perfect example. Its simplicity and durability create a sense of calm that feels just as relevant today as it must have centuries ago. It reminded me that we don't always need to reinvent the wheel. Sometimes traditional materials endure because they simply work.
The Mansard roofs offered another lesson. What began as a practical way to create more usable space eventually became one of the defining forms of French architecture. I love that evolution. The things we need can become the things we love, especially when they are thoughtfully designed from the start.
A 1926 Georgian-style home in Windsor Farms, Richmond, Virginia renovated by Sara Hillery Interior Design.
