I'm Susan — devout Francophile, mother of twins, writer, creative director, and aspiring author. I've been sharing my life here since 2010...thanks for reading!
During my last trip to Paris, I stayed in a lovely apartment in Montmartre, provided by Haven in Paris. I had the opportunity to truly experience the neighborhood, and subsequently fell in love with it. While I’m anxious to spend even more time getting to know the area, I had some very enjoyable adventures in and around the famed butte. I shared some of my favorite addresses over on their blog, and I’d love to know your favorites…please share!
I’m forever grateful for the blogging community, and the friends I’ve made along the way. Erin Austen Abbott is one of those friends, and while we’ve never met, our connection as mothers and small business owners is tangible. She recently launched a lifestyle blog focused on travel with kids in tow, and invited me to share our experience traveling with kids to Paris. It was the ultimate field trip for us of course, and I could wax poetic for days on this topic. Don’t worry, I narrowed it down to our favorites, including where to play, dine, shop and stay. Follow the link below…merci encore Erin!
Today is Bastille Day, and I can’t think of a more fitting occasion to finally announce the secret project that I’ve had in the works for so long. You may have seen my hints here and there, but today it is official…@thefrancophiles is live!! What began as an a-ha moment last summer has developed into a full blown concept and (soon to be) community, thanks to my friends and co-founders, Kirsten Alana and Lindsey Tramuta. Our mission is to inspire, inform, and unite those who love all things French. What does being a Francophile mean to you, and how and where do you get your “fix”? Head over to Instagram and join the community by tagging and hashtagging your French-inspired images. Bienvenue!
I’m celebrating my SIX year blog anniversary!! The official date was three weeks ago, but you know…#life. I’ve also had my nose to the grindstone – I have big plans for this year, and promise to keep things exciting! I’m commemorating the occasion with a look back at some of my favorite posts. It’s fun (and occasionally cringe-inducing) to look back through the archives…for me, it all began with a beret! This collage of images represents some of my favorite posts, and the press and collaborations I’m most proud of. I had no idea what would become of this space six years ago, but I’m oh so grateful for it’s growth and success, and the friendships I’ve developed in the process. I still enjoy it immensely, and it (almost) never feels like work. Thank you, as always, for joining me here – a huge MERCI to each and every one of you.
my top six favorite posts
a day in paris | paper + plans | the new fleurishing | henry et marie | things I’m afraid to tell you | my personal paris
Our powder room makeover is finally complete, thanks to a second collaboration with Chasing Paper! You may have seen the sneak peek a few weeks ago, and now I can finally share it. Ever since discovering their removable wallpaper and going “wild” in Henry and Marie’s room, I’ve been obsessed with finding another place for it. Our (tiny) powder room proved to be the perfect space for their speckle print paper, which is both classic and modern thanks to the carefree (freehand) dot pattern. It elevated this bathroom to another level – it’s so much more interesting and fun (the dog tail hook helps too).
In addition to the paper, we updated the mirror and light (you’re not missing anything by not seeing the before photos – although I did share the process along the way on snapchat: hutchsusan). It’s very tricky to photograph such a tiny space (and I’m not a contortionist, lol) but I did my best! The details are always my favorite stage of the decorating process, and I found a happy home for the Napoleon + Josephine silhouettes recently gifted to me (merci Amy), along with the vintage brass swans I acquired in LA. There’s not really room for much more in there…less is more in this case!
As you can see, it’s a tiny space just inside the front door of our loft. It makes me so happy to see those speckled dots peeking through from the bathroom doorway – it’s the perfect accent. Small spaces are the perfect place to make a bold statement, and I especially love using wallpaper in powder rooms (no shower/tub means hardly any humidity, which is not a friend of wallpaper). Pro tip: prints also make perfect camouflage for quirky spaces. Just because you’re renting doesn’t mean you have to give up on wallpaper – check out all the amazing (removable) options on the Chasing Paper site!
resources: wallpaper | mirror | light | dog hook | shoe cabinet | all other items vintage
wallpaper c/o chasing paper, all words and opinions are my own.