Welcome to the French Country Manor. This home was created by Lawbre Company in Illinois. I have two full structures created by them. In addition, I use their finish pieces, windows and doors quite extensively. It has been my experience that they create fine structures and support their work.
A Tip:
Always buy houses from reputable companies that have a means of
sending extra supplies, paints, windows, and spare pieces. I have had to
replace various pieces many, many times and could not have done it without
the help of the company!
The interior of French Country
is actually 8 main rooms, 3 stairwells and 2 attic rooms.
Please click on the picture or the arrow for an
enlarged view of the entire interior.
Just a few highlights for you before you begin your traveler's journey:
Most all of the window treatments are from Marcia McClain of McBay miniatures. She worked carefully to create just the right flair for each room. I think as you walk through The Manor you will enjoy the diversity of curtain, drapes, colors, fabrics and design.
The rooms were individually planned, crafted and developed and deserve some special attention. Two rooms were really creations of Whitledge and Associates. The kitchen is a Noral Olson design, and the Alice in Wonderland room was hand painted by Libby Martin. The living room furniture was hand painted by Renee Isobel. The majority of the wallpaper came from England and is part of the William Morris Collection.
Please click on the basic room descriptions and pictures to review the detail of the rooms that interest you the most! Now, where to start....let's start in the kitchen where so many of our daily activities occur!
The kitchen
in The Manor was created by Noral Olson.
This particular kitchen was featured on the cover of Dolls
House Miniatures in October 1998. Please click on the picture or kitchen
to view the kitchen photos close-up.
The dining room
was developed in stages.
Please
click on the photo to view an enlarged version of the room. This room,
designed by Whitledge, clearly adds a distinctive flair to The Manor!
The main entry is really quite spectacular. However, there is no way to get a really good photo of it! From one side it shows only the staircase and from the other the view is blocked by the front door! It has a spiral staircase, an Ellen Blauer light, hand laid "marble" floor and lovely drapes by Marcia McClain. It was designed to be a central focal point and it certainly succeeds. The dining room and living room arches help create the desired result.
The
living
room in the Manor was a room that "came together" 
after I had purchased the Renee Isabel furniture pictured.
The
Whitledge den is directly adjacent to
the living room. This room, like all of the rooms, as its very own story.... it
starts with a dream and a birthday present!
Lets move on to the second
floor. This floor really holds two bedrooms and a stairwell.
The
Alice in Wonderland bedroom
located above the dining room certainly has an Alice in Wonderland story
that goes with it!
The 
stairwells are worth a
special look. This one is actually a room itself!
The master
bedroom is actually a simple room incorporating the work of the same
artisans shown throughout the Manor. 
Click here.
Moving to the Manor third floor...
Noah has always been a favorite of mine. Noah's reluctance to
build the ark has always captured my attention. Therefore, when I saw the Robin
Betterly furniture I knew immediately that the ark bedroom was a must.
Click
the ark!
Although their is a third
floor stairwell, it did not photograph well. 
Over time I have added pieces to the simple design. The window treatment over
the arched dormer window was created by Marcia
McClain.
The
final room in the main Manor structure (we still have an attic and bathroom
which are roof rooms above the kitchen and den) is an art studio! It is certainly
worth a close up view to catch much of the detailing.
Now on to perhaps my
favorite room in the entire Manor---the attic! We often choose rooms that
represent special memories to us...I recall finding many family treasures in our
attic. 
It
was a special place to me. Here is the room I created, does it remind you of
YOUR attic?
And finally.....what room do
we seem to be missing? The bathroom! I have created many, many bathrooms and
decided to create a unique bathroom in a unique space. I hope that you think I
succeeded! Please click
here 
to view the bathroom!
Thank you for visiting my French Country Manor which was featured in the April 1999 issue of Dollhouse Miniatures.
