MARIO LÓPEZ-CORDERO

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L A FR AN CE PRO FO N D E washington, d.c. antiquaire marston luce lovingly restores a 15th-century stone farmhouse deep in the dordogne.

For years, Marston Luce traveled to France six times a year, trawling flea

markets and fairs to keep his Georgetown storefront well stocked with

bergères and trumeaus. “I didn’t consider living here half the year until I

saw this house. That’s when I knew I wanted to experience the life of the

culture I was exporting,” he says. Sous Bois, the farm that caught his heart,

is set high on a walled terrace with its back to a forested ridge, boasting

four-foot-thick limestone walls that date to the 15th century.

Luce spent the next fifteen summers restoring the property, eschewing

modern materials in favor of salvage—for two years he climbed a ladder to

his bedroom on the second floor while he sought a replacement staircase.

In the living room, the hearth had blackened ceiling beams and walls with

many centuries’ worth of roaring fires, but he liked the “brut, unrefined,

and honest” original plaster, so he merely lightened the palette with white

paint to imitate lime wash. Curtains made from vintage linen sheets

sourced at local markets complement the patina. As to the furnishings

themselves, Luce developed a French attitude. “I took my time,” he says.

Sober walnut tables and chairs balance cheerful painted pieces. A refined

trumeau with flaking paint leans casually against the rustic walls, a

yin-yang effect that brims with charm. “Elegance comes from a slow

accumulation of things.”

Centuries-old limestone walls inspired the creamy tones of the furnishings, including an antique French fauteuil in a sunny botanical print and a vintage cocktail table chipping paint.

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A geometrically patterned rug in the foyer echoes graphic hexagonal lanterns. opposite: The fourteen-foot-long kitchen island is ideal for entertaining or casual family dinners; yellow leather–clad stools add a pop of color. preceding pages: Custom Chesterfields flank a 19th-century Italian fireplace in the living room,

with walls lined entirely in quartersawn white French oak.

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A geometrically patterned rug in the foyer echoes graphic hexagonal lanterns. opposite: The fourteen-foot-long kitchen island is ideal for entertaining or casual family dinners; yellow leather–clad stools add a pop of color. preceding pages: Custom Chesterfields flank a 19th-century Italian fireplace in the living room,

with walls lined entirely in quartersawn white French oak.

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OCTOBER 2016

Lushly romantic or quietly minimalist, boasting verdant farmland or a beckoning

pool, every one of these stunning homes is a unique, super-luxurious getaway,

designed to please the eye and recharge the body, spirit, and mind. Veranda

Retreats features the magazine’s signature lavish photography, which allows

readers to contemplate with pleasure even the smallest details of every

breathtaking house and landscape. Enjoy the beauty and serenity of a North

Carolina cabin, villas in Malibu and Ojai, a compound in Kennebunkport, a

West Hollywood bungalow and Los Angeles house, as well as apartments in

New York, Palm Beach, and Georgetown, and gorgeous properties in Dallas,

Aspen, and more! Or journey to spectacular locations in the Bahamas,

St. Tropez, and the Dordogne. Includes a foreword by Clinton Smith.

The audience for Veranda Retreats mirrors that of the magazine: half-a-million affluent readers who are on a quest for the best. The magazine is unparalleled in its commitment to luxury living and delivering the finest in home decoration, style, jewelry, travel, culture, and more.

MARIO LÓPEZ-CORDERO is a journalist who writes about design, travel, fashion and culture. He is the senior editor of Veranda and his writing has also appeared in New York, Travel + Leisure and Metropolitan Home; he’s previously held staff positions at ELLE Decor, Harper’s Bazaar and House Beautiful. He lives in New York City.

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OCTOBER 2016Lifestyle / House & Home

$60.00 ($65.00 Canada)Hardcover with Jacket

10" × 12" • 272 pagesISBN 9781618372123

For publicity inquiries, contact Ardi Alspach at (646) 688-2450 or aalspach@sterlingpublishing.com.

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