Current Inspiration #18 - Loire Edition
Summer is around the corner, and we are spending this delightful season in a place we love: The Loire Valley. And this newsletter edition is dedicated to exactly that - our passion and excitement for this region! If you've followed along for any amount of time, we talk a lot about this region of France, and for good reason! So, here are some bits about what makes this place so special.
The French Renovation
To begin, we love it here so much that we have decided to invest in it! One real estate investment quickly (and unexpectedly) turned into two, and now we are the proud owners of two divine limestone (more on that later) abodes on the banks of the Loire River. And lucky us, and you, both are in need of extensive renovation work. We are just at the beginning of our renovation journey, but we've decided to treat both as a MAREDI Design laboratory, where we will be experimenting with all sorts of healthy materials and incorporating as many sustainable solutions as possible! Most of our documentation will be done via Instagram, but you may see some updates here from time to time.
Guinguette on the water
One of the greatest pleasures that comes with living along the banks of the Loire River is perhaps the seasonal return of the famous “guinguette.” These taverns on the water, sprinkled along the banks of the river, typically reopen when the long-awaited days of Spring start to reappear. They serve as the perfect location for leisurely meals (day or night), served with delicious, local wines of the region, making for an ideal way to unwind with friends or family. Dating back to the 20th century, these little joints are a pure slice of paradise, and while they exist in other regions in France as a Parisian export, we'll argue that the ones in our region are the best!
The perfect Loire combo
And of course an ode to the Loire Valley would not be complete without mentioning and highlighting some of the region's natural materials, including local limestone and slate. The combination of these two materials is what gives such luminosity to this beautiful place and uniqueness to its architectural heritage. Most buildings in the area are constructed from this blond stone, which is perfectly contrasted by the slate roofs. There is something so quintessential and idyllic about this marriage of materials, which while very local to the Loire Valley, pop up in other areas of France as well. These celebrated materials come in various shades and patina marvelously over time.
The good life in Anjou
There's so much that we appreciate about being here, from the incredibly local, fresh produce that come from the very easily-accessible (and reasonably priced) markets, to picturesque runs along the river, bike rides through the countryside, weekends spent exploring centuries-old chateaux…really, the list goes on. For years now, whenever we are here, we refer to it as “the slow life,” which is essentially the best way to define the local lifestyle. There is the famous "douceur angevine” when talking about our very specific area (Anjou), which refers to the gentle and temperate climate, and perhaps even the extremely charming way of life. The impressive architecture certainly doesn't hurt, with its signature hazy white limestone facades, which add to the rich historical and cultural heritage of the region. Did we mention the nearly 1,200 castles scattered throughout Anjou?!
They talk about us
Here's where we’ve been featured since our last edition:
Another appliance efficiency crackdown is coming. Here’s what you need to know (Business of Home)
How to specify the most sustainable appliances for your projects (Business of Home)
We’ve also partnered with Agence Hamilton in France as their international design experts
Podcast Reminder
Season 2 of the Green Route with MAREDI Design is in full force with four episodes already released and more to come:
Episode 6 - The Importance of Urban Farming with Caterina Romanelli of l’Orto Felice (on Spotify or Apple Podcasts)
Episode 7 - The Reframing of Demolition into Sustainable Deconstruction with Stephen Fylio, co-founder of Blue Earth Deconstruction (on Spotify or Apple Podcasts)
Episode 8 - The Necessity of Electrification with Sarah Lazarovic, VP Communications + Creative Strategy at Rewiring America (on Spotify or Apple Podcasts)
Episode 9 - The Imperative of Nature in Design with Gabriel Wilcox, Director of Sustainable Design at Krueck Sexton Partners (on Spotify or Apple Podcasts)
Episode 10 - June 24
You can listen to all of the episodes wherever you stream your podcasts, and don't forget to sign up so you never miss a future episode!