We certainly don’t intend to sit you down and have you pouring over plans, cutting and pasting for five days.

So probably a better description is to find as many ways to bring colour out of your spirit and into your lives as possible. This doesn’t imply that we spend all those days talking of paint, although Francesca will provide her lime wash colour charts and sample Eco paints. Francesca’s experience with getting the best patinas through method and application will take all the anxiety out of using lime wash and Eco paint. Being Italian Francesca knows all about the expressive spirit, so combined with her Italian pigments, her Yoga teachings and her passion for colour we are in for an exciting time.

Miv has lived her passion through a global, itinerant life, decorating houses, stately homes, tin shacks, caravans, cottages , yurts , film sets, TV series, music videos. Author of The Maverick Soul her latest project has seen her recently taking on the refurbishment of this 300 year old romantic estate in Gascony SW France. Nothing will ever be perfect, polished, buffed ,or shiny in any way. Imperfection rules, and where ever the touch of the historic human hand can be found, in the patina of time ,it shall be left as it it is. There is nothing more beautiful than knowing one is inheriting the guardian ship of an old building. Step lightly as we go. Slow improvements for the convenience of modern living are necessary but Integrity in all shall remain.

 Together with our bon vivante Parisian chef Philippe who will provide lunch, wine and evening meals around the old monastery table; regaling us with his stories of his time living in the Australian bush and learning Aboriginal cuisine- to his excursions and teachings in India, we will be promised the best of local seasonal produce gathered from visits to the local markets and renowned wine Chateaux.

This retreat is based around true purpose. The purpose to be entirely oneself in one’s own home. It is about visual stories, lifetime memories, family history, insight and the events that shape and encourage us to really see the beauty in our lives by looking more intensely at how our environment affects our moods. How the external pressure of perceived opinions on what’s in and what’s out, can sabotage our confidence. How to create and live in a home that has evolved instinctively around our own unique story.