French Style Home Tour – In The Mountains
This French style home in the mountains of beautiful Colorado has been carefully curated over time. With specific collections of antiques, DIY projects and beautiful flower gardens, this family home is so inspiring!
As I was chatting with my sweet friend Victoria over the last week or so about this tour, we realized that we’ve know each other online for about 10 years now! I have always enjoyed her French style home and today she’s opening it up to my readers for this wonderful tour. Be sure to follow her over on Instagram at – The Frenchmade Home.
Without further ado lets get started on the tour of creative designer Victoria Hayden’s inspiring home…
French Style Home Tour – In The Mountains Of Colorado
“After many years of having to move every 2-3 years with my husband’s career in the Air Force, our house has finally been a place for us to plant roots and call home. My husband’s retirement was coming up in a few years and we had always loved Colorado Springs, CO and thought it was meant to be when we became stationed here. Before we even knew each other, we both had lived here earlier in our lives and knew this was where we would both wanted to retire and live!”
“We have a big family of 7 along with 2 Ragdoll cats, having space in a home was a must for all of us. In 2012 we started looking to buy a home and many of the homes we looked at were either not big enough or needed a lot of work to become the dream home we wanted.”
“When we found our home, we had this one on our list to look at in person and another home a few houses down. Initially, I was more drawn to the other home because it was more updated with newer finishes and a finished basement, which I knew our family would be able to utilize right away. Looking through the first home, I liked many things about it, but there wasn’t anything “special” that made us feel this is “the one”.
“So, on we went to see this home. As we pulled up to the house, it was set further back from the street and had a very long driveway, the home exterior had several layers of pitched roofs, beautiful brick façade and 2 charming bay windows. It felt very “story book” to me with a European look that I loved!”
The First Rose Bed Added
“I knew however that this home did not have a finished basement and the backyard was not fenced in, which we needed with still having 2 younger boys. This home is almost 5000 sq. feet and even though the basement wasn’t finished, it still felt like it had enough space and rooms for all of us.”
“The minute we stepped out the back door, was the moment we knew this was our house! We were entranced with the most beautiful view I had ever seen out a back door. Our home is on a ridge and below is a natural preserve so there is natural landscaping in between the neighbors below.”
“Not only do we get the view of the entire lower valley of Colorado Springs, but the big mountain range of Pikes Peak all the way down to the Spanish Peaks! It was breathtaking and at that moment, I felt a peace and quiet in my soul I hadn’t felt anywhere…I felt I was finally home!”
“A fun fact; Katharine Lee Bates was the writer, poet and professor who wrote “America The Beautiful” after visiting Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs in 1893 after visiting the area. She was awe struck by the beauty of Pikes Peak! The lyrics “Purple Mountains majesty” are about the same view I get to see everyday!”
“Upon making this big decision, my husband said words, (which I am sure he now regrets) “We will do the work and make it ours!” Telling that to a creative designer, is like a kid in a candy store wanting it all…the vision I soon had, encompassed all my waking thoughts and dreaming moments!”
“We now have owned our home for over 8 years and it is still a “work in progress” as we have done most of all the work ourselves. This home was built in 2001 and even though it was a beautiful home, it was missing the “character” of trim work and the details that would elevate it to be the real beauty it could become.”
“I have always loved everything French and European style, so I knew that bringing the character to our home would make it become the French style that I loved. We have added lots of hardwood flooring throughout, wainscoting, planked ceilings, new and vintage French lighting, trimmed windows and doorways with beautiful headers, added transom windows, and bigger baseboards to compliment the high 18-foot-tall ceilings in the great room.”
“One of my favorite rooms in our home has become the great room, with its tall big windows that gives you the beautiful view outside along with all the natural light that pours in! When I first saw this room, I knew it needed a bold statement piece. I designed and built an 8-foot-tall French Trumeau style mirror as a main feature above my fireplace and I think it adds such a stunning piece to this room! I love that it also reflects the image of the gorgeous French style crystal chandelier in it.”
“Another “wow” factor I added to our French style home is the gallery art wall above our staircase. It’s a collection of vintage and antique French floral oil paintings, paired with some pretty vintage Redouté prints. This gallery wall lets me have a beautiful flower garden inside all the time to enjoy, especially with cold winter months in Colorado!”
“I updated our staircase last November. Taking off the old carpet and having to use joint compound to smooth out the particle board steps so they could be painted. I recently changed the color from a blue grey to a grey black. I also added a Loloi rug, in a vintage style runner with accents of beautiful brass and final stair rods to dress it up!”
Her oldest French oil painting is from the mid 1800’s!
“In the last few years, we took on our biggest renovation yet in our French style home, a total gut job on the kitchen, laundry room and powder room since they are all in the same area. It has been a big project and at times a little overwhelming as we have had to still navigate regular life alongside it. It now is a functioning kitchen that I love, especially with the amazing addition of my French Lacanche stove, but we still have some finishing details and a custom island my husband is building.”
“We usually have several projects going on at once, as they have all become a necessity with needing updates and issues that have come along with a 20-year-old home.”
Victoria’s husband built the long box on the table to put candles or flowers in!
Apple blossoms brought in from the garden for the Easter table!
“Not only have we been working with the interior of our French style home, we have done lots of work on the exterior as well. Adding several moss stone stacked flower beds, lots of new plantings in the gardens, a flagstone pathway and lighted brick pillars at end of our driveway.”
“I have also planted over 80 David Austin English bare root roses over the last several years, that have brought so much joy to my life with each blooming season!”
Victoria’s Spectacular David Austin Roses!
The couple added French doors with un-lacquered brass hardware and painted the floor for that French style home feel.
“In the last 8 years in living here, my husband retired with the Air Force, four of our children have graduated high school, three have gone to college with one just graduating this last May, two of our children have married and now have children of their own.”
Victoria is an avid DIYer and designed and tufted this headboard for that ooh la la factor in her French style home!
“Our home has now held lots of memories with many wonderful family and friend gatherings, filled with the people I love…this home holds a big part of my heart!”
French lilacs from the garden are perfect for this French style home!
“We don’t know if this house will be our final “dream home”, but we definitely have fallen in love with our French style home and enjoy seeing it become a true beauty! Looking back, I can see how far we have come, yet we still have a ways to go. We realized there’s not a set timeline to finish all the work… we have however, finally “planted roots” and our house is evolving into a home that we love!”
One of Victoria’s favorite pieces in her French style home is the vintage settee. She reupholstered and painted it herself!
Victoria and her husband added the hardwood floors and French doors in the music room. The piano is a 100 baby grand!
Thank you to Victoria for opening up her home and please visit her daily on Instagram at The Frenchmade Home!
For more French style home inspiration…you might enjoy these posts!
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Oh my gosh Janet another beautiful home. I am swooning over so many things like that beautiful mirror in her dining room. Her french doors and finishes. Everything is so unique and gorgeous and that view is pretty awesome too. Even her sweet kitty matches her beautiful decor. Happy Sunday. xoxo Kris
Isn’t this home just gorgeous Kris!! Hope you have a good week ahead and stay safe! xo
I’m not sure which one is my total favorite of your home tours, but this surely tops the list. Great job capturing the beauty of everything. So much eye candy….including that beautiful kitty. Thank you. I pinned again to drool later. 😉 Cindy
Oh Cindy, I’m so glad that you enjoyed this beautiful tour and thank you for pinning! xo
Gorgeous home. I love the collection of vintage floral oil paintings. It is like an indoor garden. Thanks, Janet.
That’s a great way to describe it Miche…long cold winters there and I’m sure it helps!
Janet, so honored to be featured on your wonderful blog!! Thank you so much!! I loved seeing our home all put together with our story…loved it!! 😘😘😘
Truly my pleasure to feature your home and story Victoria! xoxo
I just moved to Colorado Springs and agree with her about all the beauty. I would love to find out where she picked up that gorgeous large mirror. The home is stunning.
Thank you Eileen!! I know you will love living here as much as I do! The mirror above my mantle I designed and built, the large mirror in my dining room is from Arhaus. I hope that helps! 🥰💗
How fun…you too should become friends! Have a great week Eileen
I totally see why you are friends! Two different parts of the country but same French & DIY sensibility.’Gorgeous stairs!
We do have some similar aesthetics! Have a great week Andrea!
Absolutely beautiful!! 🥰
So glad that you enjoyed this tour and her beautiful home Tina. Have a great week!
The view outside is just so heart-warming!
Yes, it truly is beautiful!
Absolutely charming! I love everything about Victoria’s home … but that staircase and gallery wall. Wow! As someone who cannot DIY to save her life, I’m in awe of Victoria, and her husband’s, ability to do the work themselves. And, to do it beautifully. I’m sure they’re grown kids and grandkids return every change they get. Just beautiful! xo
Hi Juliet! I’ve been watching Victoria update this home for years now and she is very talented indeed! Hope you have a great week and that the smoke clears for you.
xo
I love so much about this home, especially the staircase and that kitchen! I would love to know the name of the Loloi rug and the wallpaper in your gorgeous kitchen!
It’s beautiful indeed! Since this is a home tour, I’m not sure of any of her sources but you might look on Victoria’s Instagram account that I’ve linked in the post.