The Boule-in

The Boule-in French Interiors & Gardens for modern British lifestyles Stylish French collectables, design classics and sumptuous vintage textiles.
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Sourced individual and unique objets d’art from all over France, providing affordable luxuries to enhance homes and gardens back on British soil. Quirky little antique boutique in barn and garden in the pretty Suffolk village of Bildeston, hosting 4 established seasonal Exhibition weeks now part of the East Anglian scene

Permanent Boule-in shop in Kennington, London!

Sometimes it’s the quiet moments that capture one’s heart… I was sitting (lounging actually!) on our sofa last night jus...
06/05/2026

Sometimes it’s the quiet moments that capture one’s heart… I was sitting (lounging actually!) on our sofa last night just contemplating a happy day … simple pleasures - delicious ☕️ with laughter & friends as we sheltered from the ☔️ as the heavens decided to open mid market day morning🌞🌈 … another beautiful walk this time up by the monastery, trying but failing to count & name the numerous wild flowers that scented our pathway … a glorious apero 🥂 with our most beloved couple (🫶 too special to name) whose beautiful garden never fails to inspire & our amateur efforts at wine tasting meant that we consumed rather more than any of us had planned 🤭😂 .. we returned to steamed asparagus, purchased from a market stall before the rain & liberally slathered in local olive oil & ground black pepper 👌!

Finally my mantelpiece looked beautiful (to me) from whatever angle … full of past memories & loving gifts or hand-me-downs from beloved bygone relatives ❤️ I treasure them all xx

Today will be very different as we’re spreading our wings, getting Réné 🚙 out of the garage & heading to the coast - we’re off to Cassis - a mountain drive & a sea food platter 🦐 ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ xx I hope you enjoy your own simple pleasures - they’re all around you! X

Magical silver-linings ✨ Despite our untimely departure from beautiful Cotignac we’ve gained the most magically memorabl...
14/01/2026

Magical silver-linings ✨ Despite our untimely departure from beautiful Cotignac we’ve gained the most magically memorable visit to Provins ❤️ A stunning mid French town steeped in history, filled with charm & a chambre d’hôte which ticketed my every box … old school 🇫🇷 & luxuriously comfortable 🥰

We arrived late afternoon catching the medieval town & ramparts before twilight drew us to find (which I simply can’t recommend enough - we’ll definitely return!) : My handsome man - old romantic that he is pulled 🍾 from our case so l sipped 🥂 & bathed 🫧 & preened 💋 before heading out to an evening full of happiness & hilarity!!

Unfortunately our gorgeously comfy bed became a torture chamber of bad dreams & tropical heat as the radiator which I’d turned down on returning from the restaurant was glowing like a fireball - I’d inadvertently turned it up to full throttle 🤭 🔥
* Note to self - remember I ALWAYS get a headache from bistro-special red wine 🍷!!

We left Provins in darkness to catch a midday ferry so my images don’t do justice to our beautiful surroundings but a sparrows 💨 breakfast was served in a room twice the size of our Bath flat (😂) … never the less I’m SO excited to be getting there tonight 🫶 xx

Like water through my fingers, fate seems to play its hand & is dragging us back to 🇬🇧… my darling Ma is unwell & the ne...
12/01/2026

Like water through my fingers, fate seems to play its hand & is dragging us back to 🇬🇧… my darling Ma is unwell & the need to be with her overrides the joy of being here in our magical haven xx

I’ve washed up, emptied the fridge, visited the bottle bank 🛻 (🤭!!) & pulled by the intoxicating light that invades our home have been drawn out for a last walk under the blue blue sky ☀️ It’s amazing the calm that comes from being outside & the knowledge that all things are part of our story … It’s odd the thoughts one has being outside: nature which is always changing gives off a timeless aura of peace & that of nothing really ever changing at all!! ❤️

We’ll be off tomorrow - to see my Ma, to commence our Bath flat restoration - & to embrace my little babes that I always miss so very much … there are always silver linings in every ⛅️🫶🫶🫶

( 🎶 ‘Paint me by numbers’ seemed too good an opportunity to miss - perhaps I’ll use her ‘Suitcase’ as tomorrows soundtrack 😂! ) xx Love to you all!
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🤭 Am I strange in saying I rather love dust? OK I’ll explain better - though it’s a lucky thing I do as our home is pres...
10/01/2026

🤭 Am I strange in saying I rather love dust? OK I’ll explain better - though it’s a lucky thing I do as our home is presently covered in more than a ‘light dusting’ having had holes drilled through every wall in the house this past week (we’re putting AC in … yes rather unseasonably but our builder got hit (in his car!) by a sanglier 🐗 in Oct so he had to take time out for the shock!!)

My love of dust is not dust itself - but rather the OCD satisfaction of wiping it clear … blowing it away… which for me is so visceral that I it’s worth having things super dirty to watch them clear - clean, fresh & new! (In reality I hate cleaning which is a problem as though Natalie our super-French-famme-de-ménage is really rather goid but I’m a fascist when it comes to hidden corners so it’s better I do it myself!)

New Years, like new months, new weeks, birthdays & new diaries are all incredibly exciting as I love the feeling I can start afresh - holding onto what’s precious & yet being so sure I’m going to be fabulous, productive & innovative in the year, month /week ahead!! Most often I’m not - but occasionally I can reflect that I’ve grown a little inside, I’ve explored new thoughts, new experiences & new light & sounds around me: Most recently I’m filled with new soundtracks in my head - not just 🎶 but phrases & lines that ring like an orchestra within my thoughts - I can deeply recommend finding a silent space & immersing oneself in poems … ‘save stoicism for tomorrow’ rings so true while the haunting golden sound from ‘Mighty Real’ & ‘Dido’s Lament’ from ‘Love & Anger’ dance in every sun-shadow I see here in Provence… 🫶☀️ What are your ‘26 soundtracks?

We’re off Brocanting this morning - & the sun is azure blue so a good fresh start to the weekend - hoping yours is happy too ❤️☀️🫶 xx

07/01/2026

🤭🫣!!! 🤣😂! It’s been SO long since I’ve done a post that even my cameraman has forgotten how to work my celebrity side 🤩🎥!!
Anyway … we’re here 🇫🇷 (temporarily…) & having had a complete whirlwind of a last couple of months in which suitcase-living lost it’s appeal, we’re finally enjoying the peace that Provençal blue skies & time together gives 🫶

Life in 2026 seems as full as ever but we’re hoping that we can settle into a happy pace between 🇫🇷 & 🇬🇧 continuing to cherish all that’s best in both: I’m so excited to be able to finally share our Bath flat project with you (which has taken an inordinate amount of time to purchase 🤪) & of course the joys of living with an ex-military man in rural Provence where time keeping has its own unique charm (the builders arrived 2.5hrs late this morning 🤭😤😂) & the delights of our local Boulangerie which make daily hikes around the medieval towers as essential as a lunchtime rosé to restore the spirits 💖

We wish you all rather belated - but incredibly heartfelt wishes of peace, happiness, laughter, love & the joy of many adventures & new experiences this 2026! (we plan on sharing most of ours… 🥰) xx

A quick recap of the oh SO busy past two weeks!! (& these are the bits I’m letting you know about 🤭🤣!) 🥰SO we drive ho...
10/11/2025

A quick recap of the oh SO busy past two weeks!! (& these are the bits I’m letting you know about 🤭🤣!) 🥰

SO we drive home across a magical France whose leaves were painted a mesmerising golden orange 🍁 & stopping off at the simply stunning for a wonderfully spoiling night of luxury, history & the best of French gourmet cuisine 👌🫶

We reached Bath just in time to celebrate our little Orlando’s 1st birthday (adult fashion 😂 🍾!!) & to check on the flat which is frustratingly slow for a very impatient Mrs Bullen whose dying to decorate it style 💖

Next pit-stop was a super brief browse of our Suffolk barn to identify bits for our flat & to drop off our new purchases ready for Christmas Fair (5th & 6th December 🎄🌟 ) … we’re now ensconced in Woolwich where we spend the most exciting week setting up & glorying in ❤️❤️❤️ If you’ve never been to this fresh, exciting, immersive & frankly fantastic Art Fair then you must jump on the Elizabeth Line & join in the joy! Wednesday 13th - Sunday 16th November 🌈❤️ 🖼️ I feel SO lucky to have all these adventures in my life… xx

30/10/2025

🤗 Autumn has arrived en Provence 🍂 … & it’s simply glorious☀️
It’s taken rather longer to arrive here (we’ve remained resolutely green for quite some time but now the whole land seems swathed in a Midas-touch of golds & glorious oranges…

Under these blue skies the season’s change is marked by Cotignac’s ‘Fête du Coing’ (‘Quince’ being synonymous with the village since medieval times…) & frankly I ADORE this charming festival! Gone are the commercial trappings set for summer tourists - here I’m charmed by Provençal dancers, stalls selling every kind of quince recipe… & every café sports a ‘Menu du Coing’ trying to out do their neighbours (we rather fabulously over indulged 🤣🥰!!)

Escaping the crowds the countryside drips with the jewels of olives turning from green to red & the days slip away from us all too quickly … we’re returning to Blighty 🇬🇧 for family & friends… fabulous times ⭐️ & later on Christmas Fair! Treasure it all I say 🥰❤️ xx

24/10/2025

Hi hi 👋🤩! SO much has been happening here & I’ve been absolutely hopeless at posting what’s going on as we’ve been ‘living-life’ rather than just filming it all!!
However, SO many of you want to know how the ‘garden’ is getting on that I thought I’d just show you a sneak peek of the project mid-way through (we’re now surrounded by AC scaffolding which is taking rather longer than anticipated as our builder got hit by a Sanglier (wild boar 🐗) so his car’s out of action for a week 🤭🫣… (luckily only the car not Maurice-le-Macon!!)

We return to UK shortly so we’ve been trying to capture every essence of our 🇫🇷 -adventure before we’re enveloped by the magic of what’s in store 🇬🇧 ( !!! 🤩 Christmas Fair! … all to the soundtrack of latest 🎶🫶)

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