This Store Turned My Home into a French Provençal Getaway (I Didn’t Even Have to Travel!)
I’m guilty of being someone who goes to France a couple of times and decides to make it my whole personality. When I went to Provence, I delayed my next stop just so I could spend two more days exploring the beautiful vintage markets, historic streets, and stunning views. I found myself thinking, This is it. I never need to travel anywhere else ever again — I only need to come back here again and again.
So as I dream of my next visit, I’ve tried to incorporate a little bit of that French lifestyle into my own home and cooking. From adding wood and copper elements to my kitchen that take on a beautiful patina, to setting out Provençal cloth napkins for every meal, to making an effort to use indulgent seasonings, I try to channel the luxury of a French getaway — even when my to-do list looks more like sitting at my computer than wandering through an antiques market in the South of France.
Luckily, though, there’s a home store right outside of Washington, D.C., that makes my goal of turning my home into a fancy French Provençal getaway just a bit easier: Crème de la Crème. It’s a jewel box of a shop with everything from La Rochere bee tumblers to classic VIETRI bakeware to French marinière shirts. It’s truly a visit to Europe in shoppable form.
And the owner, Tara Wegdam, has serious European curating credentials. After owning a retail store in Holland and living the expat life for several decades, Wegdam made her way back to the United States, thanks to her husband’s job. She wanted to bring a little bit of Europe back with her, so she decided to tap into her knowledge of the French and Italian home industries, particularly kitchen wares. And so she opened her first shop in charming Middleburg, Virginia.
Over two decades and several shops later, it’s become a spot to transport yourself to a slower, more luxurious, Francophile-inspired way of life. And while the focus is on the in-store experience, I did find a few must-have items that are carried online, if you’re ready to bring the Provençal look into your own home.