Come see my terrace (this house can’t do heatwaves…) | Provence vlog | Justine Leconte

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[@justineleconte]

Please tell me how you would decorate/organize this terrace which needs some shade and some love :-) I'm thankful for suggestions!

[@nikolaradakovic5050]

Just avoid evergreens with high amber content, like cedar, cypress etc. It burns like a gasoline. I think Oleander, aloe, queen of night will fit . Fig tree will give you a large shade. Instead of vine , you can plant kiwi 🥝

[@theaweavers8576]

In the sunny spots you could have pots or plant lavender!! Xxx plant a vine for shade xxx

[@theaweavers8576]

What a fabulous place to live xxx

[@dianesexton2697]

I love the terrace, it’s beautiful with the vine and all the plants.I would probably lay some beautiful tiles on the concrete and furnish the area with some comfortable seating and umbrellas for shade. The room off the terrace I would use for covered entertaining, with a rustic dining table and have some storage for outside cushions when not in use. So many lovely things you could do there. Love these videos, looking forward to seeing the progress.

[@RoseDawsonworld]

I love Edwardian era tea room decor so I would recommend it for you beautiful house. There's a lovely scene of Agnes Conway with her mother in a tea room in the wingless bird 1996 movie.l believe it would look great on your terrace. For the inside decor of that room that you are considering transforming into a dining area l also recommend an Edwardian style decor but this time the style adopted by the hidden treasure tea room in Exeter, England.

[@zoeread5148]

My parents have an old villa just outside of Nice. The villa has a terrace with a natural green foliage canopy of climbing plants such as vines, wisteria, honeysuckle, roses to provide areas of shade on the terrace, take edge off the sun. You could achieve a similar effect running wires over parts of the terrace to grow climbing plants up and over creating dappled shade underneath. X

[@latinaalma1947]

Yes Zoe beautiful idea those are having terraces myself with flowering trees , plants, tubs of flowers give me SUCH joy right outside my bedroom window showing the top of our volcano...heaven.

[@shirleyrogers3145]

From personal experience, Wifi availability outside is imperative. Some stylish chairs around a table with canopy is a wonderful, creativity-inspiring way to work. A water feature helps me. And color!

[@kesabeth1]

My sister, who lives in Provence, has the same thing, but with grape vines.

[@TheMntnG]

how can they afford that?

[@Snail_Nailz]

THIS 👆🏼Its actually quite easy & cheap to achieve!! One of the simplest methods is to use cheap bamboo ‘fencing’ rolls (often sold @ hardware or garden shops). Depending upon the area / existing ground - Having posts placed is the greatest expense but can also be DIY as its basically cemented into a hole. Use twine to secure the thin bamboo around the structure & allow the roses/plants 2 become established. As they mature over a few years the bamboo & twine will naturally break down - replaced by the plants deadwood!

[@jackybaynes1648]

That terrace is fabulous! I’d be building a pergola structure so the grape vines can grow over it for cooling shade. If you were able to hook up some mist sprays, you would be in heaven.

[@manuelafrs]

That's what I was going to say! It's very typical, here in Portugal.

[@jellybebe2753]

Agree. Trees and leaves are always the best way to cool a house

[@joelledurben9854]

Passion fruit vines also work

[@jackybaynes1648]

@@joelledurben9854 yes! And fast growing 😊

[@elizabethcarpenter728]

Yes, this would be my suggestion. Also, with a grape vine, you get shade in summer, but more light in winter when it sheds its leaves.

[@cherylmerideth5143]

Olive trees can take the heat and super dry seasons. They are beautiful, and can be grown in containers.

[@celiacelisally]

I work at a Japanese garden in a desert we have olive trees and they are absolutely incredible when cultivated in the niwashi aesthetic!

[@eileenstolee9236]

You can open up some areas on the terrace for trees to grow in the ground. That way you can have a big canopy for shade.

[@bajaboolie]

I love having a combo of house and fashion content on your channel

[@justineleconte]

Thank you!!

[@Umrao979]

You know there's a special kind of white paint that reflects the sun so it has a cooling effect. You could use that for your terrace. If you take good care of your terrace plants you'll have more shade next summer! I love the vines growing around the wall

[@Lili-xq9sn]

Yes. Water the vines. The more things that die, the harder it is to control heat.

[@glynnL]

Tried a version of the heat reflective paint on our roof, definitely it worked. You could feel an immediate difference inside, and could lay on the painted roof, but would be burned on the unpainted section. I don’t know how well it will translate to flooring, I’d do a trial section to see how it held up.

[@lovemesomeslippers]

Would that make the terrace unusable? The reflecting heat will reflect onto people on the terrace, essentially cooking them! Also, I think Justine said they can’t alter the exterior. I expect this means painting the lovely stonework is out.

[@chleoi4160]

Not a good idea to paint the floor white, when the plants are watered you will have stains, also easy to stain, plus maintenance.

[@chleoi4160]

That is used for roofs, & it works because it reflects the heat, & roofs are for weather protection not to be used as patios.

[@leadidee]

I recommend looking into Passive Ventilation for your covered terrace. You add vents at the highest point of the roof to release the heat. This creates air flow that pulls cooler air near the ground into the room. It's an inexpensive option that will make the room at least useable until you decide to do a larger renovation. I love all of your videos! Thank you for sharing your house renovation journey. Congratulations on your move to the South of France!

[@Lili-xq9sn]

Yes! I've seen this before but in the home itself, and it works great, always a cool mild breeze through the house.

[@Rutyos]

There is one problem with it. The terrace is covered in stone or concrete. It is heated up by the son, and it stays hot for a long time. So the air drawn in by the went is hot as well. If the other side of the room is next to a lawn, or just uncovered earth, try an draw in cooler air from that side, put a door in the doorway. The doorway is practical, close to the kitchen, but takes all the heat from the terace + from the roof. How about 2 vents, facing each other, right under the roof's highest point. Shading the wall would help, by eaves, but it might not be acceptable in the region.

[@Neenerella333]

I second the vent hole for the covered terrace. Near the highest part of the wall. Here in the desert, home attics, even in barns or garden sheds, we let the heat rise to the top and escape out a vent. A large olive tree in a precise spot would provide shade and olives. Perfect for Mediterranean weather.

[@gyongyikarasz9884]

How about creating a body of water at the incoming vebt, like in the anciebt Arabic world? A pool, a fountain, a waterfall, cascade, moved by a pump?..... To cool the air, of course. 🙂

[@yeahweburnstuff]

GREY WATER! Dear Justine, I have lived in an uninsulated house in Italy.... Summer was incredible.... I used the water from the washing machine to cool the terrace, and the water from the RINSE cycle to water the plants. This arrangement works very well. Please try it as it uses water that would otherwise be wasted. 🥰🥰🥰

[@twobluestripes]

Get internal shutters, blinds, or thick curtains. This is how they would deal with cold or hot windows in the old days, not just external shutters. And make sure old windows are in good repair, good wood, weather seals, and secure glazing. Storm windows or screens (both of which are temporary and get used or stored depending on season) may also help.

[@sofiadaliani8956]

The greatest idea ! Internal shutters as in the old houses in Greece, in combination with double energetic windows outside... this way you will not have to worry about licenses.

[@kupaadop]

@@sofiadaliani8956 in Germany it is common to install triple-glazed windows when a house gets renovated. It's not much more expensive than double-glazed and helps a lot against the heat in combination with shutters inside.

[@FrenchCountryLife]

I feel external shutters keep the heat out better than any internal curtains and things... For keeping the cold out we've found curtains inside work fine but with the heat it seems to be very different in our house and external shutters work best.

[@kupaadop]

@@FrenchCountryLife I guess it depends on the sort of shutters. I have some that reflect the sunlight which works pretty well in my flat. I can imagine it is not the same with an old house. Though, until the permission for any changes of the external facade ist through internal shutters might be an appropriate makeshift.

[@mizginavale22]

I understand so much about the unbearable heat this Summer. I live in Spain and it has been suffocating. We also had many fires in parts of the country. Thank you for that tidbit about how to recognize true lavender. A tea made with this flower is so healthy for you. I do wish that I could smell fields of them, as you did. Your terrace is lovely and quite large. I would look at how the Arabic (maybe Morocco) people for how they design their terraces to protect themselves from the sun. I am sure they have great ideas.

[@justineleconte]

I will look into that, thanks for the suggestion !

[@LindaC616]

@@justineleconte look at photos online of the gardens and patios at the alcázar in Sevilla, Granada, etc. They were all about getting out of the sun. A fountain will be very helpful

[@hinaynihorvath3926]

as a queensland dweller I relate to you I feel sorry

[@AngelCel227]

Definitely a pergola / pergolas for shade, with table underneath to eat at or just sit and read.. The vine is already there so it would be easy to train fronds up and over the top. Alternatively, make a canvas 'sail' cover to create shade and shelter for sudden downpours. The BBQ nook looks perfect for a wall fountain - the soothing sound of water is not just peaceful but also makes us *feel* cooler. Free standing fountains, with stone backs should be available - with something like a lion's head dribbling water (I'm describing the one that I have)! The wall nooks are good places for ferns in pots. I'd delineate upper level from lower level to create 'rooms' (and for safety) - perhaps with antique stone troughs if budget will extend to that. If not, maybe wooden planter or an array of pots. Solar lights to twinkle on the uprights and horizontals of the pergola , and/or around garden. Outside rugs are a thing in the U.S. (I'm in the U.K. where weather is probably too changeable to warrant that) - but where you live, an outside rug might be nice. A plant to consider if you don't have it Cordyline (coming in shades from ruby to yellow/green). They are drought resistant, very easy to care for, and have an architectural look - the single stem gradually lengthening to make them into a 'palm'. The 'head' can be chopped off if it has grown too leggy for your liking and it will sprout several new stems to make a multi stemmed 'palm'. (I love the idea of sweet smelling citrus blossom on your terrace in spring). :)

[@twobluestripes]

You might consider a native type of vine, one that is gentle enough that it will not hurt the wall structure, that could grow with or even replace the vine that got sun urned, if the climate stays too dry for it and it continues to burn?

[@christianc9894]

Préférez la tonnelle à la pergola.

[@maelliw661]

Definitiv eine Pergola. Für die Dachschräge habe ich Calciumsilicat-Platten genommen. Die sind relativ dünn, gut für das Raumklima und isolieren gut. Viel Spaß beim renovieren!

[@niagaraliving9167]

I’m so impressed with your creative, thorough and wonderful suggestions. Lucky Justine for having dedicated subscribers.

[@soniatriana9091]

@GM J. Great advice!!

[@shelliejerome4391]

Your patio is beautiful and has so much potential. I live in California and like so many, we have been experiencing extreme heat, 44° this past week and the worst drought in 500 years. Planting succulent plants has really helped. Also I keep a large bowl in the kitchen sink and collect water when rinsing dishes and getting the water warm. I then use the water to give my thirsty plants a drink. Can’t wait to see your upcoming renovations.

[@isabelab6851]

Just moved to Northern California and I am doing the same!

[@freciemagdirila7075]

I also have a bucket in the shower to catch additional water for my plants.

[@hinaynihorvath3926]

Plant cactuses everywhere

[@katharinarapp7590]

About shade on your terrace: How about cutting out a circle of paving - at a safe distance from the house - and plant a deciduous tree - i.e. shade in summer and sun in winter?

[@IEVAKambarovaite]

The lavender part of the video felt so wholesome. I love when you show the geeky side of Justine. Always here for it 💜

[@peanutbutter7639]

As an Indian I can 100% understand how painfully hot it can get. I’m from a city called Bangalore which is usually known for its pleasant weather but summers can go up to 38-39 degrees. Here’s a tip, invest in ceiling fans and also table fans that you can move around.

[@Lili-xq9sn]

Whole house window fans force col night air into the house!

[@Vanajaschannel]

I agree.

[@leslie2414]

Hello Justine, a pergola seems an essential for your terrace! Indeed shade is the key if your comfort in Provence. My grandma had one totally covered with wines/ivy and we spent so much time / lunch under it during the hot summer. Added local plants also should be helpful for fighting the heat.

[@anishahuemer1728]

I don't know the size of the terrace ... but: concrete willheaten up and stay very hot for a long time. So the concrete will be a kind of oven heatening the evening and early nights hours. And this stored heat is a problem for the plants in pots as well. Try to get rid of the concrete, as much as possible!!!! This kind of cealed earth can't take in any drop of rain. Make it a little garden with small trees, little bushes ... every inch of earth covered with plants!

[@shirleyrogers3145]

In the US it's very expensive to rip out concrete. Plus SHADED concrete remains cool.

[@aneeqaahmad6927]

maybe plant small plants in pots placed on the surface of floor with most of noon sun. because before and around sunset the heat decreases. So this way you could still have concrete floor left and not much of heat will be absorbed on covered concrete.

[@hinaynihorvath3926]

Tiles are great they are cool to lie on

[@lana7422]

I live in Las Vegas, NV, and here some people install a type of solar screens over their windows on the outside which helps deflect much of the heat from coming through the window glass. We lived in a house that had them and they worked really well.

[@katyb2793]

You can save the rinsing water from the washing machine to water your plants. And save the water from if you have a bath (with no bubble bath of course). We lived in a very long drought here in Australia, I think for 7 years.

[@evr134]

Hi, how do you manage to collect the water from the washing machine???

[@katyb2793]

@@evr134 when it starts draining the rinsing water, you pause the machine, remove the pipe the water drains from at the sink end, and fill up buckets :) don't forget to put it back in though!

[@evr134]

@@katyb2793 thanks for answering!

[@sherylwickenheiser2582]

We use rain barrels. We collect rain off our garage roof. It doesnt take much rain to fill the barrel. We also collected water from our shower to use to water flowers but not veggies.

[@elinarosenblum1882]

Justine, what a charming terrace!! I can totally see adding beautiful mosaics on the vertical smooth surfaces - the wall that's illuminated by sunset, and the low one by the steps. I saw you already have a small mosaic, so it would make total sense to create another one to rhyme with it! I'm a mosaic artist and would be honored to come create something unique for you... We can incorporate your designs or mine or do something Provence-themed - there are so many delicious possibilities :)

[@elisarose6393]

Une pergola couverte de plantes grimpantes serait magnifique pour avoir de l'ombre xxx

[@elzbietaberezecka6264]

This summer I was in Tihany, Hungary - this is the other place except Provence where they grow a lot of lavender, it was brought in XIX century from France, Provence. This is the place where you can get anything and everything made with lavender. It smells just like summer in Provence just before lavender harvest. I can smell the lavender as I watch you in the field. It's a great thing to be able to be in such a lovely place.

[@strawberry1025]

That sounds so lovely. 😀

[@wallybistrich3474]

Lavender and rosemary grow very good in hungarian summer and during the last 20 years the reputation of lavender got also better.

[@shreyashukla2223]

My only tip for the terrace: get rid of the concrete floors. Keep it natura if you can.. the flora is up to you, I'm sure anything will look great in a natural ground.. and pleasant for the hosts and guests too. ❤️💜 loved it...

[@sunandak4255]

Hello! Some suggestions : 1. White reflective paint so that the roof does not absorb so much heat (this will help cool down the inside of the house as well). 2. Small bushy trees in pots to create shade areas. 3. White canvas gazebos. 4. A fan with a mist function if an electrical outlet is available ( or just spray water on particularly hot days) 5. Solar panel or solar water heater so that the sunshine is used for something productive! :)

[@patriciamccumber9117]

You can add reflective film to the inside of your windows to help with the heat. It will not change the look of the outside. Huge difference in interior temps.

[@Anny-sq6re]

Hello Justine! I see everyone is suggesting pergola, i also would recommend this construction, but this summer being the hottest, i would be careful with flowery/fruity climbing plants, as were I live ( I don’t know how it was in Provence) it was just an attack if wasps and bees (but mostly wasps…) they were everywhere, like literally everywhere, and the more hotter it gets, the more they come to towns and cities looking for food as everything else is in drought… just my small observation, to take that into consideration :) good luck with renovation!

[@ilsekestemont1084]

If they come you put some rotten fruits far from the house, they will go there and stop bothering you.

[@pegapage9603]

I feel you! I live in Italy and it was the worst summer ever. We do have shutters and an insolated roof, but it was still impossible to live on the second floor where we have our bedrooms and my office (I'm a graphic designer). Our air conditioning was broken and so I spent many weeks sweating and with a bad headache inside the dark, hot house just waiting for the summer to pass. Awful!

[@kamillaerdos7636]

Didnt u open the Windows for tonight? It cools down the flat/ houses.

[@pegapage9603]

@@kamillaerdos7636 sure, open all night. But we had very warm nights this year. Unfortunately the thick old stone walls get heated up so well, one night of slightly (!) less hot air, doesn't make any difference inside the house. It takes a week of cool weather to feel the difference inside. Also the wooden shutters and the metal parts were still warm in the mornings.

[@puppibanana]

Same here in Spain. I think I don't like summer anymore, it's been hell 😫

[@kimberlyperrotis8962]

These heat waves give me migraines!

[@hinaynihorvath3926]

Not safe to open windows at nigjt

[@ohjoannabanana]

I love the small mosaic near the barbecue area. If you like mosaic, you could add mosaic tiles to the face of the steps in the terrace to add an artistic flair. I hope the weather cools off soon. Take care 🌼🌸🌺

[@MC-xw1pm]

My new favorite KZbin genre is European gals renovating their old homes. I really appreciate your attention to the effects of climate change... it's scary but it's something I need to be thinking about myself right now while I renovate my own place. Great inspiration.

[@ankigatoni6967]

Difficult summer, I tend to hate summers as i get older. You need to plant some bergamot and more speciality citrus 😍. The covered terrace could have more openings?

[@tonieiselt6274]

There are many wonderful terrace ideas in the comments. Since there are strict rules about the look so it is still French from the street, I'd talk to some local landscapers. They deal with the rules daily and may have suggestions the rest of us don't know about.

[@justineleconte]

They are good at saying what is allowed and not allowed. But the people I talked to so far are not really suggesting creative solutions…

[@kg3718]

WOW what a pretty house with big terrace - your own little paradise

[@kevinjewell233]

Check out the Tesla solar roof tiles....the look like tuiles, gather electricity and are much stronger than tuiles!!!! they also have faux slate if you move into a chateau en Bretagne!!!

[@mariawagner6739]

The best summer shade is under FIG. It grows easily like weed, gives delicious fruit, and after a few years grows like tree, you can shape it well. Wonderful. Grapes do not grow under it, but your shady terrace will compensate. About your terrace-room without door: try to knock out walls, leaving only coloumns. We have in Hungary very hot summers, and a terrace with roof and no walls is super! Your residence is lovely!!

[@annelivd1310]

I don’t know if it is permitted, but to make the covered terrace cooler, you could make a green roof. Which is a roof covered in plants. And like other people said, a pergola would be great for the terrace. The shade from plants and trees really is the coolest shade you can get (:

[@antonellamR2D2]

Yes, it's becoming very fashionable and some city council are paying part of it, to reduce the city heat "islands"

[@KristiCCz]

I live in a suburb of Denver, Colorado, which has hot, dry summers. I have a few suggestions: -For shade, try a pergola or an assortment of sun shades. The nice thing about the sun shades is that they can be moved around as the sun moves. -For the covered part of the terrace, I would take advantage of the sheltered heat. Did you know that sweet potatoes need to cured in a hot, dark room? What I've read is that the ideal temperature is 32 degrees Celsius. -You could also use it to dry herbs. Garlic also needs to cure in a dark, dry place, but it prefers a cooler room. Since there's no such thing in our house in the summer, I cure it in a room that's simply not too hot. -There are a variety of plants that thrive in the hot weather. Here, we plant garlic, tomatoes and a variety of peppers (this year we have banana, jalapeno, and arbol peppers, plus mad hatters and starfish). They will need to be watered if they're in pots, so get great, big pots and water them at least once a day. Mulching them will help them tolerate the heat during the day. -The vines around your terrace should provide a cooling effect. Also, if you have the time and patience you could plant more trees near the house for shade. Ideally, plant them on the south and/or west side of the house. Once they get big enough, they'll make a huge difference. -You could also look at umbrella tables, if they're not too old-fashioned for your taste. -DON't get metal furniture, and whatever you get, I would suggest light colors. I hope some of these suggestions appeal to you.

[@kdgeckoknits274]

Great recommendation by your architect: when we moved into my current home we lived in the house for about 3 years, and then decided what needed to be remodeled. One may not need a full three years, but I would recommend at least a year to really get the feel for the house, the ups and downs, the pros and cons, and the constant change of ideas and priorities. It's been about 16 years since we remodeled, and I still love my decisions. Thank you for sharing your home remodel journey. It's fun.

[@anneworrall5398]

waiting (and setting aside money!) for one year is an excellent suggestion. You get to experience the house and terrace in all seasons; especially the way the sunlight travels across your spaces at different times of year - which is very useful information when designing spaces that can then be well-used, all year round. it is a good way to pass the time waiting for the permits for other items, such as the shutters, and plumbing, etc. Bonne Chance!

[@kind_of_willow3193]

I have the experience, that only plants and trees with deep roots can help to reduce the heat in places with such an amount of stone and concrete, as seen on your terrace. Althoug this seem to be a huge project, in my mind, this is the only way to cool down such places with shadow and evaporation. I would recomment to reduce the concrete, dig some holes and plant a tree (in the middle) and some shrubs around the wall. And i would change the rooms: the room you use most (working space and bedroom) in the coolest corner, those you need occasionally ( bathroom and perhaps living room?) in the hottest corner. And i recommend two windowdoors left and right for the room at the terrace and close the middle entrance to get in more light and create an airflow between those doors, so it may become a kind of atelier (after insulate the roof).

[@ringwe]

Oh how I sympathise! I live in a badly insulated flat in Athens without air-condition. Summers are getting heavier each year in the Mediterrean, a pleasant thing if you're a tourist but rather exhausting if you're a local.

[@latinaalma1947]

Oh yes , that architect was right, I lived in mine a year before we began a big renovation..completed more than ten years ago and we still love it.

[@shreyashukla2223]

I admire that you have patience enough to work with an old but naturally sustainable (in the long run) house. These days everyone's answer to hot weather is air conditioning. But they don't think about what it's doing to our climate with its toxic gas emissions. You are such an inspiration to me and others around the world, to not rush to instant solutions for comfort and convenience, but rather make the natural materials work. And I agree the super thick stone walls they made centuries ago do have natural insulation that keeps the house cool enough in summers and warm in winters. We used to use the same wisdom in India in mudhouses and other sustainable materials like cob, bamboo, earthbag, etc in the olden days. Kudos to you Justine for being a sustainability champion! I hope more people notice that about your home videos. 🏡 goodluck and lots of love. Bisous ❤️

[@katiestegman8083]

Hi Justine! I have a decorating suggestion for your terrace. I think you should build a wooden pergola on your upper part of the terrace coming off the kitchen, and then encourage the vines over the kitchen window to grow across the pergola for shade. There is nothing better than having an outdoor eating area just outside your kitchen door. I can just picture it with a beautiful long wooden table and chairs topped with cozy mismatched cushions. I'm sorry this has been such a rough summer, but know that we are all loving to follow along with your renovations!

[@dawndawn6946]

We have ceiling fans in our covered outdoor areas. You can look into those shade sails for the terrace if you like a more contemporary look. There’s always umbrellas and those larger gazebos if your town codes will allow. I love the space!

[@katiegleaves3792]

yes, exactly what I was thinking! Also, Justine: look into the shade/terrace/planting/decor of homes in Greece, Italy, etc for inspiration. The stairs on your terrace remind me of those in Crete (and other places) - Mediterranean or Moroccan style would look great in your space

[@jamesolson7179]

Those lavender fields must smell amazing.

[@BeautyByAnneMarie]

Your house is beautiful! I can't wait to see what you do with it in the renovation. My dream is to have a little place in Provence one day, it looks so pretty there! My family is from the Alsace region and many still live in the little town, but I think I would enjoy Provence even more. I love the videos you do on your house and the region! ❤

[@irinagostin4071]

This is my dream house! I've watched movies for no other reason than being filmed in a place like this. Congratulations, enjoy it good health, it's a wonderful home!

[@barbhuber7502]

I live in Dallas, Texas and we have many days that are well over 100 degrees, unofficially many times 110+degrees. I guess that is over 37 or 38 to you. We just simply can’t use our terrace in the heat of summer..even with shade. Some people have a pergola with a ceiling fan installed that will help a bit but that much concrete or tile just holds the heat. Part of our patio is shaded by a roof but it does get morning sun. I can keep my herbs and limited flowers growing there in the “dead” of summer. You might ask at a plant nursery about roses in big pots. I have been successful getting blooms and keeping one of those alive. I have my herbs in a huge ceramic pot with a wheeled platform underneath so I can move it under shade or in the sun when it cools off a bit.

[@LadyMiner100]

We live in SE Arizona. Our house had 10" walls but no insulation. A year ago we added 4" insulation plus stucco on the outside which has made an amazing difference. Even if you only add it to the west side walls it will keep the inside cool (and warm).

[@a.5680]

This is so nice, I love these vlogs! The closeness to the camera and the way she talks makes me feel like she personally talks to me 🥰 Like an old good friend who moved away and still keeps me updated about her adventures 🥰

[@Adrienne557]

In the US, especially in hot and dry climates, we will install a whole house fan. Typically, you must have an attic, but there are new versions that do not require one. A whole house fan works by blowing out the hot air in your house at night. It is much more powerful than a regular fan. It only works in places where the temperature drops significantly at night. We use them in California and they save us a lot on energy and money.

[@drikool3597]

We live in the countryside in central Italy, north of Roma, our terrace faces south we build a wooden pergola and planted wisteria, buganvilla, a huge Rosmary, and uva-fragola( grape-strawberry) which is a grape very sweet like strawberry 😊, the plants provide wonderful shade during the summer and when the leaves fall you get light back inside the house in the winter. You could train the already existing vines on your terrace. Terrace furniture: look for Unopiu (Italian brand) we happened to have the main outlet warehouse around the corner but at least for inspo should be good. Congratulations on your place is very beautiful, brave as well to make a good move from Berlin back to France to start a new chapter of our live. 👏👏

[@adrianagalli7504]

It was the same in Italy this summer. One could just try to survive. No worries, we will see your videos when the right time comes. 😻

[@tar-sarah]

Ideas to cool the terrace down: Bamboo screen on the western border of your terrace. Creates plenty of shade and blocks the hot sun. Big shade umbrellas - keep it folded up most of the time, just open it up to create shade when you’re using the space. Or an awning. For the interior terrace - insulate the ceiling, install shaded louvres, install a ceiling fan. Check out the architecture in Queensland, there’s plenty of adaptations to heat!

[@annmdeas]

Insulation is key! We purchased a new house last year in wine country in California. It’s a new build (post 2017 fires) with significant insulation and heat-resistant windows that face south and west. This keeps the house cool and reducing use of electricity. With it up to 113 degrees here in the last week, we are thankful for the protection from the oppressive heat. You’re on the right path about living in the house for awhile before doing anything. This proved essential for us too. Finally….you’re terrace is incredible!! So many possibilities. I see many gatherings and peaceful nights in your future. Congratulations!

[@song8777]

I have a vision for your terrace similar to 1:43 of your Provence villages video, except maybe with 1 or 2 pastel colors, plus white, for the flowers. If you made it through that heatwave, you should've been here in Arizona with us, while the AC was out, in July! 114F/45.556C. (As they always say, ". . . but it's a dry heat." Yes, like an oven.) You could do it! Lol On another note, I was so sorry to read of the fires in France. I was praying for all of you, the animals, and people's sentimental and important belongings. Thank you for sharing your house project and the difference between real lavender and not. I wish you well on your home project! 🌼

[@sayhello5377]

That’s excellent advice about living in the house before renovating. Last summer, my husband and I purchased a new (to us) home. The house was only seven years old and should not have had any big issues… We had a home inspection and everything. Well, the day we moved in, there was this horrendous smell coming from the basement. We open up all the windows and doors and the smell cleared out in just a few minutes. We didn’t really think much of it until it happened again a few days later, and then it kept happening over the next few weeks. We thought some kind of animal must’ve gotten into our house and died behind the drywall or something 🤢 So we started taking down the drywall in the basement, and quickly identified the issue. When the house was built, it should never have passed the plumbing inspection. The sewage pipes had only 1° of slope, so they were basically flat… so the pipes were backed up with waste and then the smell was getting out into our basement and just rising up through the house. We ended up having to have the plumbing work redone and it cost us over US $9,000. 😑 we had planned on remodeling the kitchen, but we were unable to afford that after spending all that money on the plumbing. One day…

[@jannigade2930]

We spend 4 weeks in Provence (in our caravan - without air-conditioning), and it was SO hot this year. We vent to Sault and saw the exactly same lavender field, you showed in your video. It was so beautiful, and the smell was fantastic.

[@elizabethvhwong]

Having a Japanese zen garden will be wonderful for the terrace.

[@ReidandShane]

A pergola covered in Wisteria Vine to cool off the outside terrace would be functional and beautiful!

[@angellas.1314]

Omg! You are even more beautiful without makeup! It’s a compliment!

[@sherylaugustson6304]

A vine covered pergola would offer some relief from the Sun and it would be beautiful. If you could furnish your terrace with a table and chairs for eating maybe some sitting areas for when it isn't as warm. The little room could be a place for serving food maybe a refrigerator to store cool drinks a sink possibly. The little room would need a door to keep the mosquitoes and leaves out, also ceiling fans would be helpful to keep the small room cooler.

[@gs3820]

Great content! The heat was real this year, we also are making our house and garden more heat resistent, as sustainable as possible. What we already did: blinds for the windows, less concrete in our garden and as much green as possible (you can check wat other people in your areas have to see what plants survived the heat well). We water our plants max 1 time a week so they can handle drought better (as long there are nog restrictions). On our list is: rain barrels and green rooftops on our horizontal roofs.

[@FrydaWolff]

Coolest summer for the rest of your life.

[@the_resourceful]

Love the terrace. Obviously umbrellas may be in order for shade. Comfy seating. Perhaps some small string lights. Enjoy!✨

[@sumpterino]

Yoooo that terrace looks AMAZING! Good lord, it's February and i live in Sweden... I can't tell you how much videos like this filmed in warmer places keeps my mood up when it's too cold and dark outside haha

[@pollykatso397]

Hey, Justine! Congratulations on your new house! I am from Greece so I know a thing or two about warm summers. So, insulation is a must throughout the house, shutters for the windows and nets also, the heat brings mosquitoes and all sorts of insects...it's essential that you have a pergola built and I read that vines give the best shade and help keep the temperature a little lower. Also, for the garden, mulberries have a thick foliage which also helps and if you have a couple of them you can get the branches to intertwine and create a natural canopy. Good luck!

[@hzook580]

Main recommendation for the terrace is a water feature. Just listening and seeing water will make you instantly cooler and calmer. Even if you had no furniture and had to sit on the pavement, but could hear the gentle splash of water, you would smile. :)

[@cathysamborn4709]

Ceiling fans can help keep you cool if you have high ceilings. Eight feet ceilings or higher will work. You need to create an opening on your terrace to allow cross ventilation from another direction. There are triangle shades that you can fasten to posts or the walls to create shade on the pavement, they are grouped with umbrellas online in the U.S. Putting curtains or shades on the windows helps to keep the heat out.

[@marikotrue3488]

There are many excellent suggestions in the comments. So all I can suggest is an aromatic herb garden (maybe in pots so that they can be moved around easily) with "the babies" residing inside until strong enough for the climate. Acquiring that lavender was a great idea. Get those requests for shades, shutters, blinds, lattices or whatever, filed quickly. Weather does not care about tourists (or residents for that matter). The Provence area of France is beautiful and the home has "good bones". My local area (in the usually temperate part of the eastern coastal area of the U.S.) left that blistering heat wave about a week ago. Glad Europe is beginning to seeing more livable temperatures also.

[@wallzorz50]

A friend of mine covered her cement wall with a painting of water liles, Monetesque. I was skeptical but it looks quite lovely

[@tanyastepanova3216]

Here in Moldova people have grapevine in order to have some shade. They build a kind of carcass and then grapevine starts growing. They only drawback is that eventually berries will start falling down and they will stain the surfaces of your terrace.

[@Hide_and_silk]

We live in SW France surrounded by fields of sunflowers. Normally they create a stunning sight...last summer they were brown, shrivelled and sad. We also had huge wild fires in the Landes and we could smell the acrid burning 2 hours in from the coast. We pray we don't get a summer like that this year. Edit - We have a large grape vine and the grapes go to make pineau. We harvested the grapes nearly a month early last year.

[@veranicebishop7305]

Thank you Justine for sharing one of my dream country to see one day, France. I am a brazilian lady.

[@sonja4786]

An arbor with climbing woody vines/ flowers would be a beautiful shade-providing addition to your terrace!

[@user-sb6kn8ju8e]

My wish is for you to someday have a travel vlog channel! You are such a joy to watch anyway, but I love your travel vlogs! Thanks for the effort!

[@Iflie]

With the changing climate I think the build itself is an issue, unless it cools down at night those thick walls will heat up over summer and stay hot a very long time inside too. I have the same issue, thick walls are great for insulation, takes a while to heat up but with the heatwaves it still stores the heat and lets go slowly. Amazing in winter, I don't even need to heat. Your terras is all thick stone and as such it does the same thing. Here we have to get rid of tile so we have more soil to plant and that cools down the entire area and also helps with the heavy rains following the droughts. Which is all part of climate change. Basically we in the Netherlands are getting south of France weather and you guys are getting Spain I think. So if you want to cover your terras you may have to look at what they plant at their hottest regions. The plants you already have like that vine may still not be strong enough with deep enough roots. It may burn over your hot terras.

[@CarlotaBarrios]

I feel very identified with what you say. I live in Alicante (Mediterranean coast of Spain) and we have been having tropical nights since June. Even today it is more than 30ºC with a humidity of 80%. I had to install air conditioning on the second floor because my office is there and it was impossible to work! I look forward to cooler days

[@MDBJSW]

You need to put a skylight so when the heat is like it has been this summer the heat rises and will not be trapped. Make sure the skylight has a screen so the mosquitos will not get in, same for the door, just get a screen door. Good Luck

[@glendacox6540]

How could you ever leave this bit of heaven? Best wishes for you!❤️❤️❤️

[@BeingAmy]

I would look into getting top ridge vents put in when the roofing is replaced. It will let the hot air that gets trapped between the roof and the interior ceiling escape. We added them to our home when the roof was replaced, and it made a big difference in the room temperature during the hot summer months.

[@claudia5446]

I can totally related: Living in Athens made me realize that the heat is the enemy not the cold weather! Your open room in the terrace looks like a perfect place to do your laundry. For the terrace in my humble opinion you could use only a shadowing system umbrella or a pergola. Some small sculptures will add a lovely touch ! Kisses from a very hot Athens

[@debbieventimiglia2216]

I would construct wood vine rafters and grow fast growing Vines on top to provide shade. Second I would grow a beautiful garden in pots flowers and vegatables

[@alena5784]

Pergola with solar panels in top to use all the sun 🌞

[@nannybannany]

There is a lavender farm near me! It's one of my favorite places to visit every year for the same reasons you mentioned! Your citrus plants reminded me of when I was able to visit Versailles. It was April and they were just bringing out the orange trees from their winter home.

[@chinaahpek]

Your terrace has so much potential. So much. I love gardening and outdoor. I would love to chill out there, have an outdoor cinema on a balmy night with a glass of wine on banana lounge. So good !

[@MerunaArt]

Welcome to living in the South haha. My work space in Southern Romania meant I couldn't do anything in summer without constant AC, now living in Belgium I feel like I have been given the gift of a whole season (even though this summer we had a drought here too and a few high temps, it doesn't compare).

[@YvonneRaphaelWriter]

Hi! A reply to your request for suggestions…There are drapes now that allow light through, but act as insulation for both sound and temperature. These may help until you can get your permits for shutters. I have seen these drapes in the US version of Amazon. I cannot comment on their sustainability , but they seemed to be reviewed as useful for the issues you are having with the heat. I recommend patio umbrellas. They aren’t attached to your house, so they wouldn’t be subject to façade permitting. They can be mobile if you purchase stands with wheels, so you can rearrange as the sun moves. I prefer the cantilever style because you can shade everyone around a table, rather than only half, which is true of the style that fits into the hole of your patio table. Being mobile to stay cool will likely limit your styling of the patio. I would think in terms of mobility with the furniture you choose. If it’s horribly cumbersome, you’ll hate using your outdoor space. With that in mind, designers add wheels to loungers and to cooking carts for cooking outside. And I would think about finishes. Sweating skin causes furniture finishes to degrade, so consider whether the finish is non-toxic and how often it will need reapplication, and whether you even want wood, vs metal. Metal furniture can seriously burn you in the summer, so that’s why my mind didn’t even go there until this sentence. In Vermont USA, there’s a company called Vermont Natural Coatings. I have no idea if they ship outside the US, or if their products would be hardy in your climate, but they are very helpful with answering questions about use cases. I suspect they could help you gather information to find local nontoxic finishes if you aren’t familiar with a French company already. There is a company called Trex here in the US which collects film plastics and recycles them into exterior decking board, and patio furniture. It is very UV resistant and it looks attractive. It doesn’t get painfully hot in sunshine, so a cushion can do the trick nicely. Our community here in a small town in Vermont have collected well over 2,000 pounds of film plastic in the past year alone. And we haven’t even scratched the surface of getting our whole community involved. So I mention this as a seed to explore the possibilities of your country’s infrastructure for climate friendly renovations. I’m enjoying your channel. I’ve been watching for years now and find myself returning to older videos time and again to review things when I gain or lose weight, or to refer others to the resources your channel provides. Best wishes on your new home!

[@tychetyche3771]

WOW! Justine, c'est fantastique! And so many good suggestions on your KZbin! Yes live, feel the place before any important changes. The heat in summer, the cold in winter so you need great insulation but...keep the air circulating. Mold could be an issue in this type of wall. You have little windows in the courtyard's wall. They keep the air flowing. The concrete - BAD for the environment but also it retains the sun's heat and your plants burn. So remove some concrete if you can. In front of the kitchen, I would install a nice little tonnelle with tommettes terracotta on the floor. From this tonnelle, you see this dark opening and not so nice wall around it. I would cover the whole thing with a wooden trellis for now. You have an opening on the side to enter the little room, yes? I would use this room as a buanderie and storage. Greenery is great to beat the heat. Be careful when removing your vine from the wall. The vine may hold the stones.

[@kikirover1]

You can put giant pots with a palm tree (fortunei) and I can recommend jasmin as a climber, grows pretty fast and the flowers smell wonderful! Canna plants in big pots bring a tropical touch, the red ones are so bright, just beautiful. When you put a green palm in a dark purple pot both colours pop. A yellow canna plant in a turquoise pot…have fun creating your garden❤

[@lauriekay6214]

Suggestions: retractable awnings over the west facing doors and windows. If a permit doesn’t allow this, try several large umbrellas placed to shade doors and windows. I would also suggest a ceiling fan for the covered terrace, or even upright fans, powered by extension cords into the house if you don’t have an outdoor power outlet. You have a gorgeous terrace; you want to make it as usable as possible.

[@suzannemortimer9752]

Yes you definately need a pergola of some sort. Our French house was built right beside the’fire break’, which was of course a road. A scary thought that the forest was just beyond our house! We were issued with guidlines as to what to do in the event of fire eg spray your house with the water from your swimming pool, we didnt have one!! Our house was super cool inside thankfully

[@MsMarmima]

Before getting to the part about permits, I was going to suggest adding a green roof, but you can still use sedum or other similar plans to cover part of the Terrance, since they're succulents they should be hardy enough and will also bring down the temperature

[@neasajordan929]

Insulate the roof of the outside shed, you can finish it like now but it will render useful year round. Pergola, definitely! Bring those vines further onto the terrace and train over. Also I’d add a bigger lemon tree in a large pot offering shade and cool - likewise and olive tree or figuier. Leaves will create cooler zones. Also, ikea make insulated blinds for inside the house that could act as a stopgap until shutters are approved and fitted.

[@LindaC616]

The only thing is that lemon and orange trees there don't really get big enough for shade

[@neasajordan929]

@@LindaC616tell that to the lemon tree in my previous home!

[@LindaC616]

@@neasajordan929 In the south of Spain, where they have lemon trees on the street lining the sidewalks, and the Orange tree patio at the cathedral in Seville, I never saw trees that would be large enough to really provide significant shade for more than one person. Maybe you're in the US?

[@Lili-xq9sn]

Citrus trees have to be pretty old to grow into shade trees.

[@nikkipdx4109]

I think a table and seating would be nice on the top layer and like a sunken couch type lounge area in the lower portion. then the potted plants around the furniture

[@elianaalfonso7703]

Beautiful place Justine. Consider installing ceiling fans, including in that outside area. They make a huge difference

[@earthgypsie1]

Oh my goodness Justine. This place is a dream!! I really hope it works out for you!

[@danieljackson654]

How wonderful. Perhaps you'll be inspired to create fashions for enduring the coming summers of hight temperatures! You might also consider moving your office to a lower floor.

[@wheredepony]

I am loving your updates. It's ALL an adventure, isn't it?! Take care.

[@annipetratos9401]

Moved from UK to Greece 30 years ago. Can just about bear 30degrees, 40 is inhuman!!! We have Virginia creeper for shade above our yard and it is positively DARK !!! Loses its leaves after an unbelievable display if red and orange, letting the welcome winter sunshine enter the windows . It may be considered invasive but the bees absolutely love it's almost invisible flowers. Underneath you can hear their mad buzzing,but they never explore the shady underneath!!! And then there is Bougainvillea..stunning. Grapes need lots of care and attract many insects. So best further away from the house. Loved your trip in the lavender fields...a dream of mine. Enjoy your new home🌷🌿

[@michellebrooks1060]

For the covered terrace can you insulate the ceiling? Also, maybe a ceiling fan and oscillating fan for air circulation?