Creating a Beautiful, Meaningful Life.
Welcome To: A Breath of French Air
Have you found yourself in the pursuit of a beautiful, meaningful life?
One that feels as good as it looks.
The truth is, it’s no easy task, and if you’re anything like me, you’ve often felt overwhelmed by how to actually create it.
It doesn’t happen overnight, but at some point you realize: more stuff (money, recognition, handbags, the list goes on…) does not equate to a better life.
So what does?
“You don’t need more. You need meaningful.”
There was a moment that I realized: something isn’t quite right.
It was prior to moving to a town where cows outnumber the people, a place I truly loved, and I couldn’t put my finger on it.
Looking back, I believe it was my exhausting attempt to prove my worth and gain acceptance through the perfect curation of my life.
For example: Going to “the right” pilates studio, filling my closet with “the right” clothes, and attempting to leap-frog into a social circle that I so desperately wanted to be a part of.
From Miu Miu to Moo Moo
When I moved to Likely (Population: 99) after graduating college, I felt my first taste of a “breath of fresh air”.
It was as if I had a completely blank slate, where no one knew me, and certainly didn’t know the difference between Celine and Chanel. Nor did they care.
What mattered, I learned, was who you were beneath it all. I was embraced by the families on the ranch where I was taught how to make homemade tortillas, sort steers, and grow a garden.
This is where I developed my true “life razor”: You don’t need more. You need meaningful.
It was a precious time in my life, and I cherish every moment. In the back of my mind though, I knew, it wasn’t my forever place.
I began getting restless, and over the span of ten years, my inner alarm bell became too loud to ignore. I knew it was time to pivot.
It felt impossible, and when I tell you I was afraid, I mean it. I had a beautiful life, one that on-paper, checked all the boxes.
It took letting go of everything I thought I couldn’t live without. But I beg you to remember: when one door closes, it leaves room for another to open.
Moving to France
In 2023, I packed up everything I owned, put it in a storage unit, and bought a one-way ticket to Paris.
I’d been traveling back and forth to Europe for years, my family being French, and it always felt like “home”. Plus, I’d been hosting our Boxwood Abroad retreats all throughout Europe so the move felt somewhat natural.
I rented a tiny apartment (I’m still here!) and slowly began building my life from scratch.
Boxwood Avenue: Redefining Luxury
When I moved to the ranch, I was able to release my never-ending thirst for trends, designer labels, and “more stuff”. Don’t get me wrong…I still love a beautifully made dress or handbag, but now I approach it differently.
I developed an appreciation for artisan products, quality, and only introducing things into my life that provide meaning.
Ex: A beautiful piece of artwork sourced from a street vendor in Portugal, a classic pair of Chanel flats (yes, I still love designer, I’m just a girl after all), a hand stitched pillow.
This was truly the impetus of Boxwood. I wanted people to feel the freedom of living intentionally - a life without the pressure of perfection.
It was the realization that building a life to prove your worth eventually becomes exhausting, and that your inner voice cannot be silenced. Despite my best efforts.
Perhaps not everyone realizes this (or maybe they realize it much later) but if you’ve found yourself here, chances are, you’re not one to trend-chase, and you believe true luxury is: time, intentionality, freedom, peace, and connection.
Carving out time for a slow morning. Making the commitment to nurture your inner and outer world. Defining your own version of success, and finding the courage to listen to your soul’s voice (which isn’t all that easy by the way).
Something as simple as linen napkins instead of paper towels. A home filled with laughter and meaningful objects instead of designer labels. Prioritizing the juicy goodness of life, the moments that are treasured.
All alongside things as complex as leaving behind relationships, jobs, and places that don’t feel aligned, in search of honoring who you really are.
A Breath of French Air is a digital journal meant to provide inspiration and an invitation to join interior designer and Boxwood Avenue founder, Chloe Legras, in the pursuit of creating a life that feels as beautiful as it looks.
Bienvenue! A Breath of French Air
After years of building Boxwood Avenue and leaving behind a life that looked perfect on the outside, but felt inauthentic on the inside, I took the leap to dismantle it all to start from scratch…in Paris!
It reminds me of when I first lived on the ranch and was thrown into a world I knew nothing about, which resulted in some pretty hilarious stories. I shared these stories on my blog in a series called: This Week on the Ranch.
Many of you may remember these tales. If so, thank you for being here with me still.
Now, being in Paris, I hope to start a new chapter of inspiration, entertainment, and beauty.
Living between cultures, homes, and seasons has reshaped how I understand and approach beauty, belonging, and really, what it means to live well.
Follow along as I share curated travel guides, reflections from life in France, and an inside look at Boxwood Avenue: interior design, artisan products, and inspiration that celebrates slow living, meaningful connection, and timeless beauty.
Over the years I (and Boxwood) have grown, but the essence remains. It is my greatest hope and (if I dig deep) what I feel my purpose is, to inspire you to slow down, and live more meaningfully from how we travel to how we host, gather, and design the spaces we call home.
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