The Devoted Classicist Blog featured some of the pictures of the furnishings from the Paris Apartment of Suzy and Pierre Delbee in the Christies Auction Catalogue.
A stand-out piece was a red lacquer secretary signed by Francois Rubestuck dating to circa 1766. The decorative, fragile piece was not usable, however, because of the narrowness of the (Read More...)
French musician Maurice Ravel will always be known for his beautiful music, but not many people knew about his incredible taste for furnishings. Ravel lived outside of Paris in the town Monfort l’Amaury. One glimpse of the home shows one side of the home credited to (Read More...)
How to Add Color Into Your Home
Many of us are afraid to use color. How can you possibly pick a color for the walls? There are thousands available. How do you know if you have the right hue?
Painting a (Read More...)
Most people would shy away from purple, because it is so bold, and frankly it is a very hard color to decorate around. Here are just a couple ways to combine purple into your own home.
One of the first elements to decide upon is the upholstery. Upholstery is more expensive than paint, so deciding on a direction with either new furniture, or uph0lstering antiques or vintage furniture needs to be one of the first decisions that needs to be made for a room.
Take a good look at all the furniture that you already own and see what you really need. (Read More...)
When we think of French interiors, we think of pale blue, gray and white, yet French decorating isn’t just one a one-color palette. Pink, salmon, and coral are often associated with the Rococo period and was in fashion until the (Read More...)
Jean-Francois Hache (January 10. 1730 – August 19. 1796) was a member of a famous dynasty of 18th century cabinetmakers that included his grandfather, Thomas, and his father, Pierre. The Hache family played a major role in France for over a century.
Jean-François Hache (1730-1796) is probably the most famous of the Hache craftsmen. In 1756 Jean-Francois made a four-month stay in Paris, where he was very much influenced by the Louis XV style and particularly by the work of Jean-François Oeben.
Jean-Francois was also known for (Read More...)
1. Pick One Focal Piece For Each Room
If you are starting from scratch and don’t know where to begin, consider focusing on buying one main piece for each room.
Spending some extra money on larger pieces of furniture, as they can be harder to find.
If you are just starting out, and don’t have a particular fabric that you are married to, consider purchasing a sofa that is neutral colored. Over time your taste may change, and exchanging out the (Read More...)
Veranda featured Charles Spada’s home in their February 2012 Issue, and most everyone’s mouths dropped at the breathtaking photographs of his country home in Normandy. His home also was featured in the March 2011 Architectural Digest in Italy. Spada has achieved House Beautiful magazine’s “Ten Most Beautiful Showhouse Rooms” award and was voted by House Beautiful as one of their “101 Favorite Designers.” He was also awarded Traditional Home magazine’s “Outstanding Designer” award, amongst many other awards.
Charles Spada’s Normandy house gives us a (Read More...)
Spada continues to tell Veranda about the keys to great design, as he discusses flooring…..
4. Great Wood Flooring. Spada highly recommends that a great floor is the foundation on which to build a room design. Spada prefers unfinished wood floors.
Unfinished flooring often doesn’t have the gloss shine that many of the finished wood floors do. When it comes to cost, unfinished hardwood flooring will be more (Read More...)
Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles featured Interior designer Amy Morris’s home which was filled with lovely distressed Swedish antiques, and an eclectic mix of furnishings making her home comfortable and inviting to her family and friends. Here in her bathroom a Neoclassical Louis XVI French Chair is painted in white and upholstered with a white and green greek key design in velvet.
Several antiques really shine in this home such as a distressed wood pedestal market table in the basement paired with Louis XIII reproduction chairs.
If you like the look of the Louis XIII primitive style chairs, consider the Bailey Street Lassiter (Read More...)
If you truly love the luxury side of 18th century France, and adore anything to do with Marie Antoinette, you will love yourself for choosing this color palette.
Try working with the color wheel when deciding on the fabric for your chairs. Velvet can be extremely rich and vibrant for French furniture. The orange chairs above, would be ideally paired (Read More...)
While the illusion of twisted and knotted rope, which is associated with the work of the Parisian upholsterer A. M. E. Fournier, is indicative of the (Read More...)
Chambery is a beautiful town in the Rhône-Alpes region of France. Chambéry is the birthplace and historic capital of Savoie. Throughout history, it has been both Italian and French. It lies in a valley in the Alps surrounded by the Bauges and Chartreuse mountain ranges and provides almost 360-degree views of the French Alps. To the north, it is bordered by Lac du Bourget, the largest natural lake in France. Chambery has long been a “crossroads to the Alps” dating all the way back to (Read More...)
Everyone wants a view into Queen Marie Antoinette’s personal French bedroom. Bonnefoy du Plan oversaw the creation of the furniture pieces which sit in her bedroom. The furniture feature carved and painted trellises, basketwork, floral forms and rustic garlands. The furniture is called “wheat-ear” furniture, so named for lily-of-the-valley, pine cones, and ears of wheat found in the design The third floor is known as the Mezzanine and was for the Queen’s staff.
The (Read More...)
The Petit Trianon was designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel by the order of Louis XV for his long-term mistress, Madame de Pompadour, and was constructed between 1762 and 1768. But Madame de Pompadour died four years before its completion. Upon his accession to the throne in 1774, the 20-year-old Louis XVI gave the château and its surrounding park to his 19-year-old Queen Marie Antoinette for her exclusive use and enjoyment. Marie longed to escape Louis and his court, and he gave her just the (Read More...)
Bombe chests gained popularity in the French Regency period. After Louis XIV died in 1715, his five year old great grandson was crowned the king of France. At the time, Louis XV was too young to rule, so Phillipe d’Orleans, the nephew of the late Louis XIV, was named regent and ruled in his place. During this time, French furniture-makers (Read More...)
Known as a mantua, the gown consists of a bodice with a train at the back. A very wide petticoat of matching silk completes the ensemble along with a triangle of silk known as a stomacher, in the centre front.
Although considered stylish day wear in the early 18th century, the mantua had become very old-fashioned by the 1750s and was worn only for court dress. Wide hoops were beginning to go out of style, but kept their extreme width at court. To make up for its conservative cut, court dress was always made from the most fashionable as well as expensive fabrics and trimmings. (Read More...)
Louis XV style swept France during the years of 1730-1775 and has remained popular ever since. Louis XV style has been known to have a soft appeal, often generous with its curves and delicate features. In fact, Louis XV furniture is known for its unbroken curves. Everything is curved, even the architecture. Louis XV desks are quite hard to find in any local area, which leads many people online to search them out. In the past, a kitchen table was where everyone gathered to eat, play games and learn. It was the most functional pieces of furniture of the typical family home, today it is the desk. With Internet strapped to everyone’s hip, a nice desk is worth the investment.
(Read More...)
Kirsten Dunst shot by Annie Leibovitz for Vogue for the September 2006, are some of the most cherished pictures by admirers of the French style today. The pictures of Kirsten Dunst give us a whimsical glimpse into the period that we love the most. From the luxurious gowns, to the hair and the French furniture, this issue has become a collectors item for many people who enjoy the French style world wide.
Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens traces the arc of Annie’s photographic life, her aspirations to artistry and the trajectory of her career. The film (Read More...)
Baroque styled furniture is for the person who loves pompous detail, and awe-inspiring first-class luxury. Baroque beds are not commonly found in your local furniture store, as they are a very specialized rare bed that can only be found online.
These stately looks feature grand carvings, and incredibly ornate detail. It seems as though within the last few years this bed as been featured most painted black (Read More...)
What is a guéridon table? Guéridon Tables are often small, circular top tables which are supported by one or more columns. Some times the columns can be metal rods, or the opposite, ornate styled legs.
Guéridon Tables originated in France towards the middle of the (Read More...)
Back in the November issue of 2009, Canadian House and Home featured the French styled Montreal home of Luce Gayrard. Gayrard, a Canadian lawyer, has refined taste collecting French styled furniture, and a unique way of pairing antiques with raw materials such as metal and leather. In this home you will (Read More...)
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