Simplicity is the new era of chic. Despite the grandeur in which Louis XIV and his descendants Louis XV and Louis XVI lived in the magnificent Château de Versailles, extravagance rarely suggests elegance these days. Befitting spaces less assumedly scaled than the vast palace, alluring, of-the-moment interiors exude a more discreet cachet. Clean, not stuffy, reflects our culture and the times.
Unmistakably French, the fifth book in Betty Lou Phillips' best-selling series on interpreting French décor for American homes, broadens yet again the limits of what French style can do for a home. No matter the location or size of the room to be decorated, the French rarely stray from favored and well-known characteristics of design-eighteenth-century furniture, sumptuous textiles, distinctive porcelains, and oil paintings in original carved-wood frames. In Phillips' newest book, she defines some of these specific secrets that French designers use to create an authentic French look-these certain basic decorating values they hold dear, seducing us with their self-assured approach to glamour, culture, and enduring respect for history. The book includes four Passion for French, Art of Living, Savoir-Faire, and Fluent French. The style and settings seen in these contemporary homes, while American, are Unmistakably French! Betty Lou Phillips, ASID, is a renowned designer and the best-selling author of Provencal Interiors, French by Design, French Influences, and Villa Décor. She lives in Dallas, Texas.
In her newest book, Villa Décor, Betty Lou Phillips discusses how to mix styles, furnishings, inspirations, and colors from different eras and locations to create the looks for which the French and Italian people are known-wisps of elegance, hints of regal color, textures that delight and inspire. Villa Décor illustrates the mastery of the fabled French way of melding the past with the present so each is seen in the best possible light, as well as the uncanny Italian knack of linking rooms effortlessly with patterns and palettes without detracting from the furnishings or objets d'art, capturing a trend in American decorating. Betty Lou Phillips demonstrates how to virtuously juxtapose various periods and styles in widely diverse, satisfying rooms that are never dull or predictable. Quiet French elegance, Italian romance, and the simplicity of sweet life-la dolce vita. Author of Provencal Interiors, French Influences, and French by Design, Betty Lou Phillips is a professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers. Her design work has appeared in such publications as Southern Accents, Bedroom & Bath, Window & Wall, and Decorating, and has also graced many magazine covers. Her design talents have been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show and the Christopher Lowell Show. She lives in Dallas, Texas.
The enduring appeal of French-country style spans the centuries, a gracious mingling of elegance and ease. After years of largely echoing the furniture, fabrics, and accessories linked with the region of Provence, these days French country is often far removed from the primitive images that hearken back to the early seventeenth century. Room by room, FRENCH BY DESIGN reveals the secrets to creating a contemporary French-country look, including textiles, furniture, floor coverings, window treatments, color palettes, wall treatments and lighting, thus allowing anyone to bring the look home. /p>