Paris is not only the ville de l'amour (city of love) but it is the city of style and incredible interiors; their relaxed and warm way of styling is both endearing and timeless. French homeowners don't match items together like other countries do; instead they mix old with the new and incorporate antiques into living spaces giving a sense of elegance and romance. Wouldn't you want to cosy up on this balcony with a coffee and a book?
I remember when I visited Paris a few years ago I was not only amazed by the architecture and the sheer magnitude of the buildings, but the doors fascinated me. They are all so bold and beautiful; painted in colours like maybe, duck egg, black... totally unique to its beautiful city and the size of them was like nothing I had ever seen!
This mauve and duck egg colours are so apparent in today’s style when designing French interior as the soft colours tie in with antique and timeless decor; I take inspiration from architecture like this for my pieces daily.
Photos: Instagram @alexandrine_ar
When sourcing new pieces, I am always drawn to French pieces; the cabriole legs, the carved detailing in the oak, the huge brass hinges and the original ornate handles.
Usually I opt for a soft, neutral palette when refinishing these pieces but on this dresser, I wanted to extenuate the details even more and really show off the carvings in its raw state and I highlighted its beauty with some white wax.
Gold gliding wax is typical in French interiors and can be seen on walls, pottery, frames and now more so, furniture. This stunning bathroom boasts the most beautiful gold detailing on the moulds around the mirror, the lampshades and even the smaller mirror. Too much? No way; it adds charm and class to this shabby chic room...another example of mixing old with new!
Flowers are the single, easiest way to add beauty into a room and the wisteria filling the exterior of this Parisian townhouse is exquisite. I think we would all want a bit of this in our homes, eh? I use flowers in all of my furniture staging to brighten up the pieces and to add a subtle charm to the shot without overdoing it with books, ornaments or pictures, I am a firm believer in less is more!
My favourite style of furniture at the moment is Louis XV; they are hard to come by so when I get my hands on a piece, I ponder over my colour choices and consider them carefully. Running the risk of 'ruining their beauty', I am intimidated by them and usually stick to warm colours and try and stay true to French style. They are not there to look brand new and pristine, so I try to age them slightly either with dark wax or a little distressing. Like I said, less is more so I don't tend to go overboard with either as I prefer the more subtle look.
Here are some available French pieces in my shop right now:
Photo credit: unknown/Pinterest
