Product Description

This is a beautiful book that distils the natural comfort and easy charm found in all aspects of French rural life. The first part of the book, The Elements, explores the ingredients that make up the whole, including the sutble colour palette of soft warm greys, cloudy pinks and misty greens, the traditional materials, the furniture and the textiles. The second part, The Spaces, looks at the overall style, beginning in the heart of the French home, the kitchen and dining area, before moving on to explore living rooms, halls and corridors, bedrooms and bathrooms, and outdoor rooms.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13121 in Books
• Published on: 2008-03-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

About the Author
Caroline Clifton-Mogg's books for Ryland Peters & Small include Provencal Escapes, Tuscan Escapes, Italian Country Living, The Curtain Design Source Book, The Colour Design Source Book and Apartment Living. She lives in Kensington.

Customer Reviews

This is French style that works for British and Americans
For the past 12 years, I have been formulating a plan to live in France. In 2000 we bought an old Normandy longere to - one day - renovate. That day arrived in 2004 when circumstances conspired to enable a move to France.

There are a number of books around that concentrate on real French rural style. But. That authentic style often relies on cracked walls and rising damp - which leads to an authentic lifting of the paintwork or wallpaper from the walls and an occasionally overwhealming musty smell. Photos of authentic rural style often depict cracked, entirely unhygenic tiling of walls and floors, especially in bathrooms and kitchens. Yes, it's *very* authentic and I would *frame* some of those picture to hang on my newly renovated walls, my damp-proofed, insulated walls. However, the reality is that with authentic style comes draughts, dampness, mould and cobwebs. The reality is... the average British (or American, or Dutch or Parisien) renovater doesn't truly aspire to authentic 30s rural French living. Which is exactly why this book is good.

This book presents pretty, fairly pristine, damp-proofed, renovated French interiors. Yes, it is a representation of French style as of the turn of the century (that would be the 21st century) but I do think this realistic approach succeeds in a number of ways. It does use a fair amount of older French furniture, it does use French colours, it does arrange rooms in a distinctly French way. Using this book as an aid to styling does work. It gets one's eye into recent French style. The ideas it presents are attainable at a sensible budget (with judicious use of depot ventes, brocantes, vide greniers) and they are ideas that are comfortable to live with. And that is what really matters.

I've bought a number of French style books and in my opinion, this is one of the most useable. Some of the narrative is a bit twee but that is my main criticism.

French Country Living
Wonderful photographs to inspire, but possibly with a little too much English/American influence. Real French country living is a great mixture of what appears in the book and interiors of houses owned by people who have never been far from the village they were born in (even in the 21st century) and this book misses that basic rustic look and goes for photos of a perfected version. However, for an idea of how one would like one's own "dream French country home" to look, it is almost perfect!

Charming and inspirational
Lovely book full of gorgeous photo's and great ideas to add French appeal to your home. Loved it.