An accent on style
French style at home mixes old and new
There’s something about French style, be it a fabulously chic woman in heels on the cobblestones of Paris, or the cool carefree looks of those on the Riviera. A wave of envy washes over you like a breeze over the hills, but deconstruct it, and a formula appears.
A new book by Erin Swift explains that a similar elegance exists in the French home as well, but in a more casual way than in fashion. In French Accents: At Home with Parisian Objects and Details, Swift shows that the French are confident about mixing old and new, traditional and modern, bold and subtle. Successive generations have honed the vibe, incorporating handme-downs (we call them valuable antiques) with their own purchases.
A set designer and interiors stylist, Swift visited homes in France and the U.S. to capture this “ephemeral, individual and incontrovertible style.” For example, she describes the floor as “the first layer of design,” and touches lightly on each material, all natural, of course. The dining room features a mix of old and new, with 19th-century chairs hugging a traditional-looking but very current Christian Liaigre dining table, while the room itself boasts modern lines and lighting.
“Decorative accents are a critical layer in French homes,” Swift writes.
Under the chapter Objects and Accents, the owner of the house has used myriad decor objects to create interest. Objets d’art, Swift says, refer to “anything with esthetic value that doesn’t quite fall under the heading of ‘art.’ ”
The kitchen is a good example of how to create an eyecatching space with both practical and decorative items. The large, dark Asian urn sits on a plaster church bracket from 1880, in contrast with the off-white wall but matching the warmth of the gold-toned counter.
The purple bedroom has an Old World feel, but is made up of a 1940s Louis XV-style bed, a 1900s Italian night table, a Laura Ashley brass lamp and an 1880s candle sconce. It comes together as a complete package thanks to the gilded tones in each piece. The purple is both regal and contemporary.
Also included is an explanation (finally!) about why the light in Paris is just so. In part, it has to do with sunlight, filtered through the moisture in the air, bouncing around the limestone buildings to appear a cool, greyish hue.
“It becomes the lens through which all interior design must be viewed,” Swift says, and she suggests that those of us trying to create our own Seine-side vibe at home should tone down our chosen colours to moodier, cooler versions.