Even though Fat Tuesday is over, French Quarters is celebrating Mardis Gras all month long! Mention this blog and receive 20% off on all Seda France Candles and Reed Diffusers.

Look for such classic Toile scents as China Musk, Citron du Sud, Elegant Gardenia, Foret Royale, French Tulip, Holiday Classic, Hyacinth Classic, Japanese Quince, Nutmeg Vanille. Minnie’s favorite is the Foret Royale, a rich, earthy blend of eucalyptus, green leaves, oak, redwood and moss.

One of the most lavish and luxurious design styles is definitely the French interior design. Handcrafted detail, sparkle and sheen, plus bold prints and antique-style pieces all make up this seemingly over-the-top look. Not to be confused with the French countryside design style, which is much more down-to-earth and casual, the expensive-looking French design draws from the eras of Marie Antoinette and King Louis XIV, giving a room a fancy, regal appearance.

The gold-tinted Southern Textiles Legacy Elite Queen 11-Piece Bedding Set is ideal for a French-styled bedroom. The pattern is a Baroque floral design, which is a popular French design, and the sheets feature a 200-thread count that will ensure your sleep is a comfortable one. The set features the sheets, along with a comforter, bed skirt, 2 pillow shams, 2 throw pillows, a bolster pillow, 2 Euro pillow shams and pillow inserts.

This Couristan damask throw rug is dramatic in its black and grey design. The damask print is very French-inspired – it’s used everywhere from comforters to drapes to wallpaper. Show off the gorgeous damask print with a Couristan rug, which has a soft sheen to it, and it’s been power-loomed so it will be easier to clean.

Showing off the old-world feel of traditional French pieces, the Paris Bed 4 Piece Buy Bedroom Set features a graceful sleigh bed, nightstand, 7-drawer dresser, and matching mirror. The hardware has an antique pewter finish, and the furniture features rich cherry veneers that tie in well with the French style.

The Murray Feiss Maison de Ville 6-Light Mini Duo Rustic Chandelier is the perfect example of chandeliers found in French-styled homes. Chandeliers were in practically every room of the homes of royalty back in the 1700’s, so channel the French tradition with this stunning chandelier from Murray Feiss. It’s finished in a warm bronze tone, and features dripping crystals and six candle-like lights, giving it an antique feel.

The classic-looking Alligator Enterprise French Daybed with Trundle has been constructed of solid, handcrafted wood, and comes in three different finishes – Distressed White, Antique Black, or Walnut. It features round-top finials that are often found in French design, and it’s an ideal piece for a guest room, office, or den.

Inspired by the rich Bombe style from the French 1700’s, the Powell Masterpiece Walnut French Bombé Chest has the look of a gorgeous antique that’s in brand new condition. With hand-painted details and rich scrolled feet, this piece is sure to give you a French theme in your home. Use this accent chest in the living room, dining room, hallway, or bedroom – because it’s so functional, it’s up to you!

Bring a little bit of French-inspired artwork into your home with the Linon Vetro Di Oro Autumn Detail by Megan Meagher. Perfectly representing the French outdoors, this decal-transfer piece features two pieces of art and they’ve both been framed in a warm wooden frame. Ideal for the kitchen, bathroom, or anywhere else in the home that needs a nice relaxing touch.

Tufted fabric is very popular in French design, so get the look with the Skyline Shantung Chocolate High Arc Tufted Headboard Upholstered Fabric. Tinted a warm chocolate brown, this tufted headboard is neutral enough to match most bedding colors, and its arched shape suggests a royal theme for your bedroom.

The Homelegance Gladstone Square Cocktail Table with Marble Top is a perfect example of French design! Marble is normally used a lot in French pieces, and this cocktail table features a rich black marble tabletop. As well, the table has French-style cabriole turned legs, and its hand carved apron that elegantly surrounds the table’s frame. It’s an exquisite addition for your living room!

Recently I’ve been wanting to re-do my apartment décor. I’ve found inspiration from the oddest places like my backyard, painting, and movies. My mind works in odd ways. Recently I wrote an article regarding décor and French Design for this site, and since then I’ve been yakking at my husband about painting our furniture white and starting from scratch. He agrees that it would “look great”, even when I know he couldn’t care less, but at least he humors me. But since the new found love for French décor arrived, I’ve been searching and exploring other options to add a bit of personality to those bare white walls.

I stumbled across this picture and was instantly drawn to the photo wall. I thought about how unique it was, not the ordinary boring family pictures, but art and other elements. This inspired me for ideas of my very own photo wall using my wedding pictures, the family, framed post cards and anniversary cards. I love mixed media, and this is such a simple way of plugging it in to any bare wall!

My husband and I do not have a headboard on our bed, we’ve looked around for some, but everything just seems to expensive ( I’m pretty cheap). I don’t see the point of buying something that you could make yourself, and I love crafting so I’ve been searching for cheaper, more personalized options. Here’s what I’ve come up with:

Okay, minus the headboard the mirror idea is pretty neat right? Adding mirrors to any space give the illusion of expansion, making your bedroom-living room or bathroom appear to be larger. Behind our bed is a plain white wall, and you can buy mirrored slabs at any craft store. If they don’t offer them individually they can cut them from a bigger sheet of thin plastic with a glass-like finish into any size you desire. This is a more classic look, but I also have one other idea….

A headboard made out of books! I love this idea, and since I am an English major and my husband and I both love to read- I thought this would be perfect. You can go to any Goodwill or Salvation army and pick up books for dirt cheap- and customize the look yourself! I would probably go for more vintage looking books in neutral colors but hey, let the headboard be your canvas!

But the true question is, which way should I go? Please share your thoughts and help me decide!

Bonjour! So, you want to add a bit of French décor into your space? Here are some simple tips on how to achieve the French look! This doesn’t have to be expensive, and can fit every budget ! In fact, you can recycle pieces you already have for a fraction of the cost of buying new!

Wooden furniture is a must have for the French décor, whether it’s a wooden dresser or headboard for your bed. This is a great starting point for decorating your bedroom, start with a big piece, and work from there. I think about everyone of us has a wooden dresser, and if you don’t going to places like Goodwill or the Salvation Army are great places to search if you’re on a budget.

This is a look I really enjoy because it is so simple to recreate. You can take a plain ordinary dresser, paint it white and interchange the drawer handles for a fresh new look. There are two ways to go with French design, a plain classic room like the one pictured above, or a room with deeper, richer colors. This has to be my favorite, it just looks fresh and clean… (so fresh and so clean). This would be the perfect project for a lazy Sunday afternoon. Wake up, have your coffee and head on out to your local craft store to get some paint, and matching décor. The piece on the door could be anything, I think an old circle picture frame would do if you paint the inside gold and the rim white (as shown above). The curtains could be made by measuring your windows, buying some rods, and cutting the fabric into four rectangular shapes, pair them up and so them together. Easy as pie! For the dresser I think I would make the handles a bit different, I might spruce them up a bit by choosing these instead:

This is the yellow rose knob from Anthropologie.com, these babies run at $6.00/knob and come in a variety of colors such as: yellow(as shown), white, pink, teal, and green. These fit perfectly into the French décor because as well as statement furniture, floral designs are also very important and are perfect for accent pieces! Another fun idea I thought about to complete the room might be a stack of suitcases like these that can transform a boring corner, into your very own Paris! I love how the designer of this space also added a small clock onto the stack, as well as a antique cup and saucer, very simple yet pack such a punch!

I hope some of these ideas inspire you, and please let me know if you try any of these out ( I know I’m going to). And be sure to share with us pictures or any ideas that you have! Au revoir!

Blue is just one of those peaceful, dreamy colors. Maybe this is why so many people use blue in their kitchens and bedrooms. And if you are looking to achieve that French County look, blue is a staple in this style of decor. If you are looking to add some blue to your own home, House Beautiful has a great series up on their site that may speak to you love if you adore the color blue.

Here is a little excerpt from Douglas Brenner’s interview. You can read the entire interview here.

DOUGLAS BRENNER: This whole place has an American-in-Europe mood. It’s sort of Henry Jamesian–meditative, elusive, romantic. The Paris of The Ambassadors meets the Venice of The Wings of the Dove.

JULIE WATKINS BAKER: Calmness, a serenity, is what we were going for, and a feeling of soul and grace and history. Understated design is a signature of my mother, Babs Watkins. She has a great color sense. The palette here is so subtle–all these soft blues and platinum grays.

You look at the living room and think ‘blue,’ but then you look closer and say, ‘Wait a minute…just where is the color?’

There’s that blue-painted cabinet, some blue in the carpet, blue glass boxes on the table, but not much more. You don’t need much blue for a whole room to seem blue.

Are blues hard to get right?

Really hard. We agonize over them. They change with the context, because other colors affect them dramatically. Natural wood warms them up, silver cools them down, white brightens them.

Light seems to bounce and flow everywhere–silvery chandeliers, luminous fabrics. I can’t take my eyes off those sexy curtains.

They’re ball gowns! We use that fabric a lot. It’s duchesse satin, and it’s got real weight and an iridescence that’s very understated, and it just hangs beautifully. We have it lined, and the whole point is for it to look like a ball gown that’s slightly rumpled–one you had a really good time in. Curtains should never be stiff. They’ve got to look like they’ve been opened and closed and touched. These are slightly too long, but not draggy and contrived. Nobody’s going to trip over them. It’s just enough to hold them out and rumple them up a little bit.

Interior design by BABS WATKINS, JULIE WATKINS BAKER & ELEANOR CUMMINGS

Interview by DOUGLAS BRENNER

Photographs by KERRI MCCAFFETY

PRODUCED BY DAVID M. MURPHY

STYLIST GREGORY BISSONNETTE

Come and experience the Olivina’s luxurious line of bath and body products. Their potions and lotions are just perfect for mid-winter pampering. Here is some more information about Olivina, but be sure to stop by the store and check them out for yourselves:

Inspired by the natural beauty of the wine country of northern California, OLIVINA NAPA VALLEY is literally and figuratively a green company. The foundation ingredients—hand-pressed, anti-oxidant olive and grape seed oils—come from a landscape dotted with olive trees and world-renowned grapevines, a reference to both its Mediterranean climate and the heritage of many who settled the valley.

Our ingredients are based on a host of botanicals that for centuries have proven beneficial to the skin—extracts from olive oil, grapes and grape seeds. OLIVINA NAPA VALLEY’S pampering body care collection both moisturizes and soothes with lovely Mediterranean scents…

Classic Olive Bath Soap: Olive oil, olive butter, shea butter, honey…sounds like a recipe for deliciously clean and moist skin. Perfectly packaged for gift giving!

Classic Olive Hand and Body Lotion: An infusion of grapeseed and olive oil, chamomile, sea algae, kelp, avocado oil and Aloe Vera help maintain skin’s moisture balance. This super-creamy lotion penetrates quickly to protect, nourish, and moisturize the skin.

Classic Olive Hand Crème: Blended with shea butter, olive, grapeseed and almond oils, this softening and hydrating hand crème penetrates quickly to protect, nourish, and moisturize the skin. Use on hands, cuticles, elbows.

If you are traveling to France anytime soon, you might want to book your room with this luxury French hotel. Modern and oh-so-French, the Boscolo Hotel Exedra, located in Nice, France has been named one of the ten of the wildest hotels from around the world by Point Click Home. The hotel may sport an elaborate tree sculpture in the middle of the the bar, but wild? You be the judge.

Photo Credit: Point Click Home