Elle Decor: The Grand Book of French Style [Hardcover]

Francois Baudot (Author), Jean Demachy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 5, 2001

If there is one book that will look elegant on every coffee table this season, this is it. Compiled by the editors of Elle Decor, the definitive voice of good taste, this rich collection of interiorsfrom eclectic and eccentric to classic chiccan inspire every reader looking for a little je ne sais quoi for their home.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

These two books celebrate French interior design. Ypma shows how interior decoration in Paris has evolved over three centuries to create what he feels can easily be identified as a Paris interior, "a rich and vibrant fusion that combines the collective contribution of historical precedent with the dynamism of a desire to be modern." His book is replete with color photographs that detail the special features of the Paris interior, from Chinoiserie to Art Deco. Elle Decor uses a wealth of color photographs to present domestic interiors throughout France, including the often-overlooked areas of the Atlantic seacoast and the French Alps. The book reviews the details that typify each style and ends by showing the interiors of homes belonging to various interior and fashion designers, including Yves Saint Laurent, Kenzo, Andrie Putnam, and Philippe Stark. Purchase both books for large interior design collections.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Jean Demachy has been the creator and publisher of French Elle Decor for 10 years.

Francois Baudot has written many books on fashion and style and is the French Elle Decor journalist specializing in style.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Bulfinch; 1 edition (November 5, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821227645
• ISBN-13: 978-0821227640
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 9.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #347,120 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #50 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Interior Design > Style

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars May Be a good Coffee Table Book, January 18, 2006

By 

Sonya "readaholic" (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Elle Decor: The Grand Book of French Style (Hardcover)

I was somewhat disappointed in this book because I was looking for something that would explain the "French Style" of decorating. This is more a book of the homes of Parisian designers, obviously with a lot of money. The rooms in the book are beautifully photographed and I liked the chapter called "Seven Trends for Today." These included brief text and lots of photographs of the Provincial, Provence, Eclectric, Eccentric, Atlantic, Chalet and 1930-40's style trends. There was a brief description of the style trends, but the photos that followed gave good examples.

The remaining two chapters in this book are: Parisian Fashion Designers at Home and Parisian Interior Designers at Home. The problem with this book is the rooms depicted would require someone to have an unlimited budget and/or access to resources for their furnishings.

This book was not helpful in showing the "regular" person how to achieve the French Style in their own home. Most of the text just describes the exquisite items and creations. For example, "A vase- light has been created from minutely worked Venetian glass, and it dominates the sculpted wrought-iron pediment of a play cabinet which was designed by Gilbert Poillerat" which desribes an elaborate vase with flowers out of glass. There were a few rooms where you could probably implement and adapt to be used within your own home, but the "French Style" depicted in these rooms are based on ALL the elements, from the beautiful custom glasswork to the exquisite fabrics and furnishings.

If you are an interior designer who has clients with unlimited funds or are someone with an unlimited budget, you might find this book useful. For those of us who have to stay within a reasonable budget, this is not the book to learn and implement French Style.

What could have elevated this book above 2 stars would have been more informative text on creating the style and not just descriptions of the products and creators of the items in the photographs.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A+ Design Book, June 8, 2006

By 

Lucy "designbookjunky" (nyc) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Elle Decor: The Grand Book of French Style (Hardcover)

This is a wonderful design resource book. The books shows the homes of some of the design world "greats". It is eclectic and not your run of the mill "pretty" interiors, but offers new directions in ways to think about design.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Elle Decor: Grand Book of French Style, January 20, 2005

By 

Style Junkie (Studio City, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Elle Decor: The Grand Book of French Style (Hardcover)

I have many books on style and decor, but this is by far one of my favorites. I love that it includes many facets of French style, not just the ubiquitous, American stereotype of what "French" looks like. Chapter headings read: "Provincial," "Atlantic," "Provence," and "Eclectic" (my favorite) to name a few. The back of the book is dedicated to showcasing the homes of a few Parisian fashion and interior designers, an addition that I quite enjoyed. If you're looking to redecorate or just love looking, this book is for you!