French by Design [Hardcover]

Betty Lou Phillips (Author), Dan Piassick (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 23, 2001

The enduring appeal of French-country style spans the centuries, a gracious mingling of elegance and ease. After years of largely echoing the furniture, fabrics, and accessories linked with the region of Provence, these days French country is often far removed from the primitive images that hearken back to the early seventeenth century. Room by room, FRENCH BY DESIGN reveals the secrets to creating a contemporary French-country look, including textiles, furniture, floor coverings, window treatments, color palettes, wall treatments and lighting, thus allowing anyone to bring the look home.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Phillips, author of Proven al Interiors: French Country Style in America, shows how interior designers create a French country look in contemporary American homes. In color photographs and text, various design touches that typify a French country home are given for every room of the house, including the garden, with descriptions of the French country lifestyle. Especially useful for public libraries is the advice that will allow an amateur to create this look.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Inside Flap

The enduring appeal of French-country style spans the centuries--a gracious mingling of elegance and ease. After years of largely echoing the furniture, fabrics, and accessories linked with the region of Provence, these days French country is often far removed from the primitive rough-hewn finishes that hearken back to the early seventeenth century and the picteresque countryside. Today's French country has dressed itself up. Setting it apart now and forever is a kaleidoscope of styles, reflecting various influences and periods, with furnishings most often drawn from the reign of Louis XV or a blur of Louis styles that complement each other. This century's French-country home is a potpourri of bountiful bouquets, treasured books, photographs, scented candles, and tabletop antiques. Handsomely carved marriage armoires, towering vaisseliers (hutches) and enfilades (buffets with three or more doors) serve as the backdrop for armchairs, tables and footstools--all with the patina of age. Room by room, French by Design reveals the secrets to creating the contemporary French-country look, including textiles, furniture, floor coverings, window treatments, accessories, color palettes, wall treatments, and lighting. Illustrated with 130 full-color photographs, the living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, baths, libraries, children's rooms, gardens terraces, and more exude the charm and grace of French style, allowing anyone to bring the look home--a visual feast.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Gibbs Smith; 1st edition (April 23, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879059729
• ISBN-13: 978-0879059729
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 9.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #323,203 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Betty Lou Phillips is the author of the award-winning Villa Décor, plus The French Room, Inspirations from France and Italy, The French Connection, Secrets of French Design, Unmistakably French, French Influences, French by Design, and Provençal Interiors. A professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers, her work has appeared in Southern Accents, Traditional Home, Decorating, Bedroom & Bath, Window & Wall, Paint Décor, and more. Additionally, she has appeared on the Christopher Lowell Show and the Oprah Winfrey Show. She lives in Dallas, Texas.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful!, February 24, 2001

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: French by Design (Hardcover)

If you like French design, you should get this book. I really love the photographs. While this book is mostly photographs, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed reading about the French and their attitudes on decorating and love for their homes. Betty Lou Phillips has wonderful taste, and her style is so enjoyable. Thank you to Country Living magazine for featuring her work!

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Showcases a distinctly upscale series of interior designs, January 11, 2001

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: French by Design (Hardcover)

Enhanced with 130 beautiful color photographs, Betty Phillips' French By Design showcases a distinctly upscale series of interior designs. Whether displaying a storage space or an entire room, a piece of furniture or a single door frame, a decorative object d'art or a functional piece, French By Design reveals how to incorporate a exquisite French-country style motif into any living room, dining area, kitchen, bedroom, bath, library, children's room, garden or terrace, fabric or furnishing. French By Design is a wonderful addition to any personal, academic, profession, or community library interior design reference book collection.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Should you buy French By Design?, August 12, 2005

By 

Blakes (New York) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: French by Design (Hardcover)

I just did. The homes & rooms featured in this book indicate that money is no object and these homeowners want you to know it. Subtlety is non-existant. Rooms are very "we had a decorator & we spent a LOT". Most items looks too new, too ruffled, smocked, tucked and otherwise adorned. HOWEVER, if you can get past the pictures & READ THE TEXT- Phillips has a lot to say that is excellent. She lists sources & frequently shares fascinating comments on everyday details of French style (who knew about brass hardware vs brushed nickel?). If you read; buy it. If you look only at photos, don't! Charles Faudree is much better in the genre in my opinion.