French Interiors: The Art of Elegance [Hardcover]

Christiane de Nicolay-Mazery (Author), Christina Vervitsioti-Missoffe (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 3, 2009

Christiane de Nicolay-Mazery, a specialist in furniture and antiques at Christies and Honelon, invites her readers to enter the elegantly luxurious interiors of some of France's most exclusive abodes. From the classic taste of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries to the creativity of the nineteenth century, she traces the path to the finesse of the twentieth century, which combines tradition and modernity.
    The interiors portrayed in these nine exquisitely illustrated chapters pay tribute to the refinement of French taste, a savoir-faire that has been continually renewed. Classic hôtels particuliers in the heart of Paris and romantic châteaux, as well as a surprising isba--a traditional rural log house in the Russian style--are but a few of the examples of the kinds of interiors that will inspire readers as they marvel over the art of French designers, including Madeleine Castaing, Hubert de Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent, Jacques Grange, François Joseph Graff, and Pierre Bergé.
     Unlike most books on French style on the market, this book is not only a testimony to timeless French elegance, it is an invitation to discover a synthesis of contemporary and classic décor, in some of France's most exclusive residences, firsthand.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"With 9 stunning chapters you will be enthralled by the exquisitely detailed tome that truly delivers the ground breaking style that only the French can do!" ~LePetiteBlog.com

About the Author

Christiane de Nicolay-Mazery was born in the west of France where she spent her childhood between her family property of Montfort le Rotrou and that of her paternal grandparents at the Château de Lude, one of the jewels of French Renaissance art. As passionate for the "art de vivre" of France's well-heeled families as she is for their history, she has already published several works, including The French Château: Life, Style, Tradition (Thames & Hudson, 2001) and Private Houses of Paris: The "Hôtels Particuliers" Revealed (I.B Tauris & Co.). A specialist in furniture and antiques, de Nicolay-Mazery works at Christie's in Paris.

Photographer Christina Vervitsioti-Missoffe has worked for many Greek, British, and French magazines, including Elle Décoration and Géo.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 264 pages
• Publisher: Flammarion (March 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 2080300369
• ISBN-13: 978-2080300362
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 1.2 x 11.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #811,787 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mission Incompleted, May 18, 2009

By 

James M. - See all my reviews

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This review is from: French Interiors: The Art of Elegance (Hardcover)

Others apparently do not consider the photo selection in this book to be lacking, but I was disappointed in this regard. I believe that a large, expensive photography book titled FRENCH INTERIORS should consist primarily of photos of interior spaces.

The photos in this book are primarily confined shots of furniture groupings and close-ups of housewares including glassware, stemware, china, tassels, food, flowers, fabrics, vases, etc. Many are extreme close-ups of fragmentary views of these items. More than 50 other pictures are outdoor scenes. There are virtually no full-room photographs and only a relatively few full-wall views. The one double-page spread in the book shows a sofa instead of an interior panorama. Ms. Vervisioti-Missoffe's choice of an easy-to-use medium-format SLR rather than the customary large-format view camera may have limited her ability to produce the more difficult and demanding location spreads.

Stylistically, the interiors are basically traditional. If traditional is your cup of tea you will probably enjoy this book as there are some nice photos of individual objects and assorted vignettes.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Save your money - keep looking, January 1, 2010

By 

Francophile (North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: French Interiors: The Art of Elegance (Hardcover)

I received this book as a gift from a close friend. On seeing the cover and title, I was very excited. The rest of this book disappoints, and on many levels.

The most pervasive problem is the quality of photographs and selection of subject matter. There are numerous full-page outdoor shots of trees, branches, leaves, and flowers. The photographs are beautiful and would be right at home in a High School photography contest. Maybe I'm missing something, but I can't see how these photographs relate to a book entitled "French Interiors."

Of the interior shots, too many show multiple close up views of a contrived vignette, such as china in a place setting, tassels on an ottoman or drape, light filtering through a blind, an orchid in bloom, and on and on. You can see comparable photographs for free in the ads of any upscale shelter magazine. (Just look for ads for china, fabric, upholstered furniture, or window coverings.)

The interior photographs are very poorly lit - lots of rooms with what appear to be beautiful lamps and chandeliers. Since most of the lamps are turned off however, you really don't know what you are looking at.

Last, the style of the interiors is almost exclusively Napoleon III (second half, 19th century). In case the reader is not aware, there are a few other classic French styles which are not represented in this book. And for those who admire Napoleon III style, if you have not already done so, go immediately to the Louvre and tour "les appartements Napoleon III." You'll see the actual diplomatic reception rooms with original furnishings that were used in the administration of Napoleon III. I think you'll find it more genuine than a 21st century photographic fantasy about 19th century style.

In summary, my conclusion is that this book is a quick, cheap, and contrived effort to capitalize on the craze for so-called French style. If this book is even offered for sale in France, my prediction is that it hasn't sold very well.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars French Interiors: The art of Elegance, September 14, 2009

By 

Dorothy A. Thrower (Phoenix Arizona) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: French Interiors: The Art of Elegance (Hardcover)

Too many enlarged pictures and not enough actual decorating of rooms. Would have like more specific decor instead of just enlarged photo shots i.e., pg. 245. Alot of filler shots. Need more bang for the buck.