In the seventeenth century, Louis XIV and his visionary finance minister, Jean-Baptist Colbert, established a strictly controlled guild system that regulated the work of artisans, raising the specialties at which they excelled to even higher standards. More than three centuries later, the Sun King perfectionism remains his extraordinary gift to France, though his penchant for opulence may be better known.
While the latter legacy may forever endure, King Louis XIV deserves credit for influencing most everything the French do. From their insistence on finely crafted furniture and regal textiles to turning out rooms with dignity and panache, the French attention to the detail, which borders on obsession, is testimony to the late king’s fastidiousness and in keeping with his foresight.
In truth, the French leave no creative idea unimplemented, in hopes of making their living quarters special. Whether selecting quality leather for a chair or replacing door hardware, the attention to minutiae is striking.
Finely etched knobs, surface bolts and crémone bolts that could almost pass for artwork bestow added nobility on groaning doors and tall, narrow windows. Crisp crown moldings, seamlessly woven, step out onto ceilings, making spaces appear even taller than they actually are. Polished brass grilles with scrolled motifs adorn heating vents, elevating the ordinary.
Whereas small paintings would disappear on generous walls, grouped with mirrors and wall sconces, they make a strong statement. Meanwhile, heroic-sized family portraits add splendor and historic character.
Further suggesting the sophistication of a former era, several rock-crystal chandeliers may drift overhead in the same room. While shaded sconces wash walls with light, picture lights cast a soft glow, and table and floor lamps direct glare. Together they maneuver light into producing drama and warmth not attainable with overhead sources. Generally, the French shy away from track lighting, which can jarringly cast unforgiving shadows on the face.
Attention to detail glorifies the image of the Sun King, whose influence is still felt these hundreds of years later.
In a nod to the classic trellises favored by the French, breakfast room chair pads enveloped in John Robshaw fabric ring a Portuguese dining table from Michael Taylor. Window treatment stripe is by Ralph Lauren, who comes close to having the cultural impact that the French exert.
In their kitchens, perhaps, but elsewhere the French aren’t champions of a cluttered look, or small-scale antiques.
Building on the homeowner’s love of blue in all its myriad hues, a new construction defines itself with noticeable French flair and some decidedly modern twists. Sofa fabric is from Rogers & Goffigon; Romo covers the field bench. (The quilted leather Chanel handbag in deep blue began life in Alsace, in an old stone building.) Residing on a sofa table from Jacqueline Adams Antiques, Atlanta, is a pair of lamps with pleated shades by Cele Johnson, Dallas, and classic blue-and-white porcelain, varying in age, collected over time.
Above: Dime-sized mirrors imbue an inky blue, intricately embroidered, hand-blocked John Robshaw print—inspired by the textile designer’s trip to the plains of Rajasthan, India—with an air of glamour, while a fringed cashmere Ralph Lauren throw bearing an embroidered street name graces the sofa.
Below: When a narrow tape darts across a chair skirt, the result is eye-catching. Tape is from Samuel & Sons; fabric by Quadrille; area rug is Stark.
No bedroom is complete without flowers, and artfully clipped leaves can set an arrangement apart.
At small, informal get-togethers, the French often serve in the library, sitting room or even the kitchen, reserving the dining room for larger, regal affairs. In this case, an area just steps from the bar also works for wine tastings. Chairs fashionably dressed in Cowtan & Tout surround a walnut table—crafted in France—which rests on imposing marble floors. Double-walled blown glass filled with liquid silver—better known today as mercury glass—was first produced in Bohemia, now the Czech Republic, in the mid-nineteenth century.
Wet bars today have come up from the basement, which is not to say all are equally grand. Being conveniently sited steps from the dining area makes this the perfect gathering spot for pre-dinner conversations, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.
White, dove and café au lait join forces to emit a sophisticated, gracious air in a villa that exudes more than a bit of contemporary glamour. A vintage bar cart rests between chairs in the style of Louis XVI, wearing Clarke & Clarke. Tall, narrow vase is by Baccarat, as are the votives. Area rug from Stark Carpet graces marble floors. The ottoman of today is only vaguely reminiscent of the long, backless settee from which the privileged sultan of the vast Ottoman Empire ruled during the fourteenth century.
A setting where “less is more” mingles eras and styles. Traditionally, the French gravitate to lamps 27 to 30 inches tall. Those taller exude a modern sensibility and fittingly wear drum shades. The rock crystal tiered lamp produced in London for Chameleon Fine Lighting, New York, sits on a resplendent eighteenth-century walnut commode from Jacqueline Adams Antiques, Atlanta, as does its (unseen) sister, flanking the other side of the fireplace. Philippe II mirrors add depth to the room rather than reflecting the vanity of society, as the pair once undoubtedly did. Until about 1875, mirrors were called looking glasses.
Above and Below: Pillows touting passementerie from the French house of Houlès prop on channel-backed sofas clad in Christopher Hyland’s luxuriously textured “Kimmel.”
While the French tend to shun most anything that has potential for spawning envy, Americans often take a different tack. On this side of the Atlantic, there’s no shame in spoiling ourselves in private home theaters with 3D TV and surround sound, anymore than 150-foot yachts or traveling the world.
No trip to the movie theater is complete without a stop at the concession stand. Theater-style seating with cup holders is available from Marroquin Upholstery.