Puts the French on Pedestals
The book is written as if the French have a monopoly on good taste. B. Phillips gushes over the French lifestyle to the point of annoyance. I found myself saying, enough already! I got the book because I've travelled to France since I was a kid and now I'd like to decorate my home with French influences. But after reading her book, with its genuflecting and contradictions, I was turned off. An example of contradiction: At one point the book states that the French are not ostentacious and prefer simple, tasteful items in the home. But from the interior pictures of mansions, that hardly seems to be the case. Also, I couldn't see any children being happy in these homes. They look like hotels and museums. The book had one very redeeming quality. The guides outlining "must haves" are very good.
French Details
"Detail is the difference between ordinary and extraordinary." ~Unknown
If you are dreaming of a book filled with rock-crystal chandeliers, Aubusson rugs, exquisite tapestries, feather-filled armchairs, carved armoires, sensuous velvets, leopard prints, silk taffeta curtains and eighteenth-century furnishings, you may fall under the influence of "French Influences." The magnificent picture of a French-inspired kitchen complete with French antiques is enough to make any cook envious.
Betty Lou Phillips work has appeared in Southern Accents, Traditional Home & Bath, Window and Wall, and Decorating as well as many magazine covers. She is a professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers and has a penchant for quotes.
Welcome to the World of French Style:
Making a World of Difference
The American Way with French Style
Reflections of Good Taste
Fluent French
French Class
Unmistakably French
Vive la France!
Garden Shows
Designer's Notebook
The pictures in this book are inspirational and the pink dining room is a fantasy princess dream. I was surprised at how much I really did love the vintage chairs covered in playful leopard prints. There are little tidbits of information throughout the book.
Finally, I understand why the rooster is a favorite motif.
I would have love to have dissolved into page 146 and taken a stroll through the row of trees on the winding gravel path leading to the unknown.
~The Rebecca Review
The Nicest Room is on the Cover
The rest of the book is page after page of heavy, ornate rooms that lack individuality and warmth. The decor is superficially beautiful because all the "signals" of wealth are there: expensive sofas and chairs, brocade curtains, period furniture, "French" bric-a-brac, but ultimately it's a collection of overly-designed showpieces.
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