Parlez-vous Francais?

Paris apartment of designer Lisa Fine

The French seem to have their own way of looking at, and living, life. With elegance and flair in apparent abundance, style seems to come naturally to our friends from the l'Hexigone. With today's featured spaces, I hope to give you a glimpse of that modern French style in homes both here and abroad.

Bedroom by José Solís Betancourt

Doesn't this room just glow? I love the cool grey, pink, and lavender tones combined with the warmth of gold.

Foyer in home of Matthew White - Photo courtesy of NYSD

How fun is this little dog bed under the fabulously grand console and picture? (And check out that faux limestone-block wall treatment!)

Design by Stephen Sills

Although rich wood tones fill this clean and classic space by Mr. Sills, the pale walls keep the space light and airy.

Living room by Timothy Whealon

I adore this giant room designed by Timothy Whealon. The combination of textures keeps it interesting, while the limited color palette keeps it serene. Pure elegance.

Living room by Timothy Whealon

Here is what appears to be a more casual seating area on the other side of the bookshelves on the left side of the first Whealon photo. I love how he breaks up the space into livable portions, without losing any of that wonderful natural light. (Clean and thoughtful design!)

Living room by Paint & Paper Library's David Oliver

"Soft", I think, is the best word to describe this room. As a color specialist for the UK's Paint & Paper Library, Oliver knows how to create mood with color, as is well illustrated in the grand-yet-comfortable seating area above.

Bedroom by Ryan Korban

Ryan Korban is an intriguing, young designer. His work is so glamorous, but not over the top. I love the idea of living with supreme elegance everyday. Truly French style!

Now, can't you just imagine wandering through the arrondissements of Paris to your own stylish little pied-a-terre? Ha!

Have a great day, everyone!

So Fine

Living room in Lisa Fine's Paris apartment 

Colorful, layered, cozy, elegant, collected. Love!


Other side of Lisa Fine's Parisian living room



Global Warming

Living area by Molly Luetkemeyer of M. Design Interiors

Don't you just love a home that has that far-away flair? There is something so energizing about interiors that can create a fantasy, making you feel like you are a world away from everyday life.

Molly Luetkemeyer does just that in the living room above with a carefully selected mixture of modern, traditional, and exotic furniture and accessories. I love that rug and the fabrics on the sofa pillows!

Bedroom by Greek designer Tetty Stefanou

From the suzani on the wall to the antique curtain fragments that make up the bed cover, this room's design is sure to carry you away to distant lands. (It's location in the Greek isles doesn't hurt either!)


Bedroom by Peter Dunham

Designer Peter Dunham has been a world traveler since he was a child, and his sense of the exotic is certainly reflected in his interiors and fabric collections.

Bedroom by Kemble Interiors

How great are these vintage suitcases? The pairing of chocolate brown and blue is quite classic, but the pattern of the fabric and texture of the wall gives the room a more modern allure.

Jacques Grange gets playful in his own home, displaying a wild assortment of art and objects.

Could you work a feathered headdress into your interiors?


Bedroom by John Robshaw

I originally came across the bedroom above when I was looking for inspiration for a friend's bedroom, but I fell in love with the room's combination of patterns and wall color (and green is not something I would normally gravitate to). Travelling to places such as China, India, and Thailand, Robshaw has perfected the art of creating exotic, block-printed textiles.

Bedroom by Lisa Fine

Here is a bedroom by yet another textile designer, Lisa Fine. Aren't those green bed posts intriguing?

Vignette by Schuyler Samperton

Love the bone-inlaid chest, love the blue and white vases, and love the fiddle-leaf fig tree peeking in the side of the photo!

Living area by Sara Gilbane Interiors

I think this last room of the day perfectly illustrates what exotic accents in interior design can achieve in a room: interest and warmth. Combining a rich wall color, an unexpected light fixture, a zebra rug, and some striking textiles gives this room a cozy, yet worldly look, and creates quite the romantic reverie!