The Other French Style

Many of us love French style, whether it's French Country or Paris Apartment. In the past few years the pale palette of French Country has dominated. Two excellent bloggers, Joni from Cote de Teaxs, and Shawn from Country French document this style comprehensively with great photos. Joni presents outstanding examples of living with this style for modern applications, and Shawn shows incredible vignettes from her buying trips in France for her wonderful store in Louisville, Kentucky.

View into the Living Room - The 19th century foyer table has a New Years vignette -
I spy a tall clear vase filled with black eye peas!

But there is another side of the pale Gustavian palete: There is color!
Here in Louisiana the pale palette has become trendy. But somehow the sub tropical climate steers one towards saturated Creole colors too.

In the Living Room, three panels using 18th century hand painted wallpaper -
The pair of 18th century Beregere chairs once graced the living room of Eleanor Brown

In the January 2009 issue of Louisiana Homes and Gardens, an interior designer named Dr. Lawrence Menache has decorated his Alexandria, Louisiana home in a style he refers to as Parisian.
Dr. Menache hails from a New York experience, and I think this also shows in his choice of colors, furnishings, and objects.

18th century commode by Cirard
flanked by 19th century Italian chairs -
Portrait is by De Troy

He started going to furniture auctions as a young boy at Sotheby's in New York with his parents, where he always sat next to an intriguing older woman. That woman turned out to be Eleanor McMillen Brown, a fact he only found out after he bought a book called "Sixty Years of Interior Design" written about said lady.
Dr. Menache was a young man in his 20's when he purchased the book, while Eleanor Brown was in her 90's (she passed away in 1991 at age 100).
Jennifer from the Peak of Chic writes a nice bit about this book, and you can purchase it HERE.

19th century ormolu mounted daybed -
18th century Piranesi prints above the bed

Dr. Menache describes each and every thing in his home lovingly, recalling the objects and furniture as if they are old friends. He is particularly proud of some chairs he actually purchased from Eleanor Brown. Mrs. Brown's design concepts have been one of the main "mentors" for Dr. Menache, along with his parents, who gave him a love of fine antique furniture.

Marchand 18th century kingwood secretary -
The objects include a collection of Shagreen,
antique inkwells, and a piece of Newcomb pottery -
The 18th century chair belonged to Eleanor Brown

Dr. Menanch isn't like other physicians. Instead of playing golf during his leisure hours, he operates a design business! He does his design work at night or on weekends. His primary work is oncology and he loves to take care of his patients. His is also the proud proprietor of Maison Pompeii Antiques/Interiors.

The dining room table is set for New Years - check out the cabbage centerpiece!
And I love the Chinoiserie pelmets over the drapes

Dr. Menache and his wife live in an English Regency style home built in 1950. He describes his interior design for the home as: "Parisian, a French type home filled with antiques, but it is comfortable at the same time."

The card room and also a place for Dr. Manache's design books
Dr. and Mrs. Manache are avid bridge players

"My home has a very traditional look, using 18th century French antiques. Many are signed by the ebenistes." Ebennistes were originally those making case furniture and working in ebony, a favored wood for mid 17th century Parisian cabinetmakers.

The library has a comfy Baker sofa
The coffee table is made from a Chinese lacquer panel

Although Dr. Menache loves French antiques, he designs in all genres. His living room received the 2008 Louisiana Home and Gardens Design Award.

The master bedroom is classic - all it needs is a Charles Faudree King Charles Spaniel!

It's very interesting to see another viewpoint of French style decorating. I love both points of view: The pale and the color saturated. Sometimes it's a real tug of war to settle upon just one!

The 18th century bronze dore clock sits on the fireplace,
with an 18th century screen made from an 18th century Aubusson tapestry

You Nailed It!

There's a solid trend using nail head trim with white upholstery, and in particular with white leather, or faux leather. White slip covered furniture has been popular for years and years and years. It's no wonder, because it is easy to keep clean by taking off the slip covers and throwing them in the washing machine.
But after years and years and years of doing that, it gets a little tiresome. Wrestling slip covers on and off is a chore. I wanted a white sofa with less work involved, so I opted for recovering a vintage camel back in faux white leather with nail head trim. You must use nail heads when you use leather or faux leather in order to keep the fabric from slipping. I also learned that fabric backed faux leather is better to use. I was lucky and found several yards of faux leather that is used for making baby mattresses. It is very fabric like, and it is flannel backed. My upholster loved working with it.
This is a Pottery Barn sofa, The Spencer model, covered in white twill using nail head trim. It's very good looking, but I think it will be hard to keep clean. I predict PB will get on the band wagon and eventually offer white leather as a fabric choice. I love the stacks of books used as the coffee table.
This is another modern silhouette couch covered in white leather. I love the high arms. It seems tight back sofas and chairs work the best for using leather to get a clean look.
Tufting also works very well on tight backs. This chair comes from Ballard Designs, and it comes in white leather.
This is another Ballard Designs chair, shown in cream leather, but you can get it in white.
And then there are accent pieces, ottomans of every size and shape...


...some with more elaborate nail head trim.And of course, even case goods are getting into the act.

I just had this antique French settee covered in the faux white leather with nail head trim. The crazy fabric you see is this extraordinary chenille, very much like a Colefax and Fowler fabric. I've asked the upholsterer to remove it intact and give it back to me. I'm thinking of mounting it and framing it. The settee is being delivered on a Wednesday, so stay tuned for the reveal!
I'm sending out my dining room chairs next. They're antique Isabelina salon chairs from Spain. They're not grand, but rather Country Spanish, much like Country French. They have (old and stained) yellow raw silk upholstery now, and an original black paint finish. I think they're going to look great in white faux leather with nail head trim!