Provencal Interiors: French Country Style in America: Amazon.ca: Betty Lou Phillips: Books

Product Description

8 1/2 X 10 In, 160 Pp, 125 Color Photos. Provencal Interiors: Inspired by the sun-drenched colors of southern France, french country, or provencal, decorating is the epitome of understated luxury, as fitting in the city and suburbs as in rural reaches. No matter that it's roots are firmly planted in the small stone farmhouse, or mas, the typical dwelling in the provencal region. It is eqaully appealing in a remote chateau as in a stately manor house, or bastide. The most inviting homes exude comfort,tradition, and grace. Most people, though, say it is charm that best characterizes the french interior. Through stunning photographs, informative text, and an extensive resource list, provincal interiors detail everything necessary for creating this harmonious mingling in america.

About the Author

Betty Lou Phillips is the author of Gibbs Smith, Publisher's incredibly successful line of French style and design books, including the award-winning Villa Decor, as well as Unmistakably French, French Influences, French by Design, and Provencal Interiors: French Country Style in America. She is a professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers.

Inside This Book (Learn More)

First Sentence
country's diverse climate and terrain hampered local traditions from being shared by the people nearby. Today, it is the blurring together of these ancient regional characteristics that has given life to the style known as provencal, or French country. Read the first page

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Customer Reviews

17 Reviews

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
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Average Customer Review

4.0 out of 5 stars (17 customer reviews)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sun-drenched colors of Southern France, Mar 3 2004

By

Rebecca Johnson "The Rebecca Review" (Washington State) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Provencal Interiors: French Country Style in America (Hardcover)

"French country decorating at its finest is the harmonious mingling of fabrics, textures, and patterns - an artistic blending of the familiar with warmth and sophistication."

As you open this book, you may start to have the desire to suddenly order hundreds of pastel pink tulip bulbs. While this book is not quite as lavish as "Villa Décor" it is much more practical. There are extensive instructions for using color, texture and scale.

Betty Lou Phillips has included a wonderful picture of a library with bookcases spanning the library walls. Her 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.

There are eight main chapters:

What Is Provencal Charm?
Making an Entrance
French Quarters
Table Matters - Kitchens and Dining Rooms
Bedrooms, Bedding, and Baths
French Accents
Outside Interests
Trade Secrets

I loved reading the "Table Matters" section which includes a comparison between French and American kitchens. The bedroom section had me wishing I had some fresh croissants on hand for a breakfast tray.

There is no need to travel to France to buy beautiful fabrics, furnishings and fixtures. A complete list of catalogs is also included.

This is "French Country Style in America," so it is a fusion of various ideas from a variety of locations in France.

~TheRebeccaReview.com

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For Americans creating French style, who can't go to France, Dec 28 2001

By

Joanna Daneman (Middletown, DE USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Provencal Interiors: French Country Style in America (Hardcover)

Ok, so this isn't "authentic French Provence design." Suppose you won't be visiting Aix-en-Provence and running around looking for all the pieces you need, and then figuring out how to fill up a shipping container and send it through customs, etc etc, (can you imagine doing this in a foreign country in a foreign language?!) You just aren't going to find a lot of genuine French furnishing and fabrics in the US. What if you want to use French elements in your decorating (as we did) and only have access to American furniture lines and the fabrics sold here?

This book provides a great solution. American houses are DIFFERENT than European, and what's sold in furniture and decorating supply shops is different, too. "Provencal Interiors" shows you how to get that effect with things you can get here. THAT'S great. If it isn't authentic, that's ok. If you don't have unlimited funds for a decorator to buy worldwide to create "real" Provencal, this book works really well. Maybe better.

The pictures give good examples of Provencal style rooms, and there are lists of suppliers that are helpful. The color schemes are perhaps the most useful part. Another useful thing are the fabrics and how to mix them. I myself have problems figuring that out; this helps.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars French Provencal style influences American interiors, Oct 26 2001

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S. S. Thon "Susann" (Santa Clara, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Provencal Interiors: French Country Style in America (Hardcover)

I found this book a wonderful view of French Provencal style, blended with American verve and elegance. Many of us have traveled in France, and know the French are also very influenced by the freshness and ease of American design.

Remember it was not an English, but an AMERICAN interior designer, Nancy Lancaster from Virginia USA, who revolutionized English Country style. She became Lady Colfax and changed the look of country houses from stiff to chintz.

I think the author introduces the beauty of Euro/American design in this book. The French Provencal Style in AMERICA title is a great clue that the pages are not full of 17th century French country village interiors.

Also, it always helps to read a book before you judge it!

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Most recent customer reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars Provencal Interiors?????
This is a nice book but it does not contain Provencal style interiors! I am not sure how the author came up with that title since anyone who is interested in French country will... Read more

Published on Aug 8 2001 by K. Lordan-Morris

2.0 out of 5 stars Provencal Interiors: French Country Style in America
I haven't even read the book, but I LIVE in PROVENCE, and I have to agree from what I see on the cover that the style is not typical of Provence, however pretty it may be... Read more