cover image Charles Faudree's French Country Signature

Charles Faudree's French Country Signature

Charles Faudree. Gibbs Smith Publishers, $40 (176pp) ISBN 978-1-58685-288-7

Master interior designer Charles Faudree reveals the keys to his signature French country style through a personal tour of his sumptuous creations, including some of his own 11 homes. In contrast to rustic Southwest or staid New England styles, French country infuses""all the elegance of a French country estate, without any of the traditional French pretentiousness"" through an eclectic jumble of rich color, texture and ornament. Faudree encourages home decorators to fill a room till it's""overflowing, but never cluttered or overpowering."" He achieves this balance by blending an array of fabrics--toile, stripes, plaid, tapestries--and playing them off antique woods and figurine collections. The overall result is opulent yet comfortable living areas and exquisite yet simple dining rooms. Warmly sharing his knowledge of French country and stateside resources for antiques and prints, Faudree makes this fluid and timeless--if sometimes a bit florid--style accessible to all home design enthusiasts. Color photographs throughout.