French Country Living

by Caroline Clifton-Mogg

Book Overview

- French Country Living is a practical resource for all those who seek to bring a touch of French style to their own homes- Evocative photographs and an invaluable source guide offer the inspiration... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1841726028
• ISBN13: 9781841726021
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: Ryland Peters & Small
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 9.2" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

French Country Living

The pictures in this book are beautiful. It is exactly what I was looking for!

Delicious

Caroline Clifton-Mogg's French Country Living is a delicious book to look at; the pages are filled with beautiful, airy rooms and the accompanying text does a good job of explaining how the effect is achieved--lots of grey in the colors, painted furniture, small-sized fabric prints, etc. This is French country living in the Marie-Antoinette-at-Petit-Trianon style, not truly rural la France profonde, however. The exquisitely restored rooms are filled with priceless antiques, and a cursory glance over the photo credits suggests that the majority of houses shown are located in either Provence, or the richer departements near Paris (the most famous house in Yvelines is Versailles, if that gives you an idea of what's in the neighborhood of some of the chateaux photographed). Having seen more than one room in a rural French house with vinyl wallpaper on the ceiling and door, I can only wish that all of French country life was this beautiful!

Beautiful and informative

Actually bought this book French Country Living by Caroline Clifton-Mogg, Christopher Drake (Photographer) as well as New French Country : A Style and Source Book by Linda Dannenberg (Author), Guy Bouchet (Photographer) and this book is really great for those of us who look for more of a French Zen style devoid of lots of tassels and furniture that you are afraid to even sit on. I especially appreciate the crisp clean photography and amount of white theme rooms and simple room designs. I recommend this book to anyone who loves open, bright and airy homes and rooms, that in my opinion help alleviate or even prevent depression in many people. And the rooms are so easy to clean and easy to live in. No fear of messing something up. In some ways the book shows what I would call California or casual university town style living that is also environmentally friendly and physically healthy. Also very affordable styles are shown so the book should appeal to all financial groups.

The Essence of the French Culture

Outside of Paris and the other bustling cities, France's image is of small farms, atmospheric medieval villages, and of an age well past but well preserved with an understated elegance. Even newly built houses are often designed with a view towards looking like the 19th century. In this book, hundreds of color photographs illustrate the essence of the French countryside. The book is in two parts, the first emphasizes the soft, non-contrasting colors and the natural materials and textures that are distinctly France. The second part of the book looks at the overall style. It looks at the French home, starting of course with the kitchen (this is after all France). Only then does it move on to the rest of the house, ending with the French garden. And this is France, so the garden also emphasises a place to eat and drink. This is an absolutely delightful book.