French Country Living by Couleur Nature
Southern Living recently featured this gorgeous French-design backyard conservatory created with salvaged windows – we couldn’t resist the temptation to post it here. The owner, Jeri Farmer, wanted a glass garden house and was inspired by the glass Pyramid at the Louvre museum in Paris.
Finally! It’s that time of year when your local farmer’s market has an overabundance of lush produce in every color of the rainbow.
We got to thinking about vegetables, their wide variety of textures, their varied hues (ever notice how many reds, purples and yellows tomatoes come in?), their interesting shapes. . .
And then we got to thinking, as we always do, about tabletops and entertaining ideas.
Your Home, Only Better did a post on Color Trends for 2011, discussing the ways we’ll all decorate this year. According to Benjamin Moore’s Colorpulse, four trends that influence this year’s overall theme of “Balance” were discussed - Farm, Order, Escape, and Tribe.
Our favorite theme today, just because it’s a Tuesday and we’d really like to be escaping to the beach instead of working, is. . .of course, Escape.
Looking for fresh, new, but easy recipes for your 4th of July pinic? We combed our favorite recipe sites and located these three fabulous choices – there’s a sandwich, salad and dessert. All healthy, different and easy to transport to your favorite outdoor gathering. We’re going to try them all this weekend. . .
First, there’s Radicchio, Roasted Pepper and Provolone Ciabatta Sandwiches
Nicholas Delbanco recently wrote a piece for the New York Times about revisiting Provence with his wife, 40 years after his honeymoon there. We enjoyed it so much we had to share it with you here. . .
He began the article with “The difference, for the traveler, between a first and repeated visit is crucial. To “go back” is not “to go.” Yet old, familiar places retain a kind of magic, and all the more so when the memories are shared. For our 40th wedding anniversary year, my wife, Elena, and I returned to the place where our marriage began: the South of France. We planned to visit old haunts, the area we’d once called home.”
Who doesn’t love the idea of brunch, especially a casual brunch where the hostess gets to relax and enjoy as much as the guests? By nature, a brunch setting should be simple and bright, with very slight hints of formality.
“Monday, Monday. . . so good to me.” At least that’s what the Mama and the Papas sang in the 60′s. It’s our wish for you, that this Monday will be good to you. Check out these images of lavender fields in Provence, France and consider planting your own lavender field (or bed. . .) to soothe future Mondays.
Out of the house that is. We’re so in love with the idea of summer that we can hardly bear the thought of eating a meal in the dining room.
So we’ve gathered a stack of gorgeous images of very casual outdoor dining ideas – how about a picnic table with benches? A French bistro set that easily folds up for storage? Dress them up with French linens or cloth napkins and you have a perfect recipe for outdoor elegance.
If you’re new to French Country Design, but love the look, we’ve got a few simple tips to get you started. The first step is to think of Provence and the French countryside, places where you’re sure to see bright sunshine and lavender fields. Think rustic farmhouses, old-world and welcoming. Think contrasting textures – flooring of stone, clay or brick, pale plaster walls, ceilings punctuated with dark rough wood beams. Think warm and casual.
And think color. The colors used for French Country decorating come from the entire color wheel and are based on the gardens of Provence. Sunny yellow, soft gold, cobalt blue and soft ocean tones, fiery red and burnt rust, bright grass green and dark hunter green – each has a place in this very versatile decorating style. Colorful Provencal printed fabrics are best set off against light-toned natural walls and floors and rustic furnishings. 
The look fits well into any home, whether you’re thinking country home or city apartment. The French Country style of decorating, with its relaxed but inviting feel fits beautifully into any decorating scheme.
Start by admiring the look in these photos we’ve borrowed from House Beautiful. Feel inspired? We’ll have more specific ideas right here in the future. And we’d love to hear how you’ve integrated the French Country Look into your own home.
Couleur Nature at AmericasMart
We’ll be in Atlanta January 12 to 19, 2011.
Display in Atlanta Showroom
Find us at 240 Peachtree Street NW, Building 2, Suite 929 A&B
Send your favorite retailer to us in Atlanta, Chicago, New York or Toronto! (See other market dates and locations in previous post.)
