The New Eighteenth-Century Style

More like Madame Pompadour is probably rolling over in her grave. I hope to goodness gracious that this isn't the new 18th century style. If you like 18th century style on a seriously tight budget then you may enjoy this book. It's full of pages of colorless 'schemes', seriously abused furniture and icy cold lighting. Was it all photographed in rooms with Northern exposure? The editors of Veranda will love this book. I am an interior designer who collects period 18th century furniture and art. I have truly studied 18th century furniture, decorative arts and customs for years and this is a popular look although I find it horribly depressing. On the positive side - the photography in this book is very well done. If you like French flea market 'junk' then you'll love this. I gave it a 4 vs. a 2 because the quality of the book is excellent and the photography is excellent but much of my disdain for this book is from this horrendous & prevalent style that I wish would go away.

Since I have a lot of books on decorating and furniture I was hesitant to purchase yet another. I can hear my bookcase groaning. But I have a small vintage furniture shop near Ithaca, NY and am always looking for new inspiration. Now, I can only say that I am sorry I waited so long to purchase this book! For those of you who like different and off-beat, yet chic and elegant, this is your book. Yes, the vignettes may see a bit strange to Americans who tend to go for shiny and new. Many of the items are from the natural and organic world. They are subdued and elegant at the same time. Only the French can put antlers and chandeliers together and make it look incredible! If you're looking for the opulent, gilded look, don't buy this book. But if you love shopping in all the weird places and cherish that moss covered twig you found in the woods and want to put it all together in a refined manner, this is your book! This will be my go to book for inspiration for years to come.

Three stars is just my opinion. I can see how some people would give it one and some may give it five. We are planning to build a smaller home (maybe 3000 sq. ft.) and in a more country French style. Betty Lou Phillips books are usually a little too elaborate for what we want, still some great ideas. I really tried to get ideas from this book and may have gotten a few (I had to look really hard and overlook the shabbiness to see an architectural feature that could have easily been missed). But on the surface, this book is for those who like a shabby look (not shabby chic, just shabby). The paint was too thin and cracked, the walls too uneven, the furniture too lumpy, tables and walls too cluttered, pottery too chipped, too much white, and too many close-ups and not enough room shots.

Iam totaly obsessed with Paris, and all things related to Paris, I bought a french chateau house, the inside as well has a french theme, and now I am starting a french parisian library, so I came across this book and became exited due to the reviews and front cover, sad to say though, to my horror when this thing arrived, the inside, pages that is, is bizare, boring, filled with clutter, and strange things, first off, most pages are pictures of sections of a room, then most are filled with clutter, like a rumage sale, or of someones atic, filled with junk, now to the bizare stuff, there are plenty of dead animals hanging on the walls in the pictures, and stuffed birds on the counters, a larg pile of antlers on a table, is that supposed to be a beautiful decoration, and even, the most bizare disturbing thing that I have come across-ever!, is a chandelier/wall fixture made up of AXES!!, yes I did say axes, I was like well, where are the skulls, and blood, the title and picture of this book would make one believe you would see beautiful, classical, time period things, not the weird, strange, bizzare, and full of clutter, to be nice though, there were a few nice pictures, but what stood out where the wierd stuff, this book is not memorable, or inspring, for that I would buy, taschens paris, historic houses of paris, living in paris, or paris secrets, as you can see this book was very dissapointing, will be returning

I'm an artist & antique collector and not an interior designer by trade, so I am totally enjoying this book. I find it to be a lovely book full of great photography and many interesting details to spark one's imagination. Regardless of the fact that all the styles are not necessarily my own taste, the book as a whole is great fun to look at and I found it inspiring. Each time I looked at a room, I found some new little detail that I'd missed the first time around. It made me itch to re-vamp a room, stat, and I consider anything that inspires me or makes me feel creative money well spent.

This book is great because it shows you ways of having French style but still living in a current home and lifestyle. I loved all of the looks mixing old and new with found objects like sea shells. Of course a lot of the furniture and art is very high end, you can easily get the same look with a little bit of creative shopping at flea markets.Just a wonderful book with a shabby chic style.

Came as ordered, Works great. good Product!

If you're style is that of a Paris flea market, the bazaar in Bombay or a eclectic old shop somewhere in Eastern Europe, you'll love this book. Great photography; the individualism of each space comes through with color and texture. My new favorite. The highlight is more photos of the Stockholm attic apartment, which is a true style icon.

アンティークオブジェの飾り方などとても参考になりました。部屋全体ではなく、ポイント部分の写真が多いです。

Do we really need another coffee table book about the French interiors? I read some good reviews about it on a few blogs so I bought it. But I'm very disappointed with this book. It's presentation is so dull and it's dauntingly heavy to hold. It is a big book but the photographs don't capture any personalities or inspirations of the houses (not many houses inside). It's better for your coffee table than your interior decorating project or inspirations. If you want to look for a good French interior book or how the French decorate their homes or for purely inspiration purpose, I would go and check out a book called Paris Interiors instead.

lovely book

wonderful book