Thanksgiving Tablescape Using Milk Glass Collection, Persimmons and Fall Foliage

I decided to do something different this Thanksgiving with my dining room table and utilize my Milk Glass.  I've filled the bud vases with sunflowers and the compote dish with persimmons. 

The buffet stand has more persimmons on pedestals and fall branches in a large vase.

Are You Ready to Turn Up the Volume on Your Shabby Chic Style? Let's Rock the Casbah!

Inside this adorable French Country style home with the "joie de vivre" blue shutters, awaits tantalizing surprises. Shabby chic style meets modern eclecticism when an ultra modern piece of art, rug, side table and lamp give a blast to old world charm. The shabby chic kitchen has all the elements we love like the painted and distressed cabinets. The Moroccan style backsplash, barstools and architectural details make you say OOh La La! I love the way the blue velvet sectional is effortlessly working to tie the element of blue throughout the home that started with the shutters as you pull up the driveway. The home office/study goes all out with the Moroccan influences, making it a private shangri-la! This studio apartment/ guest quarters is a prime example in how to effectively decorate a small space while keeping it hip and modern. Almost every piece in this space is not only functional but also a focal piece. The eye enjoys a tantalizing small feast as it is continuously busy taking in all the modern eclecticism.

Live in (French Country) Style

Parlez-vous Françes? Don't worry - you don't need to speak French in order to enjoy the bright, comfortable and classic style of French Country in your home. From weathered walls to wide wooden tables, it is not hard to achieve the French Country look using the following guidelines.


French Country style is all about well-used, worn-in, imperfect but beautiful architectural elements, furniture and accessories. Forget sleek lines, fine china, and black, white and gray color combos. Instead, fill your house with chunky wood tables, dozens of sweet-smelling flowers, and brightly patterned couches, curtains and pillows styled after the look of Provence, the southeast region in France that borders the Mediterranean Sea.




When choosing a French Country style home, think along the lines of cracked wood beams, curved panels, hand-carved decorations and raw material flooring and walls, like stone or exposed brick. Raw or distressed wood also can be used to cultivate a French Country atmosphere, as do uneven plaster walls.


Don't worry about that spider crack in the paint in your kitchen, or the slight discoloration of the paint in your bedroom or living room. In French Country "speak", these imperfections simply add character.


Other French Country architectural features include shutters for your windows, narrow, deeply cut window sills, and striped fabric awnings over windows to afford the home dweller extra protect from the heat.

But what if you just want to add some French Country flair to the home you already have, without changing its walls, floors and windows? No sweat. Rustic furniture is a key element to the French Country style. Think oversized rectangle or round wooden dining room tables, with a dull waxed or natural finish.


Chairs and occasional tables of the French Country style can be curved or boast carved designs in the woodwork. Dining room chairs can have a ladderback style or vertical slats. Also, large armoires are well-suited to the French Country look, giving the owner a nice cool place to store dishes, linens, or even clothing.


Finally, achieve that French Country style with the perfect fabrics and accessories that have that certain je ne sais quoi. Use toile material, a gauzy linen or cotton, in white, cream or yellow with bright contrasting colors. Choose themes such as monkeys, Chinese patterns, and eighteenth century courting scenes, all of which are predominant in French Country design.

Large, thickly woven baskets, chunky clay or old metal pitchers, Chinoiserie pottery, and iron garden shelving units all fit in nicely with the French Country look. So do ceramic plates, tiles, tablecloths and curtains sporting motifs of roosters, sunflowers, beetles or lavender. Save money by hunting for these and other accessories at flea markets and antique stores.


The final touch needed to makeover your home in the style of French Country is the addition of flowers. Fresh sunflowers, lavender, and geraniums especially all say "French Country", and the more the better!


Put flowers in old pitchers or copper pots, in window boxes, and glass vases. Use a variety of colors, and make sure the arrangements don't look too tame or stylized. Natural grasses are another way to bring the French Country look into you home.


Whether you decide to go full out, adding wood beams and stone flooring to your home, or whether you just add a nice chunky wooden dining room table, carved chairs, or a roomy armoire to your existing furniture, the French Country look can be achieved by anyone who wants to bring a little of the Provence countryside into his or her everyday life.


Please find the original article and more information about this subject at [http://www.homeandliving.com/DesignAdvice.aspx?Category=FrenchCountry]

When Yale graduate, BatSheva Vaknin is not writing helpful and insightful articles like the one you just read from http://www.homeandliving.com, she writes plays, screenplays and short stories. In fact, she has just completed her first novel. 

If you would like to publish this article on your own site, please feel free to do so. Please let us know the url of the posted article by emailing the url to  [mailto:batsheva@homeandliving.com]batsheva@homeandliving.com. All we ask is that you include the whole article, without changes, including the link to the original article location, author information, this disclaimer and the following link. 

Find great home furniture online at http://www.homeandliving.com

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Live-in-(French-Country)-Style&id=45999] Live in (French Country) Style

An Easy Way to Create a French Country Decor in Your Home

You can easily and affordably create a romantic French countryside environment in your home using a little creativity and an assortment of readily available French home accessories. It is possible to recreate the ambience and warmth of a rural French cottage without having to buy expensive furniture and accessories from France. Neither do you have to deplete your savings to bring a semblance of Provence into your home. The process of filling your home with French country decor is as easy as browsing online for some basic ideas on how real French cottages look like and using a little creativity to transform your home accordingly.

Your aim should be to create an overall French feel in your home rather than strive to refurnish your home with items imported from France. French country style is basically rustic and can be achieved using wrought iron, rough wood, and plaster finishes. The floor in this style is usually covered with old wood or stone tiles. Aim for evocative colors similar to what you would see in a countryside walk. Use plenty of bright blue and green colors with a touch of warm butter yellow and neutral earth tones. You can enhance this look with hand painted French tableware. You can find a wide variety of hand made French home accessories such as ceramic kitchenware in one of the many flea and yard markets near you. Unique accessories like ceramic Provencal teapots, coffee cups, and crockery combined with French garden pots and planters in your garden can add a touch of Provence in your home. The wall colors you choose to give your home a French feel should be natural cornflower blue or mustard yellow. Use lighter tones for the kitchen and living room. You can further get the look of an old French farm house using aged wall treatment or plaster.

If you have an ideal set of furniture, age them with spray on rust treatment you can find in most home improvement stores. Iron towel racks and planters in the bathroom will create a perfect French countryside look. If you find an iron chandelier, set it up your dining room to finish off the French country decor touch.

The task of transforming your home into a French countryside cottage will not be done until you have lined your tables with real French tablecloths. Genuine Provencal tablecloths are available in some specific boutiques you can easily find online. Buy from a boutique that specializes in French table cloths made from 100% cotton and preferably made in Provence, not some Chinese knock-off. You can choose from a wide range of Provencal tablecloths including the Anais, Tropez, Fayence tablecloths or even the Avignon bordered type. With Provencal table cloths, your kitchen and dining room will have that desired French country look.

Boutique Provencale offer a huge range of [http://boutiqueprovencale.co.uk/shop/home-accessories/china-and-pottery/cookware-storage.html]Dishes Pottery and other French home accessories including a great [http://boutiqueprovencale.co.uk/shop/home-accessories/table-linen/tablecloths.html]French tablecloths.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?An-Easy-Way-to-Create-a-French-Country-Decor-in-Your-Home&id=6573115] An Easy Way to Create a French Country Decor in Your Home

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