I found a fabulous
blog that I pretty much spent my ENTIRE DAY reading from the beginning. Stephanie and her husband bought a Brooklyn row house in December 06 and have renovated it. Now she is busy putting her personal stamp on the interior with carefully thought out furnishings and accessories.
Oddly enough my decorating style is exactly like hers as explained by
Sproost.com as French Eclectic which is described as...
Parlez-vous français? Even if the answer is no, you can confidently say your home does! French Country, like its name, somehow manages to both be formal and casual, classy and unassuming at the same time. You like your spaces to feel inviting from the moment you (or your guest) opens the front door and this feeling should continue even after you've entered your most formal room. Even though there are French antiques here and gold details there, the rustic elements provide a balance and warmth that seems to say, "come in, relax and stay a while." Your love of antiques leads you to flea markets, garage sales and hours of eBay hunting.
Materials
The materials and pieces you are drawn to play on the mix of formal and casual. Many of the pieces look like they were passed down from your great-great-aunt (even if they are brand new!) and you managed to upholster them in a way that made that piece both then and now. Much of the furniture is wood-framed and the wood is either left natural (hey there rustic!), painted white (hey there country!) or even gold (hello refinement!). And many times there is a strong mixture of all of these. If you find yourself leaning much more towards the "country" side of things and away from the Parisian side, drop the gold details and replace them with wrought iron.
Colors
When it comes to color, you are drawn to bright and airy options. Thoughts of the French countryside are key - warm colors such as yellows, reds and oranges hinting at fields of gold. But the nice thing about French Eclectic is you can just as easily go in the opposite direction: pale blues and greens hinting at acres of lavender fields and expansive blue skies.
Space Planning
When you think about laying out your French Eclectic room the key is to invite people in and encourage them to stay. So furniture should be grouped nicely to encourage intimate conversation and the main pieces should be comfortable in both look and feel. There should be plenty of places to set drinks, prop feet and lean back. And yet the functionality of these pieces doesn't necessarily mean that they aren't beautiful antiques or replicas.
After perusing her blog for the better part of the day I encourage you to take a visit. I am now very motivated to get my home completed. I honestly don't have a lot to do as far as major projects go. I do have a few ideas I want to employ after I do some research but I feel now more than ever I have a direction in completing my condo.
Even though our condo was generic and bare boned I have always wanted for people to walk in and feel somewhat transported and aware they have found a gem among the paste so to speak.
