French Influences in Blanc.....

When I am thinking of French decor, I am thinking colors of the entire color wheel. I am especially drawn to pastels..... such as a french pale blue or a gorgeous door in a soft shade of green! In France, you can turn a corner and you might see a bright red door or a noir [black] door which can be both striking and beautiful.  The  carved lines of the wood make the doors both inviting and colorful pieces of art. This is because paint color ages year after year beautifully! Today though, I  am thinking white or blanc as it is in French language!  Blanc is everywhere and it is striking and beautifully used in the French home! I adore the whites for I find white uplifting and fresh. Perhaps this is why I lean so much in my own personal decorating to white! This is not new for me, many years ago at my wedding I was  determined my Bridal Bouquet would be layers of white, simple and striking.  Yes....it is refreshing and calming to walk into a room layered in shades of white and perhaps filled with a vase or two of white flowers! 

In the lovely book, AT HOME with WHITE, this French farm table above is beautifully set with simple white dishes, bistro chairs and fresh milk white walls...gorgeous!

Painting furniture with a white wash finish gives less expensive finds a new life.

This photo is also from AT HOME with WHITE.

Josephine Ryan in her beautifully written book on French Decor' shares a photo of two exquisite French chairs with white upholstery! The antique French sideboard has a patina that would be hard to recreate.  Her shop in London is a wonderful place to find a touch of France!  On my visit to her shop, she was both helpful and personable.  

Paris has an array of buildings that have beautifully aged from white to shades of white.  I have snapped this building, one of my favorites, from many angles and the way  in which the sun hits it is unique and beautiful each time!  Do not be afraid to experiment with layers of white.....you just might find you have indeed created a belle maison.......beautiful home!