We love living with antiques and heirlooms and vintage decor, and our customers who buy antique furniture in our online store also enjoy collecting and displaying these unique pieces.
This is why we were delighted when we found this book called Past Present: Living with Heirlooms and Antiques. Author Susan Sully's book shows how to blend heirlooms and antiques into contemporary homes in a beautiful way that is easy to live with.
As Sully says: "Antiques add the touch of time and the human hand. Every dented baby cup, mended tablecloth, perfectly or imperfectly preserved piece of silver or porcelain tells a story that began long ago and hasn’t ended yet. There are no rules about living with them, except to take what’s old and keep it young by making it part of daily life."
Every piece of antique furniture that we find in Europe and ship back to the USA certainly has a story behind it, and it is a joy to see these gorgeous hand-crafted antiques start a new chapter of their story in our customers' homes. You can see for yourself how good they look in our mini tours of customer homes in our series of Customer Spotlights.
Sully's book shows examples of 20 houses to illustrate how the past can meet the present in her guide to incorporating antiques and heirlooms into every kind of interior design scheme, including more contemporary looks. In the photo above, beautiful antique furniture like the painted Florentine chest are mixed with a contemporary leather sofa, a 20th century Lucite table and an exotic zebra rug! One of the key tricks in living with antiques today is to be brave about mixing and matching objects from different eras and in different styles. As we can see, the eclectic mix works perfectly!
Sully's book also shows how to pull together traditionally-inspired interiors that aren’t fussy or stiff, For example, this kitchen looks so welcoming and cozy for a family gathering. Although there are many antique and vintage pieces here, the bolt of teal blue color gives a firmly contemporary touch. Another of Sully's tricks is to change finishes and upholstery to give them new life, or to combine objects in unusual juxtapositions.
Sully also takes it upon herself to show how to set inviting tables, like this formal dining room with antique furniture which features a clever display of artichokes in classic European style. She also gives hints on how to display collections creatively. The 20 houses featured in the book range from a converted 1915 fire station in Alabama, to a Greek Revival mansion in New Orleans. What a terrific celebration of living with antique furniture and heirloom pieces!
Aimee owns EuroLuxHome.com with her husband and best friend, Greg. Aimee sources amazing antique furniture, vintage lighting, & high-quality reproduction furniture to help her customers decorate their homes in a unique way. She loves her 8 (you read that right) fuzzy children and is renovating a 1920s bungalow in South Carolina. Find us on Facebook or connect with EuroLux on Google+. Or you can sign up here to receive this blog in your inbox.
Who doesn't wish they could live in a French Country house? If we can't actually move to France to live in the beautiful rolling countryside, then we can at least recreate this timeless and charming style in our home decor. The French Country look is elegant but still comfortable, welcoming and easy to live with. These recently published books explore what gives your home the French Country look and summon up the easy-going Country House style.
Allison includes antique furniture in her home... of course! Antiques and vintage pieces are important to this look to give the romantic aged effect of heirlooms and things collected over the years. Other key elements include a muted color palette and fixtures such as vintage door knobs. Allison also believes that every room should have a beautiful chandelier! We agree with you, Allison!
The dreamy color palettes, antique furniture, vintage styling and gorgeous details add up to a wonderful sense of visual delight and relaxed living, As well as interiors, the book explores the open-air lifestyle in French gardens too.
Sometimes it is the little things that make all the big difference in a room. Murphy's book is packed with inspiration for a relaxed and refined countrified space.
French vintage decor is always in style and it looks great in any kind of home. Whether you live in a city home or a country cottage, French vintage decor always looks comfortable and elegant and it lets you bring your own personal touch to your space. These new books are packed with inspiration to create a welcoming home with the charm of vintage French decor. Nothing like a vintage French bookcase! And don't forget that you can buy vintage French furniture and home accents on our website, too! Curl up with a croissant and a café au lait to get you in the mood, and enjoy!
Interior designer Carolyn Westbrook shows her love of French style and vintage charm in this new book. She takes us on a tour of ten homes with vintage French style, including a fabulous chateau, a Mid-Century Modern interpretation, and even her own family's Texan plantation home,
Mixing old and new is a basic element of making vintage style work successfully, and Westbrook also shows the reader how to combine and display your collections and precious items such as vintage store finds to inherited heirlooms.
We agree with every word! In her new book, Anita Joyce shows how to create the warm elegance of classic French style, including a tutorial for making Joyce's own French bedspread!
Jamie Lundstrom gives us even more Do It Yourself projects to decorate our homes in true French vintage decor style.
The 70 clever and beautiful tutorials with lots of photos include how to make dried flower ornaments or a flower garland or display plants in a mock 'cast iron' planter. Perhaps you'd like to know how to crochet pillows packed with French appeal or make a baguette bag with a drawstring? Decoupage, drippy candles, rusted frames.... the author has many tricks to help you create your own rustic and vintage style French decor and add a little "Je ne sais quoi" to your home.
A quality vintage French bookcase or bookshelf could also be a great way to enhance your living room or home office. Whether you choose an inlaid Louis Philippe piece, a Baroque or Napoleon III style creation, an Art Deco or French Country piece, or even a Louis XV style bookcase, you are bound to be impressed. The solid wood construction, combined with techniques such as inlays and marquetry, brings shabby chic in addition to storage space in your home. From oak bookcases with open shelves to Louis XVI rosewood pieces, you'll find that French furniture covers all the bases. Quality vintage shelving takes inspiration from antique French craftsmanship of the 19th century, with more modern touches such as adjustable shelves creating a perfect way to display your collectibles! You could even put one in your dining room for dinnerware.
Now that we are deep into summer, I hope that these books about various gardens of style from around the world will help inspire you in your own garden! By now I hope your garden is blooming beautifully but if you want to look further afield for landscaping ideas, these recently published books are full of juicy images and inspiration from gardens in Italy, England and other parts of the world.
Lake Como in Italy is one of the heavenliest places on earth. Those Italians really know how to live la dolce vita! This new book on the Italian gardens of Lake Como gives a peek at some of the most beautiful villas around the lake, so we get a glimpse not just of the garden designs but also of the historic Italian architecture.
Against a backdrop of lake and mountains, the fourteen featured gardens range from Renaissance and Baroque Italian gardens to 19th century English style landscape gardens to 19th century romantic natural designs. Of course we get a glimpse of the famous Villa Carlotta and the magnificent palazzo turned luxury hotel, the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este. And now, for some strange reason, I'm really in the mood to make pasta tonight!
Written by design, architecture and travel writer Janelle McCulloch, this lavish new book looks at the private gardens in the homes of famous movers and shakers in the design world, from fashion to interior design. It also explores how these gardens have inspired their owners in their creative pursuits. For example, fashion designer Christian Dior's garden boasts the lavish roses that inspired his beautiful couture gowns. The tastemakers' gardens are all around the world, so the author takes on us a journey from the East Coast of the USA to the French Provence region, to the country manors of England, to the always elegant Milan, and to the exotic foliage of tropical Dominican Republic.
Written by BBC presenter Jules Hudson, this lovely book about English walled gardens is wonderful if you enjoy looking at photos of period gardens to get inspiration for your own garden.
Once upon a time, every English country house would have had a walled garden. The walls provided shelter from the elements as well as keeping wildlife out. The new book explores the history of walled gardens and how they were used to grow plants for food, flowers, and medicine. In the late 18th century, some gardens even had heated walls! The book is from the National Trust, an English organization that protects the houses and gardens of many beautiful old stately homes. The National Trust has renovated many gardens that fell into disrepair in the 20th century so you can browse them in the pages of this book and take heart for your own garden renovations!
Happy gardening!
Looking for some garden design inspiration now that it's time for us to all get out in the garden? These beautiful books on historic American gardens will help some new ideas to blossom. The final book in this trio of recently published garden books will help you put your inspirations into action to create your own gorgeous American garden!
You can see the results in her gardens in places including the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens in Jacksonville, Florida; the Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens in Akron, Ohio; the Longue Vue House and Gardens in New Orleans, and Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University.
The book looks at the evolution of the gardens over the last couple of centuries, right through to the present day, with photographs to help bring their histories alive! If you want some inspiration from the luscious old gardens you've seen in Georgia, here's the answer!
We could have used this Garden Renovation book earlier! It's written by garden designer Bobbie Schwartz, who takes a practical approach to transforming a problem child yard into a delightful garden paradise. She shares tips, ideas on how to plan the landscape and tackle planting choices and also shows her ideas in action with case studies and before and after photos of her own clients' yards, featuring American gardens from across the country.
Happy gardening!
The rustic and comfortable Farmhouse style of decorating is always popular because it is so easy to live with and it looks beautiful. The emphasis is on natural materials, craftsmanship, a sense of harmony and space, and also vintage pieces and antique furniture that looks naturally well-worn and loved. These recently published books provide inspiration for decorating your home in this style, whether you like the traditional Farmhouse style or a more updated version.
The aim of the book is to cultivate a connection between family, home and nature and "bring the warmth and beauty of simpler times to your modern life naturally." I feel more serene already!
The book has suggestions for every room in the house as well as outdoor spaces, so readers can learn to “countrify” any area of the home to make it look "charming yet refined, homey yet chic."
The ideas show how to add the personal touch in ways that are easy and accessible for everyone.
The book includes Farmhouse paints, wallpapers and textiles as well as general decorating and styling tips. I love Leggett's statement that: "Designing your home is a lot like falling in love." That is so true!
I hope you enjoy the inspiration from these books and if you want to shop for some Farmhouse style, here are some Farmhouse pieces on our EuroLuxHome.com website! You can also learn more about a similar style, French Country Farmhouse, right here.
I recently wrote a blog about French Country Farmhouse furniture and decor because it is one of the most popular styles in our EuroLuxHome.com online furniture and home accessories store. French Country look is a timeless style that looks charming and is comfortable and easy to live with. These new books will give you more ideas for decorating your home in this style!
A peek inside these private residencies reveals the details that create the comfort and joie de vivre of Frech life, whether we're looking at traditional architecture like stone fireplaces or simple decor details like a row of gourds and earthenware jugs decorating the top of an old wooden kitchen buffet.
The book is arranged by season with sections including A Table in the Forest, Picnic by the River, Breakfast on the Terrace, Fireside Cooking and many more. Santoni actually grew up in England but she seems to have gone native over her years in France! I mentioned her book My Stylish French Girlfriends in a previous blog post on French Country Style and Decor.
The book is written by Leslie Linsley and she gives lots of inspiring ideas about how to decorate with salvaged and vintage items such as old windows, mailroom filing cabinets, wicker furniture, buckets and bathtubs to create very personal rooms filled with character.
If you’re looking for some home decor inspiration this spring, these recently published books offer plenty of beautiful ideas! This is the perfect time of year to start thinking about any interior design makeovers on your wishlist, so let's see what's new on the bookshelf.
I love the cover of the book. The featured spaces inside are influenced by travels in Paris, Rome, Africa, China and Mexico. The chapter titles, including Sailing to Byzantium, Finding Shangri-la, and Dreaming in Color give a hint of the exotic flavor of the book!
Houses in the book include a beach cottage on Folly Island, SC, a Blue Ridge Mountain rustic cabin and a refurbished 18th Century Virginian plantation house. Handegan has been on the House Beautiful magazine 100 Best Designers in America list and in the Robb Report Guide to the World’s Top 40 Interior Designers so here's a chance to find out why!
My creative juices are flowing already, and I hope you are ready to dig in for spring home decor inspiration too! Please tell us about any home decor projects on your list this year in the comments box - we'd love to hear about your plans.
Your living room deserves the best Easter or spring decor. At EuroLuxHome.com, we can set you up with a set of throw pillows or centerpiece to reach this standard! Other decor ideas for your entryway and dining room include pastel spring decorations, wall decor such as wall art, coffee tables, and many other home decor choices for any color palette. Each new season is a chance to bring a new style to your home. Whether you're looking for light fixtures, home office furniture, vases for your greenery or a set of new pillow covers, EuroLuxHome.com has you covered. With so many spring decorating ideas, you're sure to find something for today's fresh spring home decor trends. For a different season of decor, check out our post about autumn decor!
These three new interior design books look so gorgeous and lavish and stylish, they are sure to provide home decor inspiration!
For example, Earth inspires interiors featuring natural materials such as wood and stone. Fire revels in dramatic reds and Air creates a light and open atmosphere. I'm guessing the image on the front cover is Air, don't you think? Lots of luminous white and shiny surfaces, accents of transparency and reflection. I don't know how we'd keep this room so pristine bearing in mind our brood of 8 cats and dogs, but it sure is pretty to look at!
Film director Nancy Meyers wrote the book's foreword, saying that Sikes shows "how classic can look fresh, how style and comfort go hand-in-hand." That's what we like!
Horst is famous for saying: "Fashion is an expression of the times. Elegance is something else again." Perfect and timeless!
I feel like I ought to be wearing a cocktail hat and a designer outfit just to open the cover of Horst's book. But shh... it will be a lovely guilty pleasure to read it curled up on the sofa in my Elvis pajamas!
In every one of our client spotlights you can see how beautifully our customers live with antiques or antique-inspired furniture. These three new home design books offer more inspiration on how to live with antiques in a modern world!
Sully's book shows how to blend heirlooms and antiques into contemporary homes. Photographs include rooms decorated by collectors, antiques dealers and design professionals to create lively settings for today's lifestyle.
The examples she shows include how to turn a neglected living room turned into a space for reading and writing and how to use color to dress up an entryway. If you love the look of timeless elegance but want to keep a relaxed and inviting atmosphere for your real-life family to enjoy, Rooms for Living is worth a browse!
She has renovated and decorated nearly a dozen homes and she's a big fan of antique furniture.
All of Ellen's houses that I've read about include antique furniture, from antique French furniture to exotic antique rugs and carpets and from Spanish colonial benches to Rococo Bergere armchairs.
She also seems keen on using antique architectural elements in her home decor. It all creates a
Ellen's wit and character shines through in the way she juxtaposes pieces that she loves. She really does have a good design eye and is a great ambassador to show how to live with antiques.
I hope you find some inspiration for how to live with antiques in your own particular style!