A French Accent

This week, Design-Bazaar is going French!

Antique French items can be extremely ornate and detailed. Remember, an accent here and there is all you need for the home. It is great to incorporate eye catching pieces, but if you stuff a room with them, your eye won't know where to go. Restrict your home to a few antique finds with lots of detail and they will definitely compliment the space.

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A 19th century French Sevres lamp is a prime example of the detail found on antique French items. Place the item in a simple space. It will pop perfectly in a room with lots of white!

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This French Limoges tray is an interesting color. Remember, if you have a specific item that inspires you, feel free to design a room around it! The tray would blend beautifully in a space with orange and gold accents.

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A French-style gallery tray table is simplistic in shape but has a lot of textural detail. Keep tabletop items simple if you want the table itself to be the focus. A modern lamp, or a collection of monochromatic vases would be successful atop this table.

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We can't get enough Limoges! These porcelain pieces would work well on a tablescape. They offer a punch of metallic as well as a beautiful Greek key pattern. 

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Details, details, details! This is definitely a lamp that needs its own space. It would look stunning against a dark wall. 

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French Baccarat candle holders are great accent pieces. Mix antique items with modern ones to create contrast on a vignette.

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Can I offer you some coffee in my oh-so-sophisticated French coffee set? The color is simple and the details are fantastic. Be transported to the French countryside while you sip your drink! It can't hurt to feel fancy every once in a while.

Incorporating a Find

Do you ever come across an antique find that you love, but don't know how to incorporate it into your living space? Sometimes it is hard to figure out the correct place for an item, especially if it is a collection or extremely bold in color, shape or size. Here are some examples of pieces that we have found and how we would  insert them into a home!

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It is always a good idea to have accent pieces in a room, that way, you can draw attention to a specific area, like a perfectly styled vignette. Plus, this mirror adds a pop of metallic!

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If you are like us, you have a lot of items within the same category. We have tons of antique silver trays, and it is a good idea to set a couple aside that you will use for serving purposes. But what do you do with all those other ones? Mount them on a wall! Be proud of your collection! Believe us, you may think you will throw enough dinner parties to use them all, but a large collection can quickly become overwhelming. Save space and get going on an awesome wall display!

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This Chinoiserie coffee table is a great statement piece. Within a living space you want to vary the size of your furniture. This coffee table would be a good anchor for a seating area, allowing room for some daintier pieces. 

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An interesting lamp is an easy way to tie a room together. Add some geometric excitement with this lamp! It is a great statement piece, especially if you add a contrasting shade.

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Transferware is another example of a "what am I going to do with all this" collection. Due to its simplicity in color, it works great when massed together. Display it on a shelving unit or on the wall. Pick your favorite shapes and make sure to vary the size in order to create more visual interest.

Visit design-bazaar.com to discover more of our vintage & antique finds!