Introducing the Casablanca Collection

Moroccan style is a hip trend that is influencing decor with it’s vibrant colors, artistic elements and exquisite details. Artisans are especially attracted to this style to add statement pieces to change the entire feel of a room. This furniture is often painted in colors that reflect the coastal areas of Morocco with blues and greens as in this sideboard and accent table, but also embracing their history with yellows, golds, and silvers from their desert region.

Moroccan furniture is meant to reflect the natural world around us, so strong, sturdy wood and metal are selected as the canvas on which they produce intricate patterns and designs. Diamonds, squares and many other shapes are expertly carved and pierced into metal lanterns and hanging pendants and solid wood furniture. Mother of pearl is inlaid within this Moroccan-French Table and Octagonal Table in the typical Middle Eastern style of stunning patterns that are elaborate and detailed.

The Moroccans fondness for strong colors is what makes it an obvious choice for many people wishing to add some excitement and exotic touches to their decor.  Not only are the colors stunning, but the pieces also hold an abundance of mosaic and fabrics to the furniture using silk, leather or wool tapestry. Embossed silver nickle is also used to create bold, shimmering pieces reminiscent of the Arabian Knights period, such as this Arabian Silver Table. You would have difficulty finding a piece of their furniture that is without any of these elements. Many times, all these patterns, fabrics and mosaics are combined in a single piece of furniture. Try adding a piece of Moroccan furniture to your decor and see how amazing the transformation can be!

Paisley is Hot! Home Decor Trend Alert 2012.

Paisley is in! At Fashion Week in February, the catwalk lit up with vibrant paisley patterns. Paisley represents movement, energy and variety which reflects the emerging mood which is bolder, sassier and ready for action!

Of course, the colors and patterns on the runway influence home decor trends. Here is Elle Decor’s March 2012 Trend Alert, featuring colorful and fun paisley furniture and decor, including Belle Escape’s Paisley Floor Screen.

Belle Escape's Paisley Floor Screen - featured in the March 2012 issue of Elle Decor

Belle Escape’s whimsical hand-painted chests and sideboards with paisley motifs are also right on trend!

Belle Escape – Artistic Furniture!

Belle Escape inspires artistic expressions about life’s special moments and dream escapes. Check out these designs featuring Belle Escape’s shabby chic furniture and decor.

Diamond Carved Mirrors

La solitudine

Aqua Louis Wing Chair and Ottoman

I want to fly away!

Coastal Shabby Chic Chest

sisterhood

Floral Coffee Table – featuring Taylor Swift who furnished her new home with furniture from Belle Escape!

Little princess in her room

Silver Tin Display Cabinet – just gorgeous!

Inside Every Girl

Aqua Oceanic Chest – A fun, whimisical chest for a coastal cottage!

Old Blue

Blue Fleur de Lys Chest and Vintage Vines Wall Chest – Ooh la la!

rococo

Country Scenes Coffee Table – a French country delight!

My Dream Bedroom

Custom Furniture Craze!

Home decorating is highly individualistic. When it comes to decorating, people want options! A choice of color is particular appealing. Perhaps you want to match an item to your existing decor or just desire to create a certain ambience. The color of a furniture item makes all the difference. Take our Fleur de Lys Accent Tables as an example. The Creamy Off-White is often purchased by lovers of shabby chic and chateau styles while the cyan one adorns many an island oasis or eclectic apartment in New York City! And these tables can be ordered in the color of your choice.

Our Shadowbox Coffee Table is a popular choice with its unique fluted legs and glass top that offers an opportunity to display pictures and treasures inside. The one in Antique White is often purchased for beach homes while the more traditional wood stained version is purchased for family homes and mountain getaways alike. And recently, Ohio State University ordered one in their school color, red, for their student lounge.

 

 

 

Chairs are a very popular item to order in the color of your choice to add just the right amount of pizzazz to your dining area.

 

Your home is a private sanctuary and should reflect your own personal style. Belle Escape offers hundreds of furniture items in a variety of different colors, and now we’ve made it easier than ever for our customers to order our furniture in the color of their choice with color palettes featured next to customizable furniture items. While many furniture retailers offer products in a few different colors, such as white, black and wood stain, Belle Escape offers 16 different colors to meet the needs of most any

Standard Finishes

Upgrade Finishes

 

Check out Bell Escape’s new Custom category that features products that can be ordered in any of our 16 colors.

 


 

Highlights from Our Trip to Las Vegas Market

Last week we had the chance to attend Las Vegas Market, a huge trade show—we’re talking three buildings, at least ten floors each—filled with furniture and home decor from thousands of designers. We spent days browsing the showrooms, ooo-ing and aw-ing over the most beautiful furniture and accessories, and searching for the perfect items to bring to Belle Escape.

We absolutely loved the gorgeousness that we saw in the showrooms, and we occasionally stopped to enjoy a luxurious sofa or two.

Now that we’re back, we want to share with you some of our favorite trends that we spotted:

Hand-painted chests and tables, perfect for French country and cottage homes.

Weathered chests and tables, ideal for achieving the coastal look.

Louis reproductions in beautiful shabby finishes. We love all things French shabby!

Scripted French chairs and matching pillows. We also adore the decorative nail head trim on this chair.

Mirrored tables…quite glamorous!

Pops of lime green! So bright and refreshing!

We are thrilled to have spotted so many gems, and we can’t wait to bring them to you in our online boutique!

Creating a Romantic Home

A romantic home invites you to fall in love with the beauty of your surroundings. Hand-carved furnishings and elegant decor charm from every corner, and a calm color palette and plush seating appeal to the senses. To create your own romantic retreat, start by combining classic design with modern day comfort, and complete the look with a few opulent touches.

When selecting romantic furniture, who better than the French to turn to for amorous inspiration? French reproduction furniture, with origins in the era of the Louis kings, is known for its curvaceous forms, ornate carvings, and hand-painted details. To build a backdrop for romance, choose hand-carved consoles, tables, and cabinets painted in whites and neutral tones to establish a calm, serene environment. Commonly known as shabby chic or French shabby, furnishings are heavily distressed to achieve a timeworn feel.

French shabby console

Vintage princess entry table

Round swag table

French hutch & buffet

In a romantic home, seating is also key. Seating options should be varied, plentiful, and always cozy. Consider French canapes and loveseats in luxurious fabrics such as velvet, and add accent pillows to create an extra plush and welcoming look. Choose pillows with different shapes, fabrics and embellishments to create both dimension and intrigue.

French canape

French burlap love seat

Chairs should be equally as inviting. Armchairs and dining chairs with oversized cushions will inspire relaxation and romance.

Louis XVI Bergere arm chair

Princess dining chairs

White rococo ottoman

White rococo ottoman

With a muted color palette and comfortable seating in place, it’s the finishing touches that will give a room a truly amorous ambience. Intricately carved mirrors serve as elegant yet understated wall decor.

Valbonne French mirror

Baroque acanthus mirror

Vintage French mirror

Crystal chandeliers provide a touch of glamour and subtle, sparkling lighting. Candlelight creates instant romance; place carved candleholders and vintage-inspired candelabras on top of a dining table or mantel. Inject passion colors in small doses by incorporating accent pieces with red and pink hues, such as a a chandelier with red droplets or a side table with a painted floral motif.

Red crystal drop chandelier

White French shabby chandelier

Crystal drop candelabra

Vintage French candle holders

Pretty in pink table

Lastly, a beautiful sculpture next to vase of freshly cut flowers will create a romantic look on top any chest or table.

La Dame sculpture

To help transform your home into a romantic escape, visit the online boutique Belle Escape to find more French shabby furniture and elegant home accents.

New Additions to our “Aqua Breeze” Line

Trend forecasters have named shades of blue and turquoise the “it” colors of 2010, and we couldn’t be more excited! At Belle Escape, we love all things blue.

Take a peak at our “Aqua Breeze” line, popular among fans of shabby chic and coastal-cottage style. We just added many beautiful new items featuring aqua accents and breezy blue motifs.

Our favorite pieces include an aged, vintage-white French writing desk painted with light aqua ornamental artwork, and hand-carved Louis XV armchairs with plush cushions adorned with whimsical aqua botanicals.

Aqua cartouche writing desk

Louis XV princess arm chairs

It’s no surprise that blue is a popular choice for homes today. More and more people are forgoing vacations in exotic locales and instead choosing to create an escape within their own homes. Blue—the color of sky and sea–is both optimistic and uplifting, calming and relaxing…the ideal accent color for a dreamy, ethereal home oasis!

Here are more new additions to the “Aqua Breeze” line:

Aqua French Louis chest

Louis botanical aqua arm chairs

Aqua breeze shabby chest

Toile side chairs

Fleur de lys gypsy table

You can find these items in our online boutique at www.BelleEscape.com.

Louis-style Furniture Gets Eclectic

The French style of furniture and décor known as “Louis” is getting an eclectic new makeover. Louis-style furniture, with origins in the era of the five French monarchs all named Louis, is staying true to its traditional, elegant forms while incorporating a new variety of chic fabrics and colorful, distressed finishes. At Belle Escape, we call it “French Shabby.”

While each of the five Louis kings put his own touch on the furniture commissioned during his reign, the style is known collectively as “Louis.”  Two styles frequently reproduced in homes today find their influence from Louis XV and Louis XVI. Louis XV favored curved forms and intricate carvings, while Louis XVI preferred classical, straight lines and square forms.

Louis XV canape.

Louis XVI love seat.

These timeless styles, revitalized with new interpretations, are popular in French shabby chic homes. Louis-style chests, consoles and tables are hand-painted with motifs of vines and botanicals and heavily distressed to present the look of an aged antique. Loveseats and side chairs are upholstered with interesting fabrics, such as burlap and canvas, and include unique artwork and pops of color.

Louis art canvas chairs.

Louis champagne vines chest.

In addition to their presence in shabby chic, French country and cottage-style homes, Louis-style pieces are becoming increasingly popular among homeowners who are simply after an eclectic look. As many people are choosing to blend styles, these new adaptations of classic furnishings are ideal for any home.

French shabby cane back love seat.

Vintage Louis XV console.

Authentic Louis XV side chair

Louis XVI sofa.

To see more French Louis and French shabby furniture, visit the Belle Escape online boutique.

Find Belle Escape on Facebook!

Facebook

We are pleased to announce that you can now find Belle Escape on Facebook! We hope that fans of Belle Escape will join us there to connect with other lovers of beautiful shabby chic and French country style furniture and home decor. We promise to share with you the latest news and unique styles from Belle Escape and encourage our fans to post photos of their own beautiful home escapes. We look forward to connecting with you there!

Artistic Expressions with Belle Escape Furnishings!

Belle Escape’s artistic hand painted furniture and chic decor are used by designers to create images that reflect their mood and the places they’d love to escape to. Check out just a few of the images created by artists below.

Belle Escape’s French Clock

Belle Escape’s Cheval Noir French Clock

Belle Escape’s Odalisque Canvas Pillow

Belle Escape’s Aged Wooden Lanterns

Belle Escape’s Floral Painted Headboard

Belle Escape’s Eiffel Tower Decor

Belle Escape’s Chateau Printer’s Chest