Fabulous French Arm Chairs

French upholstered arm chairs have been “en vogue” since the time of Louis XV. Prior to that time, arm chairs were primarily made from wood and designed with erect backs. But the Renaissance period redefined all art forms, including furniture design, leading to more comfortable lounge chairs with cushioned seats, semi-reclining backs and swooping arms. Plus, arm chairs became true works of art with intricate carvings and emblems, cabriole legs and stylish fabrics. Suddenly, every parlor from Paris to St. Petersburg was filled with artistic arm chairs where friends would converse in comfort.

Photo Credit: Mobilier de Salon

French arm chairs have never gone out of style, but recent years have seen a resurgence in their popularity, with classic designs being coupled with contemporary fabrics and painted or distressed finishes. Today’s French arm chairs still often boast intricate carvings and cabriole legs, but comfort trumps artistry when it comes to fabrics. Soft linen or jute fabrics are used to encase downy-soft pillow top seats. And decorative French pillows are often used to further enhance comfort and add a bit of whimsy to the look.

Photo Credit: sazsabellagio.blogspot.com.au

More recently, French style arm chairs with scripted fabric have become a “must have” for lovers of French furniture. French scripted chairs with white fabric and black or brown French words are particularly popular, as are burlap upholstered arm chairs with grain sack words.

Photo Credits: MySweetSavannah.blogspot & Etsy

 

Photo Credits: Photo Credits: franciskasvakreverden.blogspot.com

French arm chairs with cane backs have been in style since Louis XVIII when lighter furniture was embraced in Paris, perhaps as an expression of their intent to leave the heavy revolutionary years behind. Cane back arm chairs are still extremely popular as they work well in both elegant and more casual decor settings. To give these chairs an even fresher look, they are often painted in colorful hues and distressed for a vintage look and feel.

Photo Credit: Maisondecor8.blogspot.com

French arm chairs have also caught the imagination of shabby chic lovers who might refinish an old French chair found at an estate sale and add a comfy pillow top seat and pillows with feminine features such as ruffles and floral embellishments.

Photo Credit: VintageSoul1020.typepad.com

French arm chairs are also being transformed into more cosmopolitan pieces, with tufted linen fabric covering the once intricately carved areas of this style of chair. Wildly popular and infinitely versatile, tufted arm chairs work well in vintage and modern decor settings alike.

Photo Credit: blog.templeandwebster.com.au

If you’re looking to add a French arm chair to your decor, you can find get some inspiration here: Belle Maison French Arm Chairs

Find the Perfect French Bench!

Available in many shapes and sizes, French Benches and Ottomans are sure to add a chic elegance to your decor.  Benches have the bonus of having a huge visual impact, yet the space they occupy is often minimal. The settees below are generally defined as small sofas or benches with a high back that may or may not have arms.  Try an upholstered armless bench pushed up to a dining table rather than traditional chairs or use a lovely settee in a foyer for an special place to take off shoes.

Ethan Cane Back Bench            Carved Antoinette Settee               Upholstered Armless Bench

Hall benches were originally put there for guests of a king or queen who,  if kept waiting outside their chambers,  were given a comfortable place to sit. Today, hall benches add sophistication and style to an otherwise empty space. Set the bench under a piece of artwork and instantly create a focal point and fill up that low, horizontal space. Try a soft-palette upholstered French Bench to add a bit of color or for a more shabby chic style, neutral tones of natural fabrics.

Dusty Blue French Bench                  Parisian Hall Bench                Pillow Top Vintage Bench

Upholstered bedroom benches are really an ideal solution if you have the room. A luxuriously tufted bench at the foot of the bed is functional but also an elegant touch to a bedroom. Demilune benches with all their beautiful curves are very popular. Scripted ottomans can also add a bit of French flair with whimsical scripted French words on a tufted seat.

Dusty Blue Bench              Curved Provencal Bench             Rectangular  Scripted Ottoman

Ottomans are the perfect marriage of comfort and function. Set one in the middle of a seating area as a place to put your feet up and simply add a tray on top to create an instant coffee table. Having storage space in an ottoman makes it easier to keep your living area clutter-free by providing a generous area to store your things. Another benefit is they can also provide comfortable extra seating around a fireplace without blocking the view.

Rectangular Provence Ottoman        Round Scripted Ottoman        Square Elm Wood Ottoman

Smaller stools can also be a terrific choice for extra seating and can be easily tucked away under a table when not being used.  They can be so pretty on their own, yet a pair of them would look fantastic under a console table until ready for guests. The smaller benches are also an ideal choice for a vanity table with their cozy cushions and feminine lines.

Scroll & Medallion Bench                Provence Relic Stool                  French Antique White Bench

Vintage French Mirrors

Originating in Egypt thousands of years ago as religious ceremonial devices, mirrors are now used primarily for grooming, but also as interior design elements to make a room appear larger, add more reflective light to a space or simply to add a touch of sophisticated elegance to a room.

France’s King Louis XIV can be credited with elevating the popularity of mirrors by creating the Hall of Mirrors at The Palace of Versailles, and voila, a new enduring trend was born. Eventually, mirrors became a status symbol of class and refinement indicating its owner had impeccable breeding.

Gold Medallion Mirror          Lattice Fleur de Lis Mirror      Vintage French Antiqued Gold Mirror

Antiqued glass need not be perfect. Silvering is often worn and small chips may be present to give a vintage look to a room. Large gold mirrors have classic styling that is both simple and elegant. A mirror can also be a more decorative than functional piece that will add light and style to a room.

Urn And Cornucopia Mirror             Vintage Hall Mirror          Vintage Shabby Trumeau Mirror

Trumeau mirrors are French wall mirrors originally manufactured in the 18th century. The word Trumeau describes the space between windows where the French would like to add a decorative element and reflect more light. They were rectangular in shape with a decorative element on top and the mirror below that. Often made from wood, they could have detailed carvings and an old world feel.

French Arch Antique Mirror   Crowned Pottery Fragment Mirror  Mansard Architectural Mirror

Sometimes when a room lacks elaborate architectural elements, a decorative mirror can compensate, instantly adding a sophisticated focal point to the room. To add elegance to any decor, architectural mirrors cappear to have been plucked from the facade of a historic building and brought into your home to admire. Lovely!

Carved French Trumeau Mirror         Aged Provence Mirror         Hand Carved Wood Mirror

Art and function all in one! Imagine a collection of these gorgeous mirrors placed together to create a sparkling display as in our main photo at the top of the page.

Elements of French Decorating

French decorating encompasses styles from many periods in French history and regions throughout France. Whether it be French Country, Vintage French or Old World Chateau , all of these styles can be distinctly French, yet would not necessarily blend well together in one room design. Choose pieces with similarities in color palette , fabric, wood or style that complement each other. The three choices below are great examples of how curves, color and elegance can blend together into a feminine flair that is clearly French.

Adele French Settee      Arched Cabinet With Glass Doors      Ornate French Carved Table

What says French-style more than anything is a magnificent chandelier. Romantic, glamorous, glittering works of art that add the perfect amount of light to any room. You can go stately and sublime or large and dramatic. Ranging from wood to metal, crystal or glass,  a chandelier can definitely be the crown jewel of a home

French Shabby Chandelier            Elysee Chandelier           Gilded Versaille Chic Chandelier

One of the best ways to incorporate the illusion of space and light is to add a mirror to a room. This is often a quick way to infuse a room with a French feel. French accent mirrors provide that extra architectural element or sparkle of glamour as well. There are many gorgeous French mirrors to choose from, so finding one to suit your preferences can be simple. Try a traditional trumeau mirror or the large gilded variety to make a bold statement. Antiqued and masterfully crafted, these mirrors will reward you with a finished look to your space.

Aged Provence Mirror     Vintage French Antiqued Gold Mirror     Lattice Fleur de Lis Mirror

Elegant burlap? Is it even possible? Oh, yes and a very popular way to modernize a traditional french designed couch or chair. It is a trend that appears to have staying power. Easy to maintain and care for, burlap and natural linen fabrics offer a common color scheme and a greener choice for fabrics. French burlap fabrics are often seen as scripted or vintage coffee sacks integrated into country decor, but this more modern take on tradition is more formal and chic.

Of course nothing is more luxurious and elegant than velvet. What could be more vintage French than an expertly tufted and upholstered velvet sofa? Lovely lines, soft features and so comfortable, it is no wonder velvet fabrics have been used in French design for centuries.

Vintage French Canopy Chair           Tufted Chateau Sofa           Petite Skirted Sofa

Vintage French decor can be country casual or vintage formal, but normally not minimal. Accessories play a key role in a French inspired room and are usually abundantly placed throughout. Every detail adds to the overall style you are hoping to create  -it’s all in the details. Add interest and character with accessories to let all who enter know your home is your castle. For a truly authentic, antique look try adding aged, white pottery.  It is a timeless way to add instant Old World charm to your decor. For finishing off your French design, remember you don’t always need to follow the rules, just suivez votre coeur (follow your heart).

Fleur Crown With Cross  Antiqued White & Gold Candlesticks  Distressed French Creme Pottery

French Style Living Room

Experience the plush comfort of our natural fabric sofa sets and separates to create a soft, neutral tone to your living space. Our Maison Blanc living room collection has a wonderful sofa, armchair and settee set to show off curvy lines and a romantic feel to your room.

If you are looking for a more masculine and relaxed look try the striped furnishings such as the Napolean Striped Wingback Chair. It has traditional lines, yet with the natural linen fabric and sporty stripes, it can be used in a less formal space.

Our Louis sofa, club chair and settee have clean, crisp lines and classic French white linen upholstery. This collection puts a modern twist to classic vintage Louis design. It will look fabulous with an array of styles and other elements already established in your home.

Comfortable and chic, this two-tone upholstery with linen and burlap is finished off with a brass nail head trim. The curvy backs and skirts of the burlap sofa and armchair make it a nice addition to a bedroom, vanity area or dressing room. Unique and stylish!  Take advantage of our 10% OFF sale and find the perfect pieces for your space and start enjoying the comfort that it brings.

French Armchairs – Chic & Sleek!

These fabulous armchairs from our Belle Maison Francaise boutique are beautifully designed to replicate period pieces from a variety of vintage French styles such as Baroque, Rococo, Louis XV and Provence.

Belle Maison features a wide variety of French style armchairs that blend old world styling with fresh fabrics and chic embellishments. Some of the hot trends in French armchairs today include the use of burlap fabric, nail heads that create a sleek silhouette and printed French words or motifs on the seat backs. Comfy and regal, French style armchairs always make an impression!

Vintage French Chic Elegance in Our Belle Maison Francaise Boutique

French furniture is always in style, but these vintage French chic pieces will simply sweep you off your feet! They combine classic forms with distressed finishes for an old world look with a fresh feel. There’s just something about the hand-carved details, antiqued mirror effects and utterly dreamy finishes that sets these beautiful pieces apart.

Gorgeous distressed finishes on this dazzling chest , console table and mirror give an heirloom quality to each piece.

A neutral palate and hand-crafted details make everything from cabinets to chairs  fabulous and versatile for any decor.

Belle Escape Launches New French Furniture Boutique!

Belle Escape is delighted to announce the launch of a new online specialty boutique: Belle Maison Francaise! This new store features French furniture with flair – classic styles with contemporary finishes and fabrics. Take a look – there are so many Ooh la la pieces to see! For the full experience, escape to France for moment by viewing our YouTube Video Overview and perusing our new French boutique!

The press release is shown below.

(PRWEB) April 5, 2011 -In response to the heightened popularity of today’s refashioned French-style furniture, Belle Escape today announced the launch of Belle Maison Francaise (Belle Maison), a new online store that specializes in stylish French furniture and decor.

Belle Maison brings designer showroom shopping online, featuring a new wave of ultra chic French furniture modeled after the most popular period pieces. “French furniture is experiencing a modern-day renaissance,” says Donna Jensen-Madier, founder of Belle Escape and Belle Maison. “Designer showrooms are filled with gorgeous reproductions of Louis and French Provencal style furniture, featuring classic shapes adorned with finishes and fabrics that appeal to today’s aesthetic sensibilities. Belle Maison makes it easy to find the most in vogue French furniture from designer showrooms right online.”

A revival in French furniture has been noted as one of the top 2011 furniture trends by industry experts worldwide. Top interior designers agree. “I’ve always found that French style is consistently popular with design clients because of its timeless classic style, elegant yet comfortable designs and how well these pieces mix with more modern furniture forms,” says Linda Merrill, interior designer and editor of the popular design blogs Surroundings and The Skirted RoundTable.

With French style furniture being so diverse, Belle Maison segments its furnishings by style, including French Chic, Vintage French, Versailles Chic, Old Provence, French Country and Chateau. “Each style category has its own unique flavor,” says Jensen-Madier. “For example, French Chic features a number of Louis-era pieces with imprinted French words while Old Provence features an array of vintage French farmhouse pieces in weathered finishes. Each category is designed to appeal to the distinct preferences of French furniture connoisseurs.”

Belle Maison caters to consumers and interior designers in the U.S. and Canada. As a full-service online furniture store, Belle Maison offers custom finish options, special programs for interior decorators, free shipping on furniture shipped within the continental U.S. and personalized consultations.

Best Gift for Her this Holiday!!

Over the past few days, something unusual has happened – something that only happens once a year! Can you guess what that might be? I’ll give you a one word hint: men! Yes, suddenly we’re getting more calls and emails than ever before from men. “What’s a great gift idea for her?” they’re asking. They’re looking for something different, something that really reflects her own personal sense of style.

Our first recommendation: a Belle Escape Gift Card! Gift cards are such a great gift option because the recipient gets to pick exactly what they want. Imagine this: sitting in the comfort of your own home browsing through hundreds of gorgeous items, a fire roaring in the fireplace, sipping hot cocoa (or your favorite beverage:-) and getting to pick something beautiful for your home that you’ll always treasure. It’s really the gift of an escape – and one that will last forever!

Best Gift for her this holiday!

For those who want to buy something special that can be wrapped and put under the tree, here are some very popular choices .

First, here are some gorgeous accent tables to choose from that will really make a statement – and they’re all in stock!

 

For the French Furniture Lover

For the Bird Lovers

 

For the Giving Person

For French Shabby Chic Lovers

Here are some home decor items that would make fabulous gifts for her and all are in stock!

 

French Trumeau Mirror Lovers

For Flower Lovers

For Candle Lovers

For more ideas, visit BelleEscape.com. Happy shopping!

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

Aqua Louis Wing Chair and Ottoman

Coastal Shabby Chic Chest

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

Silver Tin Display Cabinet – just gorgeous!

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

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

Country Scenes Coffee Table – a French country delight!