Find the Perfect French Bench!

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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.

BM_Frames_1Ethan 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.

BM_Frames_2Dusty 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.

BM_Frames_3Dusty 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.

BM_Frames_4Rectangular 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.

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Scroll & Medallion Bench                Provence Relic Stool                  French Antique White Bench

French Provencal Style – Get the Look

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French Provencal Style is timeless and widely popular due to its warm colors, natural materials and charming relaxed appeal. This decor is as much at home in a small farmhouse as it is in a stately manor. We have selected a few gorgeous examples of Provence-Style spaces from our Pinterest board that show you exactly how to get the look with items from Belle Maison Francaise. Start making your wish list today!

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French Settee, Gilded French Chandelier, French Wood Coffee Table

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Elm Creek Distressed Oak Chest , French Country Dining Table, French Country Wire Mesh Cabinet

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La Reine Daybed,  Diamond Carved Entry Chest,  Scroll & Medallion Bench

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Parisian Flea Market Bench,  Paris Scroll Pillow,  French Carved Table

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Old Provence Dining Table,  French Carved Dining Chair,  San Lorenzo Parisian Candlestick – Pair

Elements of French Decorating

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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).

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

Vineyard Escape Home Furnishings

Are you a wine lover who wants to share your passion with friends and family? Belle Escape features an array of furnishings that reflect the old world style of a French vineyard, including aged, rustic pieces with metal accents. Our Chateau Doors Armoire has all of these details and looks as if it is the secret doorway to an amazing cottage vineyard.   

Think about what inspires you about your favorite winery,  from the lush beauty of the scenery to the barrel rooms with native-stone facades. Or perhaps you just love the artistry of the wine labels!  How about our functional Weathered Wine Label Chest  to keep serving pieces, linens and wine openers in for your next tasting party? Or try our Solid Wood Wine Chiller with a metal insert to keep your white wines cold when serving guests.

Instead of a traditional metal wine rack, how about creating a statement with this beautiful Italian Iron Wine Cabinet to store your precious bottles. Our furnishings are hand-crafted with exquisite detail to capture the essence of a vineyard chic design. Our Vintage Beaded Chandelier with it’s antique bronzed finish and lovely wood beaded embellishments is a timeless beauty that is sure to warm up any room. Whether you prefer an old world chateau-style vignoble in the Loire Valley or a charming countryside winery in Napa Valley, we have items to fit each category.

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.

Tufted Chic Furnishings

Tufted furniture is right on trend for 2012 and is updated and modernized for a fresh new look. Tufting is the art of upholstering by pulling and puckering fabric through a thick layer of padding and fastening it in place with a button covered in the same fabric. It takes a steady hand and precise care, but the end result is magnificent. The fresh new look eliminates the traditional feel of tufting and allows it to blend well with many different styles and furnishings. Plush chairs like this French Chic Loft Chair and French Script Chair are perfect stand alone pieces that will complement any decor with their beauty.

Belle Maison Francaise has many tufted pieces to choose from. Natural linen fabrics in neutral colors to add to the softness of the furnishings. Tufted chairs and sofas are in style, but have you considered an ottoman that can be cozy and functional too? This Square Tufted Elm Wood Ottoman is a great way to add a style. A coffee table with storage underneath and can provide extra seating when needed? Ideal for many households. The tufted furnishings may be a trend for 2012, but truly, “tufted” truly is an enduring style.

Shabby Chic Style Furniture in Bloom!

Springtime is in bloom! Flowers lovers will adore these hand-painted floral chests and tables in Shabby Chic Style. What better way to bring the feel of Springtime into your home all year long?

Take a look at these lovely chandeliers in blue and pink – perfect for a girl’s room! And our hand-painted and distressed mirrors and chests in shades of pink, blue and white will add a touch of feminine elegance and style to any room. If you love this style, see our collection of colorful painted furniture.

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.

French Reproduction Furniture is Major Trend in 2011

At Belle Escape, we like to keep on top of what the experts have to say about furniture trends. We were thrilled, of course, to find that top experts agree that “French furniture” is all the rage in 2011, especially pieces that couple classic forms with contemporary finishes and fabrics. Here are two articles by renown furniture experts that give a good overview of 2011 trends:

Furniture Trends for 2011, by Abe Abbas, About.com Furniture Guide

Predictions for furniture and home furnishings trends for 2011 seem to center around much the same elements as we saw in 2010, but with enough changes that they end up looking different. More…

  • Retro Remains Strong
  • Patterns Galore
  • Science Fiction Meets Victorian
  • Color
  • French Influences
  • The Look of Art
  • Glass
  • Metallic Finishes and Accents

Top 5 Furniture Trends for 2011, By Bianca Reeves, Senior Buyer at the Furniture Market, UK

Furniture and home furnishings now mimic the fashion industry; trends are set, colour schemes change with the seasons and new styles are introduced. Society is becoming more and more adventurous when it comes to furnishing ones home with an ever growing number of home and property shows appearing on our television and interior designers popping up here and there to show us how easy it is to transform our home into a hospitable haven.  Furniture is the key to creating any look within a home; this can then be enhanced by introducing the relevant accessories to add colour and texture to a room.  Below is a selection of the main furniture categories and the ambiance they can generate within a home: More…

  • Oak Furniture
  • French Furniture
  • Mirrored Furniture
  • Glass Coffee Tables
  • Designer Furniture

What’s Hot in Home Furnishings in 2011, from the Belle Escape Blog

  • Furniture and Pillows with French Words
  • Weathered Furniture and Decor
  • Vintage French Style Furniture with Contemporary Fabrics
  • Elegant Furnishings in  Natural Reclaimed Wood
  • Peace, Love and Funk in High Style

We shall see which trends hold up, but we’re betting that French style furniture, hand painted colorful furniture, and “furniture as art” will continue to rise in importance as homeowners increasingly enjoy expressing through individuality and sense of style through their furniture choices.

What’s Hot in Home Furnishings in 2011!

I just returned from the Atlanta Home Furnishings Market, and I have to say, what a great show! Check out this video for a glimpse into this fabulous market. All the best furniture manufacturers were there and the new product lines were just gorgeous! Plus, I just love going to the South! Great comfort foods, friendly people and such beautiful surroundings.

At this market, Belle Escape was looking for some delectable new items to make available online to homeowners creating their dream homes. We found so many wonderful items and the Belle Escape team is now busily adding them to BelleEscape.com, so be sure to check out What’s New often over the next few weeks.

At the show, I noted a few of the hot home furnishing trends of 2011. While I’ll leave the official trend setting predictions up to the experts, I can share with you some of the common themes I saw that indicate current trends – based upon what manufacturers are selling, and, of course, skewed by Belle Escape’s lens that focuses primarily on Vintage French, French Country and Cottage Style furniture and home decor.

I will say that many of the most popular furniture trends seen at the Atlanta Furniture Market have been emerging for years, like French style furniture with contemporary fabrics and furnishings with a weathered and aged look – these are not new trends, rather they are trends that have gained momentum over the past few years through mass public appeal. The most notable emerging trend appears to be the use of reclaimed and natural, unfinished hard woods in both furniture and decor made in classical French styles. The show was brimming with items reflecting this trend!

So here’s a little of what we saw that is hot this season…

  • Furniture and Pillows with French Words
  • Weathered Furniture and Decor
  • Vintage French Style Furniture with Contemporary Fabrics
  • Elegant Furnishings in  Natural Reclaimed Wood
  • Peace, Love and Funk in High Style
Moulins Arm Chair

Moulins Arm Chair

French Script Chair

French Word Pillows

La Maison Pillows


Weathered French Chest

Weathered Glass Top Table and Candles

Rustic Weathered Bench


Emelie (Emelies Decor) & Donna (Belle Escape) at Emelies Showroom - gorgeous, authentic vintage French furniture with real burlap and painted canvas covers

French Laundry Chair

Painted Burlap King Louis Chair


Earthy Natural Wood Bench

Natural Wood French Style Console Tables

Weathered Natural Wood Chest

Natural Wood Lantern Chandelier