Live from the High Point Furniture Market!

I’m here at one of the world’s largest furniture shows in High Point, North Carolina and can’t wait to share my new finds on www.BelleEscape.com! High Point, a small town in the middle of North Carolina, comes to life twice a year when it hosts the High Point Market. It boasts about ten blocks filled with high rises and storefronts featuring a huge array of the latest furniture designs and home décor, and people from all around the globe descend upon this town to ooh and ahh!

Of course, the High Point Market features all styles of furniture and décor, from ultra modern to antique reproductions, but we are focusing our attention on cottage style furniture, especially French shabby, French Country and Shabby Chic!

We were thrilled to find so many new designs from the Louis period. Take a look at these lovely painted and distressed French reproductions… ooh laa!!

We always enjoy meeting the rock stars at the furniture shows — the furniture designers, of course! We especially enjoyed meeting Rachel Ashwell, the creator of Shabby Chic, who is back with a lovely new line of shabby, and even more chic, designs. We also met with Tara Shaw who has been selling antiques for two decades and is now introducing a gorgeous line of authentic European antique reproductions.

Rachel Ashwell of Shabby Chic and Donna Jensen-Madier of BelleEscape.com

Tara Shaw of Tara Shaw Maison

Many French country furniture pieces also caught our eye, including this authentic French country dining table, these teal colored table and chairs, and this black distressed kitchen island.

We also looked for decorative items, like wall art, pillows and chandeliers that will accentuate our French style furniture, and found so many lovely items we think you’ll love. Here’s sneak peek at some items we are planning to add to Belle Escape.

Now that we’ve walked the show, tested items for quality and comfort, and gushed over the new designs, it’s time to share these treasures with all of you! Stay tuned for lots of new, gorgeous items at www.BelleEscape.com!

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

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.

Creating the Perfect Escape

Whether it’s a retreat home or a special room in our own home, I love to create the feel of an escape. A dreamy space that’s both beautiful and relaxing. For me, that means French-inspired cottage style furniture and home decor. I love the feel of hand-painted, distressed wood furniture and decor, but that’s not always easy to find. A few years back, we bought a small beach retreat and I really wanted to create a dreamy escape for my family and friends. It took forever to find unique, special pieces that would create the look and feel I wanted, and I found that many other vacation home owners felt the same way. 

So I decided to start a company that would make it easier to find beautiful, hand-painted shabby chic, French Country and Coastal Cottage furniture and home decor — online, anytime. That company is Belle Escape, www.BelleEscape.com, an online boutique that features hard-to-find cottage chic furniture and home accents, including accent tables, chests, chandeliers, unique wall art, designer pillows, painted frames, decorative trays, and much more.

I’ve started a number of companies in the past, but this one has been the most fun.  As I find unique pieces, I’ll post them on this blog and tell you more about them.