I usually (with the exception of last year due to illness) post an Open House Tour of my French style home with the halls decked for Christmas. However, I have had several newer followers ask why I don't post many pictures of my home on Facebook or on the blog. So, as promised, I will make a blog post featuring each room this year.
My style is European Eclectic but is predominately French. I love French Chateau Style and my favorite period is Louis XIV when Versailles was a hunting lodge and country home. My taste seems to run more towards a soft yet masculine French look as opposed to the fru fru of later French styles. I try to make this a home where a man can enjoy French flair without the feeling of femininity that goes along with most French looks.
Our home is approximately 120 years old and is the childhood home of a former State Senator. It had become two apartments when we bought it and had to be turned back into a home. In other words.....this French style home is a labor of love and an on-going affair. You will see changes in even these pictures as we constantly curate the space.We hope you enjoy.
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
We have 12 foot ceilings in this old house which are fun to work with. All fireplaces in the house are still there but over the years someone drywalled over this one. Because I didn't want the mess of opening this one up, I found the mantle in an antique mall and have used it for years. Just recently painted faux tiles and added an old surround and metal summer door.
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
I'm not the greatest photographer and the sun kept coming out and going behind clouds so here is another with the lights on.
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
Found a great antique lithograph and put it over the mantle instead. It is of the grand canal at the French chateau Chantilly with 18th century people strolling the grounds and a few naked fellows playing in the water. You can see the chateau in the background and it reads Veue du Grand Canal de Chantilly Prise a sa Source.
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
I just recently found the large Verdure tapestry I have been searching for. It's been hard to find a big vertical one. Also picked up the French trumeau mirror at auction. The old oil painting of an colonnade and castle on the edge of a lake that was originally over the mantle is now above the door.
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
I also changed this table around a bit by adding an old urn filled with fossils and some different candle holders.Unlike most decorators, I have no problem with silk floral arrangements as long as they look lifelike. When making my arrangements I always look for quality flowers that actually exist, and only in colors that are theirs by nature. No blue magnolias please! Silk arrangements took a hit when people started making bouquets out of weird colored, unlifelike flowers that made the whole look seem artificial. In the UK silk flowers are making a comeback so I hope enough time has gone by here to erase the memory of all those horrible silk flower arrangements of the 80's and 90's. Of course I prefer real flowers but I want them there all the time. Who can afford that? If you can't, my advice is to invest in some well arranged, quality silk bouquets.
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
I had been wanting to replace my tea table with something more interesting. I found this capital table in a place most of you would not even go in to. I was actually scared myself. But I came away with a treasure that left me with money in my pockets.....and my life. I thought it would look good in a French style interior.
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
We enjoy our house the most in the evenings when the rooms take on such a pretty glow. I have a camelback sofa that has been with me for a long time and I am quite sentimental about. I am looking for a French sofa but it is not a priority yet.
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
Another recent addition is this antique French clock with a shepherdess and her goat.
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
I adore these clocks and collect as many as I can find and afford.
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
Another passion of mine is needlepoint and petitpoint. The French fauteuil, footstool, pillows.......
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
......and picture of Marie Antoinette's children (which came from an old farmhouse in England) are all needlepoint.
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
Also in this corner is a painted French chest and one of a pair of antique French altar candelabras.
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
French demilune table with sphinxes and inlaid brass sunburst is a treasure I found at an incredible price. You have never seen anyone move to buy something as quickly as I bought this.
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
I adore cane back French furniture. This chair is covered in faux Mongolian lamb fur.......just for fun.
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
Behind the antique French desk is a needlepoint covered French fauteuil. I found the large portrait in the French frame at a run down second hand shop. I love those places!!
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
Looking out into the front hall at a great little painted piece I got recently. I painted my hall in a faux limestone effect several years ago and have loved it. The pictures are antique lithographs after French painters Antoine Watteau and Nicolas Lancret.
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
Adding another update.....I found a wonderful old Chinoiserie papered screen for this corner.
Adding another update.....I found a wonderful old Chinoiserie papered screen for this corner.
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
I love the antique engravings of men fencing from Angelo 1763 L'Ecole des Armes Fechten Fencing Escrime. Dominico Angelo Malevolti Tremamondo (1716-1802) was born in Italy, studied in France, came to London in 1755 and became instructor in fencing to many of the English upper class and members of the royal family. Establishing his own school in 1763, he published his
instructional book illustrated with plates depicting various positions and movements.
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
This picture features an old cupboard I bought with my very first paycheck. I was all of 19 and the collecting bug had already bitten. You can also see a recent purchase of mine......the accordion.
Lisa Farmer- Eye For Design
I found this accordion in the basement of an old antique mall in Georgetown, KY. It was in the 50% off corner. It was filthy and after a good cleaning has become display worthy. It is made by Augusto Torio and Sons, NY. Torio came to America from Italy and became one of the first accordion manufacturers in New York City.
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
I also collect antique military hats, etc. I found these recently and the trunk they came in. The feathered hat sits on top of an old wig makers mold.
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
Behind this desk is a French curio filled with my collections of Limoge boxes, antique compacts, various miniatures, and my favorites, the petit point purses. I love the French inspired ones with Watteau style images of lovers in pastoral settings.
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
The purses are so beautiful, wish you could see them in person. They are each approximately 5 X 6 inches and so delicate, some with beads, and intricate clasps.
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
The castle on the left and the black one are favorites......but I love them all. I have some great antique enamel compacts too.
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
Lisa Farmer-Eye For Design
The floral purses are lovely too. I have another display cabinet in my office with several more.
To see the hallway click here
http://eyefordesignlfd.blogspot.com/2017/12/our-french-style-hall-at-christmas.html
To see the dining room click here
http://eyefordesignlfd.blogspot.com/2017/09/my-french-style-dining-room.html
http://eyefordesignlfd.blogspot.com/2017/12/our-french-style-hall-at-christmas.html
To see the dining room click here
http://eyefordesignlfd.blogspot.com/2017/09/my-french-style-dining-room.html
To see the master bedroom click here
https://eyefordesignlfd.blogspot.com/2018/09/my-old-world-master-bedroom-suite.html
https://eyefordesignlfd.blogspot.com/2018/09/my-old-world-master-bedroom-suite.html
To see the kitchen click here
https://eyefordesignlfd.blogspot.com/2018/01/my-old-world-style-kitchen.html
To see the sitting room click here https://eyefordesignlfd.blogspot.com/2018/11/my-frenchenglish-old-world-style.html
Click here to see the previous post
This blog post was published by Lisa Farmer
Click here to see the previous post
http://eyefordesignlfd.blogspot.com/2017/05/old-world-style-green-bedrooms.html
This blog post was published by Lisa Farmer