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If you love French, British, or Scandinavian blends of comfort and elegance, you will appreciate the character and charm of each home found in the pages of European Homes & Style. This special issue includes a collection of glorious interiors of fine craftsmanship and handsome architectural style. Here in these pages you can visit the rich tapestries, artwork, antiques, and accessories that are uniquely European. The romantic stylings of collected treasures from home and abroad will inspire you to welcome a touch of European design into your own dwelling. From the front door to the garden gate, these homes—rich in historical charm and luxurious comforts—each have a unique story and true devotion to European flair. From both formal and casual rooms to outdoor verandas and scenic views you will love…
Drawn from the natural beauty of France’s picturesque countryside and rural life, the French Country design aesthetic embodies a rustic yet graceful appeal that exudes warmth and comfort. Known for its predominant use of natural materials both inside and out, the style doesn’t follow strict proportions or rules; rather, it conveys an add-on quality that seems to have grown and evolved over time. Features such as curved windows and dormers, rough-hewn exposed beams, wood and stone floors, and either slate or wood-shake roofs lend a timeless quality to any abode, whether new or well established. Homeowner Betty Ferguson can attest to the timelessness of the French Country aesthetic because her home displays all the hallmarks of this endearing style. Tucked discretely off a busy thoroughfare, it has stood in quiet…
When interior designer Betty Franklin and her husband bought their townhouse, they didn’t have to second-guess where to find just the right furnishings and other objects to complement it. As owner of Village Firefly, a specialty shop filled with antiques and vintage lighting, Betty was already well versed in helping clients enhance their homes with vestiges from the past. So she instinctively devoted this same knack for detail to her own place. “While my townhouse isn’t what you would classify as ‘Tudor’ in design, it is English with Tudor accents,” she explains. “To expand upon this look, I’ve created a décor that’s composed of an eclectic mix of English and Continental furniture and accessories.” In keeping with her well-appointed rooms, Betty chose a variety of French iron chandeliers to take…
When home builder Scott Thomson asked homeowners Tom and Kay Worley what they wanted in their new home Kay was ready with answers. “I want light and lots of windows. I want nooks and crannies, places for my books, and a garden I can see from my kitchen window,” Kay says. “And that’s where we started.” Scott sketched three plans, and Kay and decorator Pandy Agnew kept tweaking them until a plan was in motion. Kay had always loved French Country design for what she calls its “softness.” This decorating style is identified with curving lines, chandeliers, and antiques yet is still known for being comfortable. Achieving this feeling in a brand-new home with an open floor plan isn’t easy, but Pandy’s talent and Scott’s vision proved successful. Neutrals usually…
Twenty-four years ago Sandy and John Haley were living in a home they had built, but with a growing family they were ready to move. During the house hunt they came upon this 1926 Tudor home, and to Sandy’s great surprise John fell in love with it. Only three families had resided there. Sadly, the original owners lost the home after the stock market crash of 1929. The second family enjoyed the home for many more years, but after raising her children the homeowner built and lived in a smaller house on the property. The third family did a modern revamp, hiding much of the original charm, but that did not deter the Haleys. With the help of designer Betsy Brown they set out to reclaim the charm and beauty…
Frances Stanford fell in love with the French language and culture in high school and college. “The first time I was in Paris, I felt like I already knew [the city],” she says. After her children were grown, she and her daughter Jenny opened an antiques store, Maison de France Antiques in Leeds, Alabama. On regular buying trips to Europe, they roamed all over the French countryside, gathering antiques and building friendships. Naturally, once the house project was underway, they shopped for period doors, gates, architectural elements, chandeliers, furniture, and accessories for the new home. French Country style is surprisingly well adapted to the Southern climate, at least the way architect Chris Reebals interpreted it. Steeply pitched ceilings, thick-stucco walls, limestone floors, and well-placed windows and doors encourage natural cooling,…
