African Style...

Looking at the Victoria Falls, from our tent at the Elephant Camp in Zimbabwe.

My all time favorite movie, African Queen inspired fashion and home designers. To day, African style is alive and strong and "fashionable". Keeping the fashion aspect aside, African style runs deep in the core of my designs. I feel at home in Africa's rugged, dry landscape, among the gentle children whose life have been ravaged by warfare. Ever since my first trip to Africa, I am constantly thinking of when to return.... In my New York Showroom, elements of Africa have a strong presence. In my home, African art, photographs, textiles transform what would just be a house into a home.

I hope these few images taken during my travels, or my work will inspired you to bring a little bit of Africa into your life!

Waking up...

All images taken in the remote beautiful Elephant Camp Lodge, Zimbabwe

Artist: Art Propelled, South Africa

Interieurs.com inspiration page, from my travels through Africa

Guestroom I designed for a client with African inspirations 

A bientôt,

Francine

If you would like me to create your personal and ideal home, contact me about our Interior Design Services

The making of a country garden

I believe that we never escape our past.... I grew up in the vineyards region of the South West of France, lived in a big family house with parents,grand parents, uncles and ants and cousins, surrounded by gardens. From a young age, I was always in search of the next adventure, excited by the unknown. My fascination with America became an obsession and indeed this is where my life is, between New york, Connecticut and France. What have I done for the past few years? ... trying to recreate the country garden where I grew up...in a much more modest way though.

" Let us cultivate our garden" Voltaire, Candide

Roses are my passion and I spend a great many hours taking care of them.I have more than 50 different varieties but my favorite are the fragrant antique roses from the old gardens of Isphahan.

The working garden

Relaxing after a hard working day

A dog's rough life

A Bientôt,

Francine

If you would like me to create your personal and ideal home, contact me about our Interior Design Services

Swimming pools...La piscine

Romy Schneider and Alain Delon in the french movie La Piscine

I live for the warm days and nights of summer. I live by the pool. By the pool, I sleep, dream, read, entertain, be with friends, my family, and swim...mornings and nights...I swim. It is my therapy, my relaxation, my time out, my reward for all my hard work in the garden.

So many  styles, shapes, sizes of swimming pools can provide endless pleasure.

Mine is my retreat, hidden from the house, surrounded by stone walls and my favorite scents of Rosemary, lavender and roses. Scents of my childhood summers, on the hills of Eze village above the Mediterranean.

My summer pleasures

Enjoy a great swim!

A Bientot,

Francine

If you would like me to create your personal and ideal home, contact me about our Interior Design Services

ICFF International fair 2013

It never ceases to amaze me  how adaptable we are. From the bush of Africa to the world of consumerism and contemporary design. If I were to choose...I would run (or rather fly) back to Africa. I miss it terribly...

Working on a few interior projects and constantly on the look at for new products and technology, I was, first thing in the morning, at the doors of the Javitt center in New York City for the 2013 International Contemporary Furniture Fair. It was actually wonderful as I walked the aisles of the show, I bumped into my favorite people, Clodagh, the most talented designer of our times, Arlene Hirst of the NY Times and a judge for the show, Tucker Robbins...we could talk for hours... just to name a few. I realized how long i have been in this industry!

I ended up placing some orders for the showroom, found great technological products for my clients.

I forgot my camera and my iphone ran out of battery...I guess i am still in lala land....

Forgive the poor quality of the shots but i captured what caught my eye and the contemporary trends...

By Caleb Siemon and Carmen Salazar to be seen soon in my Interieurs Showroom

The Siemon Pendant part of Interieurs lighting collection

Siemon Collection, soon to be seen at Interieurs

Love this multi dimentional textile weaving technique by a Japanese designer

Will be specifying this fabric from the same designer as above

Love this wallpaper

If you would like to find out about the designers behind these pieces, do send me an email and I will go through my catalogs.

Now, I am off to put my rain gear on and head out to my garden to plant all vegetables and annuals.

A Bientôt,

Francine

If you would like me to create your personal and ideal home, contact me about our Interior Design Services