French Chic Living: Simple Ways to Make Your Home Beautiful - Tapa dura

"French Chic Living is an aspiration book that allows the reader to sink into the plush velvets and luxe silk taffetas that adorn the windows and settees of the house presented. It's not an out-of-reach dream, however, and de Dampierre devotes much of the book to demystifying the roots of French culture and style." -ROMANTIC HOMES MAGAZINE "The book includes both the big and small details for fine living such as setting up the bar to brewing the perfect cup of tea or selecting a variety of cheeses for a well-balanced cheese tray . . . recipes for natural beauty products as well as entertaining. . . Another way to look at it is every Martha Stewart book rolled into one concise and easy to manage place -wrapped in a French accent." -LindaMerrill.com "[French Chic Living] is not just a photobook filled with beautiful interior photographs, it is an instructive and charming guide to making your home all the more French. . . French living is all about warmth, comfort and a feeling of invitation. Dampierre's book is filled to the brim with practical advice that will give your home (and your life!) that charming French touch." -ViveLeQueen Blog "In her new book, French Chic Living: Simple Ways to Make Your House Beautiful, Dampierre gives time-tested tips and wisdom to help make everything from cleaning to entertaining a joy. The designer and hostess examines even the most everyday tasks, such as brewing tea or cleaning a wood cutting board, and offers simple, direct advice on how to do them better. . . With Dampierre's help, having an environment infused with simple pleasures and Gallic charm couldn't be easier." -ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST "There is no worse feeling than spilling your morning coffee all over your crisp white shirt (we've all been there). But before you let the unforeseen complication ruin your entire day, take solace in the fact that your soiled top may be salvageable. In fact, you can probably save it with items you already have lying around the house. Esteemed interior designer and entertaining savant Florence de Dampierre shares these precious nuggets of cleaning wisdom--as well as d cor tips and recipes for effortless entertaining--in her new book, appropriately titled French Chic Living." -INSTYLE.COM "Explore the charm and romance of a French Country home that reveals the secrets to bringing the countryside to your own abode." -THE SOCIETY DIARIES "If caring for leather gloves and papering dresser drawers can cultivate the enduring charm of the coveted French home, then this lovingly worked tome from interior designer Florence de Dampierre will have you whipping up homemade potpourri in no time. . . Through her expert tips and vivid images, de Dampierre exploits beauty in the everyday - in a book that's anything but ordinary." -BASK MAGAZINE "Packed with time-tested advice and conventional Gallic wisdom, French Chic Living offers suggestions for everything from setting up the bar and brewing the perfect cup of tea, to selecting a variety of cheeses for the well-balanced platter. . . From stocking the pantry, to washing and storing delicate linens to cleaning wooden and stone surfaces, [French Chic Living] shares foolproof tips for creating a warm, well running and inviting home." -ALL THE BEST BLOG "Francophiles, turn to French Chic Living for advice on creating a welcoming maison. Examples: Washing with cream of tartar brightens tablecloths; tossing salt in a fire revives the blaze (add orange rinds and cinnamon for a bust of scent)." -HOUSE BEAUTIFUL "French houses ooze with charm. This delightful book is overflowing with time-tested entertaining advice and useful Gallic wisdom for everything from setting up the bar and brewing the perfect cup of tea to selecting a variety of cheeses for the well-balanced platter." -ART OF THE TIMES MAGAZINE

Wonderfully accessible ideas for maintaining a stylish home, drawing on the ways French mothers and grandmothers manage their households. French houses ooze with charm--and their inhabitants, despite busy schedules, regularly entertain at home. What are the secrets for leading such a chic lifestyle? In this insightful tome, lavishly illustrated with images of a country residence in a romantic French town, de Dampierre shares her knowledge of ways to achieve a warm and inviting home. Her continental traditions make beautifying your house a joy. Household chores--from stocking the pantry to washing and storing delicate linens to cleaning wooden and stone surfaces--are discussed. Tips for adorning your home range from lining dresser drawers with pretty papers and enhancing them with homemade scents to creating delicate floral arrangements of fresh-cut blooms for pleasant accents throughout your rooms. Basic instructions are also provided for designing a simple and attractive aromatic kitchen garden full of herbs, fruit, and vegetables, whether on a plot of land or in attractive containers; its produce then becomes the basis for preparing fresh, seasonal recipes to share with family and friends.