Carolyn Westbrook The French-Inspired Home

by Carolyn Westbrook

Learn how to master the art of creating sleek, elegant, and chic French interiors with Carolyn Westbrook’s The French-Inspired Home.

“The French Inspired” has become Carolyn’s own signature style. Her stunning plantation house, a sleek urban apartment, and a classically elegant town house showcase a variety of distinct styles that will leave you enamored with all that is French. Whether she has used a distressed and gilded mirror that oozes elegance, or a faded and frayed rug that exudes rustic charm, her ideas are quintessentially “French” in their inspiration. Taking cues from her time growing up in the US, Carolyn infuses her earliest memories into everything she styles. From the chic elegance of New Orleans to the sweeping romance of southern plantation houses, Carolyn always produces the sense of a truly timeless French-inspired interior. Priding herself on these classic and timeless interior designs rather than reflecting the latest trends, she hopes they ignite longevity and a true romance with your own home. The French have mastered the art of this time-worn, yet sophisticated, style of living, and you too will fall in love with the colors, the textures, and the inspiration that is truly French.

Genres: Interior Design, Nonfiction

160 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2010

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Westbrook's taste and mine diverge--she claims to have created comfortable, livable rooms, but they don't seem so to me, especially with all the white furniture! There are some beautiful ideas in this book, but I kept thinking, "Who is going to dust all this stuff?"

[Jan Deelstra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Give me anything about interior design and I'm going to read it. And if it's really good, I may first make certain that I have a clean copy on my bookshelves, and then, once I've claimed my copy, I will tell others about the book. Sometimes, and this is the case with The French Inspired Home, I get so excited that I accidentally buy the book more than once! (Oops!)
Lest you immediately jump to the conclusion that I am a hoarder, let me say that when it comes to French design books, I am guilty as charged. This book, as well as many others by Carolyn Westbrook are among some of my most cherished. It's not a huge beautiful coffee table book, but it is worthy of some precious shelf space in my home. The images are an inspirational delight. And isn't that why we buy these books that inspire our own creative juices?

[M K · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book, but it was functionally a study in how to take beautiful individual items and put them together in a way that absolutely maximizes fussiness, fakeness, and inauthenticity. So many of the pictures in this book are so over styled that they become ridiculous. Oil paintings hung in kitchens 18 inches from work prep stations. Lamps sitting on top of stacks of "casually" arranged books. Absurd levels of styling that clutter up every place that could possibly be used. Essentially, all of the rooms featured in the book looked like museum displays, and absolutely none of them look like someplace someone would live. Beautiful decor and styling is supposed to still look livable.

[LOVEROFBOOKS · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd say it was more of a mix of shabby chic and English country with some French thrown in. It wasn't what I thought it would be but some photos are pretty. Overall it was rooms that were too cluttered or 'heavy' for my liking.

[Ellen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really didn't read this book, only looked at the pictures. Not my style.

[Krystal Esmi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was looking for a French shabby chic decorating book and this was just what I had in mind. The designs in this book was a total dream for me. Carolyn is welcome to decorate my home ANY day. What I also loved about this book was the personal anecdotes and family photos. I got SO many home decorating ideas just from looking at the photos. I would DEFINETELY read this again, and I would recommend it to shabby chic enthusiests.

[Ericka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Admittedly I didn't read every word, but I was kind of disappointed. All the blurbs and the title indicate that this book is about general French style decor, but as the author admits in the beginning her "own style is often described as romantic French". The pictures are beautiful but put me more in mind of Ashwell's Shabby Chic or the magazine "Victoria". It was enjoyable, but not what I thought I was buying.

[Funda · Rating 2 out of 5]

A few pictures that offered views of unique pieces for the home or combinations of items, but text was not well written or useful/additive. Style was generally over the top and specific to her tastes rather than demonstrating range.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book. I like the way she describes all the looks in the photos—which I could look at over and over and over. My favorite section was The French Country House. Excellent.

[Shiloah · Rating 5 out of 5]

No matter how many times I read this book it's still my favorite go-to decorating book.