Charles Faudree - Charles Faudree Details

Charles Faudree Details

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Charles Faudree with Francesanne Tucker

Photographs by Jenifer Jordan

Charles Faudree Details

Digital Edition 1.0

Text 2011 Charles Faudree and Francesanne Tucker

Photographs 2011 Jenifer Jordan

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any means whatsoever without written permission from the publisher, except brief portions quoted for purpose of review.

Gibbs Smith

P.O. Box 667

Layton, Utah 84041

Orders: 1.800.835.4993

www.gibbs-smith.com

ISBN: 978-1-4236-1175-2

I dedicate this book to those who inspire me.

A painted entry lantern and a pair of lamps illuminate a soaring entry hall.

I have waited a long time to write this book; I guess Ive been a little reluctant to come to the end of a project Ive dreamed about for so many years. Details may seem like a small subject, but these finishing accessories are by far the most important part of decorating. Peoples lives are expressed by little details. They give a room its soul.

Too often people go to a lot of trouble to create a perfect room and stop just before theyve made it truly theirs. These final steps can include everything from arranging a wonderful tabletop, creating wallscapes, and adding the interest of books, to the smallest touches, such as locating the right scented candle or choosing the perfect fringe for a pillow. Details are like the frosting on the cake, and who doesnt like frosting best?

Examining the way people dress is an excellent place to study the effect of details. People express who they are and what they like by the things they wear. Bold necklaces show a bold spirit. Cowboy boots and big silver buckles say it all. My sister Francies ever curious, outgoing personality shines through her unusual and wonderful glasses. Despite the limitations of jackets and slacks, I can express my love of fabric with my pocket handkerchiefs and bow ties.

In the same way, the details of a room create its identity. The accessories we display, their color and texture, abundance or restraint, similarity or variety, combine to establish a unique personality for each room. The way we put them together is art. Its what its all about.

Some of my favorite rooms are densely layered. Silks with linens, checks with stripes, and florals with toilesin the right handscan be used in wonderful combinations in a single room. Objects from different countries and centuries add more layers of interest. I have been a standard bearer for all things French for much of my life, but when you cross borders and add English, Asian and Swedish influences, punctuated with contemporary pieces, you only enrich the mix.

Adding detail is the point where creating a special one-of-a-kind room happens. Every room can have its own mood, personality and charm. Its up to us to create it. In Details, Ill show you not just the results but the wonderful journey that is part of the process.

Tablescapes

Rare tortoiseshell boxes that I have collected for more than forty years form the backbone of an outstanding tablescape.

When you are lucky enough to find the perfect table for a room, youre just getting started. Whether it is a flawless antique or a spectacular contemporary piece, a table is, after all, meant to hold things. No matter how beautiful, a table looks lost with nothing on it. A tablescapean artistic composition of accessoriesprovides the essential finishing detail.

At its best, a tablescape can be more than a grouping of artfully placed objects adorning a lovely piece of furniture. It presents an opportunity to include memories of friends and adventures to be enjoyed on a daily basis.

I have a wonderful tortoiseshell box that is not only a prominent piece in my tablescape but also a reminder of the cherished friend who gave it to me. An unforgettable outing to the Paris flea market comes to mind every time I see the bronze lamps that are indispensable to the buffet they highlight. And my antique French coal-burning stove is a spectacular jardinire (meaning cache pot) accessory as well as a warm reminder of a special client.

My first collection, antique English Battersea boxes, is assembled into an impressive tablescape on an antique silver tray.

I encourage people to keep the objects they love out in the open, where everyone can see and enjoy them. But taking advantage of the treasures you accumulate over the years becomes skillful decorating only if you combine them effectively.

While it is important to arrange a tablescape with care and a critical eye, there is no particular formula. As a rough guide, the mass or weight of one or more objects on one side of the grouping should be balanced equally on the other side. That leaves only what is the most difficult part: deciding which accessories to include.

The best way to decide what goes together and what doesnt is to experiment. Try a group of favorite objects together. Take something away; try something else in its place. Trust your eye. Successful tablescapes add depth and interest to the furniture they embellish. Creating a pleasing tablescape can add as much to a room as a good piece of art.

Finally, dont forget flowers as a finishing touch to your tablescape. Flowers mix with everything and frequently they add a delicate fragrance to their surroundings. Whether it is a single blossom or an impressive centerpiece, the addition of flowers to a table makes everything else come alive.

Establishing a relationship between unlike objects adds to the interest of a tablescape. An antique French figurine is a three-dimensional companion to the painted figures on the English foot tub.

The smallest detail can have an outsized impact. This handsome Minton Spidell painted chest gets a decorative boost from its beautifully tasseled key.

My affection for dogs adds charm and continuity to this tablescape in my guest bedroom, a dog lovers retreat. An antique tole lamp illuminates figurines from my extensive canine collection. A wallscape above continues the theme with an antique terra-cotta dogs head and an oil painting of resting hounds.