Charles Faudree - Country French Florals & Interiors

The timeless style of Country French has always been my first love. It can be elegant, warm, easy or formal. Its many moods give me the freedom to express my own design philosophy.

I compare this style to the relationship between a simple French farmhouse and an elegant chteau. Both share the sun-dappled colors of Provences countryside, and their very different traditions create a wonderful mix. From rustic woods to gilded bergre chairs, Fortuny silks to linen checks, the many aspects of Country French combine to create a welcoming atmosphere that can be dressed up or down to suit individual preference.

My rule book for creating with Country French is to forget the rules. Floral fabrics do belong with plaids... and stripes. Painted woodsmy favorite, faux finishes, and mellow old pinesall have their place. Contemporary pieces can work, too, adding a modern edge to a design.

While throwing out the rule book, there is one rule I always keep. I always use accessories. They are the most important part of my decorating. As Ive moved from house to house over the years, Ive changed fabrics and furnishings many times, but my accessoriesand especially my collectionsstay with me.

Ive been collecting accessories all my life, and they arent necessarily French. I started when I was in college, buying English Staffordshire as gifts for my sister, Francie. One of my own collections, Napoleonic memorabilia, is very French, but it mixes nicely with my cherished Chinese export plates and my dog figures. It may come as a surprise, then, that I believe the ultimate accessories are fresh flowers, which cant be collected or saved at all.

My grandmother showed me the importance of accessorizing with flowers. As a child, I helped her with her cutting gardenrows and rows of different varieties of flowers that she grew to cut and enjoy indoors. Her bouquets were living accessories, constant reminders of the bright colors and carefree happiness of summer.

That early experience taught me that flowers belong in good decorating. They breathe life into a room. Quite simply, they are the icing on the cake.

The icing for the interior designs in this book is provided by my florist and friend, Toni Garner. She has an amazing gift and shares my lifelong love of flowers. She has created the arrangements for all my Tulsa homes that have been featured in decorating books, magazines and my own books.

The natural talent Toni is blessed with was brought home to me on a recent trip to France. When in Paris, I always go by the Left Bank shop of legendary florist Christian Tortu. When I saw the fabulous arrangement in his display window, my first thought was, Oh, my gosh, theyre knocking off Toni!

Toni shares my belief that flowers are the single most important accessory. She also shares my design credo: Its all about the mix, not the match. In this volume she demonstrates both, guiding you in the hows, wheres and whys that will help you create your own masterpieces with flowers.

Charles Faudree

Like Charles, my passion for flowers goes back to my childhood. My grandmother and aunt both had flower shops. Flowers were everywhere. As a child, I thought everyone had bouquets in every room of their house.

From a bright spring tulip for my teacher to my first teenage corsage, I remember the highlights of my growing up years in terms of flowers. One of my earliest memories is of my grandfathers birthday. There was an enormous cake in the center of the table, surrounded by flowers. There was singing and happiness and love in my family, and the cake and its magical floral garland captured the wonder of that day for me.

One of the most important things Ive learned is that flower arrangements are not static accessories. They have a life cycle, much like the flowers in a garden. Evolving over time, from the promise of opening buds to the scattered petals at the base of a mature bouquet, each day in the life of a wonderful floral presentation brings new pleasure.

Flower arrangements can have added importance if thought is given to their holder. While I love to use a clients favorite vase, I also look for a special container they may have, something not originally intended to be a vase. A cherished antique biscuit box, a Chinese bowl, or even a childs antique wheelbarrow can make the flowers it holds more charming.

Because flowers add so much to our lives, I would like to urge you to think of them as a necessity. Stopping by your florist shouldnt be limited to special occasions. You can give yourself real pleasure by picking up a single blossom. I take one home every day. When I travel, the first thing I do is to get flowers for my hotel room. My friends go shopping; I head for the florist.

I am honored that Charles has given me the oppor-tunity to participate in this book, and I am grateful for the chance to share with you some of the things Ive learned during my privileged life working with flowers.

Toni Garner

Celebrate the happiness that friends are always giving...