French Interiors The Art of Elegance

Featuring Frances most sumptuous interiors, including the private havens of the worlds leading designers, this book is a tribute to the refinement of French taste and savoir faire. Christiane de Nicolay-Mazery, furniture and antiques specialist for Christies of Paris, invites us into the heady luxur y of various distinguished French residences. Classic hôtels par ticuliers, C o l e t t e s fo rmer apar tment overlooking the Palais Royal, a stately residence in the Faubourg Saint-Germain, even a traditional Russian-style log house feature among the interiors that will inspire readers. Most of these private residences are home to the worlds leading designers including the late Yves Saint Laurent, Huber t de Give n c hy, Jacques Grange, and the late Madeleine Castaing. Persian carpets mingle with contemporary art and lush velvet armchairs combine with delicate hand-painted tableware in these extraordinary and diverse interiors.

Christiane de Nicolay-Mazery is a consultant for Christie’s in London. She spent her childhood at Montfort le Rotrou, her family property, and at Château de Lude, her paternal grandparents’ estate. As passionate for the art de vivre of France’s well-heeled families as she is for their history, she has previously published The French Château: Life, Style, Tradition (Thames & Hudson, 2001) and Private Houses of Paris: The "Hôtels Particuliers" Revealed (I.B. Tauris & Co.). Photographer Christina Vervitsioti’s work has appeared in many Greek, British, and French magazines, including Elle Décor and Géo.