This weekend, we took a look at a country house in Devon which drew inspiration from the wonders of Versailles — both inside and out. And while such an approach won't be right for every home, you can add real glamour with a few well-chosen pieces.
Take the example at the top of this page. The flowing lines, the intricate details, the gentle grace: the Tarporley serving table in white oak (£5,730 from William Yeoward – www.williamyeoward.com) is the epitome of the sort of thing you think of when French interior style comes to mind. There’s no mistaking the grandeur such a piece could bring, either as a delightful touch in a larger room or a centrepiece in a smaller one.
At such a fine table, you’ll need a fine object on which to sit. This Hallstatt dining chair (£590 from OKA — www.oka.com) looks just the thing, with colours and lines that match perfectly.
Not everything French has to look like it’s been pinched from a chateau, however. This vintage four-door painted base (£2,150 from I. J. L. Brown – www.ijlbrown.com) is a more low-key affair, bringing rustic farmhouse feel.
Don’t forget lighting, either. This wooden chandelier (£325 from Cox & Cox – www.coxandcox.co.uk) is grand without venturing into the baroque.
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If heaven is on earth, it might be in this home with a converted chapel that is now a swimming pool5 Wood Barton Town House is part of an exclusive 80-acre development in Devon that also comes with fishing rights on the River Avon and four bedrooms.
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How a collection of first editions can make your personal library just that little bit more specialFew things are more alluring than a spectacularly beautiful library within a fine country house. But should you be fortunate enough to own such a room, the problem of what to keep within can be tricky — though rare first editions are always a good bet.
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Perfect pendants: Shedding light on why they've taken over from our precious table lampsPendant lights are plumbing new depths - Giles Kime finds out why.
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An antique wallpaper so extraordinary that an entire room was built around it — including raising the ceilingThe Court of Noke in Herefordshire is the home of designer Edward Bulmer, and the antique wallpaper in this bedroom shows some of his thought processes in action.
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The luxury of an armchair which one wishes to sink into and never escapeThe activity of sitting has been much-maligned, but now receives an elegant makeover in the form of a moss green armchair from The Queen of Serene.
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