French Seaside Style - Tapa dura

The fourth title in a successful series, this new book celebrates the enduring popularity of nautically inspired interiors, with a French twist. Azure blue skies and sparkling waves on the horizon are the perfect counterpoints to these cozy interiors inspired by life at the seaside. Sundrenched terraces are accessorized with nautical details including smooth pieces of sea glass, rows of sand dollars, and miniature sailboats on the windowsill. Driftwood centerpieces remind us of the beauty and simplicity of nature. A collection of oars propped in a corner forms a rustic sculpture, and the wide stripes of the lounge chairs beckon, evoking the laid-back allure of warm weather. The rooms are equally inviting with earth tones and bright touches, accessorized with the classically popular icons―vintage buoys, replica lighthouses, fishing nets, starfish―that carry the theme throughout the home. Natural wood finishes set the tone and are the perfect complement to canvas-inspired upholstery and crisp linens in the fresh hues of summertime. A perfect seashell placed on a coffee table brings back memories of carefree holidays spent by the sea, while frosty gem-colored goblets cool us down even before the first sip of mint julep. The overall impression of these interiors creates a relaxed sense of well-being that feeds the soul, and they are replete with ideas that will infuse the home with serenity and joy.

Sébastien Siraudeau’s photographs appear regularly in home-decoration magazines. He has published several works on travel and lifestyle in France, including Vintage French Interiors (2008), French Style at Home (2009), and French Country Style at Home (2010), all published by Flammarion