Anybody who has ever visited a French home will have seen that its unique atmosphere is created by the details. The French see beyond a general vision of space and use all kinds of elements-light, color, plants, fabrics and small objects-to develop a unique character from a seemingly banal interior. Such elements both express individualism and create style.

The French are individualists. Inside a house in France, you will be witness to a continuous process of spatial arrangement, where new trinkets are constantly rearranged and the play of light and color never ends.

Lighting emphasis
Light from different sources not only creates different moods, but can shape and divide a space. Apart from artificial light, even inside a private home, the architecture of light depends on the arrangement of windows, candles and fireplaces. Mirrors can multiply flames or open a space out towards the remote horizon beyond the window. As much as possible, the space of a French home is not confined, but opens onto a balcony, terrace or yard. It invites guests to the dining table outside where meals taste the best. France relishes its terraces and gardens, demonstrating a longing for deep colors, the southern sun, the scents of summer and picturesque landscapes.

Color emphasis
Colors pervade interiors from the outside. In the southern regions, as well as the less stable weather of Paris, daylight is given a deep orange hue when it enters through the slides through slatted blinds. Windows are not neutral. Regardless of style, they offer a wide array of decoration options. You have not only the color of the curtains to play with, but also to the style of the draperies and the accessories such as fringe, pompoms, beads and rhinestones. Even in an austere, monochrome apartment, the fabric on cushions and the upholstery of the furniture can introduce colorful accents that can completely change the feel of a room. Saturated colors and pale gold accents draw inspiration from the bourgeois apartments of the past. Simple curtains, with herbal and floral patterns, call to mind the beauty of Provence, while the contrasting combinations of white and navy blue conjure an irresistible association with the mariner style of the North.

Little homelands
The truth of color is confirmed by French design, which draws from the regional wealth of little homelands. Hence the wholesale borrowing from the charming styles of Provence, toying with the characteristic blue and yellow, symbolic olive motifs and bunches of dried lavender. Floral patterns are used by the greatest designers, such as Christian Tortu, who revived deeply traditional floral motifs with his modern concept and approach to objects. The designer alludes to everything that stays close to nature, authenticity and the rich tradition of French handicrafts, before adding his modern mark.

Objects, trinkets, accessories
It is not true that modernity necessarily rests on stark colors and is reduced to a minimum number of objects. The accomplishments of French designers show that objects have been elevated to the domain of art. Simple households objects have become cult works of contemporary art, with pieces by Philippe Starck forming a recurring theme.

This is evident in French houses, where everyday objects as well as trinkets play a enormous role in creating a unique atmosphere in the home. Walls are turned into exhibitions of photographs, art posters and paintings. Objects and their specific, precisely defined functions govern the French dining table as well. The sophistication of French cuisine is taken to an even more sublime level by table settings, with their numerous knives, forks, plates and wine glasses accompanied by an endless list of minor objects such as stylish knife holders, individually marked napkin rings and sauce boats. Large fruit bowls proudly arrive at the end of dinner, adorned with piles of fresh fruit. The functionality of these accessories is as essential as their beauty.

This fall we will show objects and the role they play in forming the characteristic style of French interiors, as well as present the current trends in interior decor during the French-Polish fair organized in Warsaw by the French Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Poland.

For more information, visit www.ccifp.pl or call 0-22 696-75-80