A priority for all involved was to maximize the home's original sense of airiness and light. Soft ochres, creams and warm beiges abound, punctuated by blue, pink and celadon hues. The soft colours shift from room to room, enhancing the flow. Morris added layers of interest with textured upholstery, needlepoint carpets, aged wall treatments, and artfully hand-painted elements, such as the kitchen cabinets. As her main window dressing, Morris chose simply luxurious drapery panels.
The danger with French Country style, as even its staunchest fans will attest, is that it can appear overly feminine, with its signature floral prints, laces and pretty, carved wooden features. Cognizant of the tricky ground she trod, Morris held the frillier elements in check by adding simpler wood pieces in a rich mid-tone, applying handsome off-white wainscotting to the walls, and inserting the occasional contemporary feature – witness the kitchen's concrete countertops and its relatively spare bar stools with their suede seat covers. In finding this elusive balance, Morris has ensured that this handsome family home will grow even older gracefully.
FRENCH COUNTRY BATHROOM
Though men may blanch at the prospect of a French Country bathroom – picturing a profusion of pretty floral prints, soft pastel colours and intricately carved wooden furnishings – these handsome bathrooms should convince them of its universal appeal. According to designer Lori Morris, the trick to creating a modern French Country mood lies in balancing its more obvious feminine qualities with a few clearly masculine influences.
WHIMSY
The homeowner's eclectic collection of antique mirrors is a surprise touch on one wall in the ground-floor powder room. Though it appears authentic, the base of the powder-room sink is actually a newly minted replica of an ornately carved antique. Morris paired it with a simple marble surround and Victorian-style faucet.
CONTRAST
An unabashedly feminine vanity, with its antique lace-covered skirt, resides in the master bathroom. Morris used a dark wood finish and clean lines on the vanity to anchor the room and contrast with the pretty frippery.
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