A
Stroll Through History and More
The
eclectic home with mixed style is how most
prefer interiors these days. Even contemporary
interiors have room for at least one antique, and
a renewed interest in more traditional European
influences is well documented.
At
Eric Dumont, Inc. French Antiques, pieces range from the more provincial
to the elaborate Louis XV.
Proprietor Michel Roze uses his background as a fine
cabinetmaker to build a reputation for quality. His
well-edited approach makes the store a favorite among professional clients
as well as private buyers.
The
4,000-square-foot showroom is home to everything from a pair of decoupage
urns circa the early
1800s to a massive buffet taken from a castle. Chairs
from the Directoire period (1799-1804) featuring
straight legs in the Greco-Roman style with embellished
4 motifs blend with almost any interior. Hand-crafted
metal bronze gilt tables display a marvelous sense of
fantasy not uncommon in French furniture of the
postwar period. With many of the store’s treasures,
it’s the graceful restraint and sinuous lines that keep
enthusiasts coming back.
For
a design statement in a guest bedroom, look no further than an exceptional
18th-century
French carved walnut armoire. In any room,
period bamboo pieces, so popular in France
during the late 1800s, are once again in
vogue. In the grand foyer, a French Art Deco
console with simple lines speaks volumes
about its owner’s taste. Decorative iron
works are ideal for the eclectic nature
of the Mediterranean estate and French
country armoires are a fine complement to
Tuscan-inspired architecture.
“I
have people that buy French country or provincial as an accent for an
older home,”
says store manager Tonia Maguire. “The
methods of decorating these cabinets were
different than cabinetry from Paris, with
more carving and less of the difficult
veneering techniques such as marquetry.
These pieces are beautiful and perfect for
casual home décor that’s so prevalent in all
of Florida design.”
If
you love the look of French furniture, but are uncomfortable with antiquity,
Eric Dumont French Antiques imports
reproduction antiques. “Older chairs are
sometimes not as sturdy, and we’ve found a
fabulous French company,” explains
Maguire.“The carving, caning and rush seats
are all done by hand.”
Customer
service is of the utmost importance in this special store. Chairs,
which are often purchased to make a design
statement, are sold as separates. Patrons are
free to take pieces home to see how they
fit.“If they can fit it in their car, they can bring
it home to see how they like it,” says
Maguire. “It’s often difficult to visualize an
arrangement until it’s in place.”
If
you believe in a fresh take on tradition, mirrors with classic lines
are worth looking
into. For beautiful, vibrant, classic paintings in
oil, do not discount reproductions. Oils on
wood and canvas tickle the taste of those
who recognize exquisite appointments.
Professionals
at Eric Dumont, Inc. French Antiques recognize that it is the details
that often lay the
foundation for an over-the-top décor, and the store
is a veritable treasure trove. The key is identifying
products with exceptional quality and style, and the
solution often lies in French antiques. For decorative
accents great and small and luxuries that gratify the taste
for tradition, stop in.
ERIC DUMONT, INC.
FRENCH ANTIQUES
183 10th Street South,
Naples, FL
239 263-4558
www.frenchantiques.org
Written by Casey McCabe
