6 Texas Spaces That Depict A New Era Of French Decor

Add a certain “je ne sais quoi” to your interiors with inspiration from French Refreshed. The latest book by renowned Texas-based designer Betty Lou Phillips brims with stunning photography and authoritative prose meant to illustrate a new era of pared-down French decor. As Phillips writes, “Clean, not stuffy, reflects our culture and the times.”
Ahead of the tome’s August 20 release, we offer a peek at local projects by Dallas designer Deborah Walker that Phillips hand-selected to illustrate a fresh new take on French-inspired spaces.
Black and white marble and hand-forged wrought iron help create a dramatic vaulted foyer. Working together, Dallas architect Richard Drummond Davis and interior designer Deborah Walker fashioned the space. Iron Age fabricated the railing.
In this project, Louis XVI painted chairs, circa 1890, surround an Iatesta & Co. table. Handblown glass bottles give the garden room a modern twist, while the antique French mirror and console add warmth.
A glazed canape from Legacy Antiques takes pride of place in this anteroom. Hand-painted walls are the work of Dallas artist Carol Cravens. Pillows are Fortuny.
A signed and numbered Cy Twombly mixed-media lithograph hangs over the fireplace in this space. The oil-on-canvas is by Margaret Evangeline.
In this bedroom, the handwoven area rug is from Stark Carpet, bedding is by Peacock Alley, and the convex mirror is from Ceylon et Cie. The sofa wears Donghia fabric and throw pillows are covered in Designer’s Guild. Chandelier is Antiques Moderne.
This dining room features a Murano chandelier from Foxglove Antiques in Atlanta. Sophisticated silk is the backdrop for contemporary art by Makoto Fujimura. The 19th-century French console is from Legacy Antiques. Fabric from Bart Halpern covers the chairs.