For your next dinner party, you can be sure to impress your guests with a delicious, unique, and simple French sauce: the Sauce Maltaise.

Ingredients: 1 half-gallon container of “Viovi” blood orange juice, 4 eggs yolk, 1/2 of cup of clarified butter, 4 teaspoons of whipping fresh cream (creme fraiche), Cayenne pepper.

Directions: Reduce for 10 minutes the juice of 16 ounces of blood orange juice, then add the 4 egg yolks and an additional 4 ounces of blood orange juice.  Whisk until mounted as a sabayon, add the clarified butter, adjust the seasoning, filter the sauce then add the whipped fresh cream.

You can serve this delicious Sauce Maltaise with asparagus or broccoli.

Bon appétit !

With a glass of Champagne: Smoked salmon with dill, a squeeze of lemon and on a slice of fresh butter spread all wheat bread.

With a glass of red Bordeaux: Brie cheese with a walnut halve on fresh slice of baguette.

Take a bite of the canape and take a sip of your wine so you can fully enjoy the taste of your pairing in your mouth. Un moment de simple bonheur.

- Traditional (Provincial – French Country) ;

- Classic (Louis XIII, Regence, Louis XIV, Louis XV, Louis XVI, Directoire, Empire, Restauration, Louis-Philippe,                           Second Empire, Art Nouveau) ;

- Comtemporary (Art Deco, Modern).

Of course, if you like several different ones, you can mix and match these different components to create your own ecclectic French style that will reflect your personality and your taste. For instance, if you acquire a French antique replica Louis XV style you can pair it with an antique Second Empiore gilted mirror.

Always keep in mind by investing in any piece of furnishings, make sure you really like it, so you will enjoy and treasure it for life.

For instance, in a condominium where the space is usually compact, smaller scale furniture is more suitable.  Less is also more, so your space does not get crowded. In a large house, it is important to use the right type and amount of furniture so it has a balanced feel.  Also, just because you have a large space, it doesn’t mean that you can fill the room with a bunch of items.  It’s better to have furniture that you actually use and love.  Don’t be afraid to have open spaces in your room, as long as it still maintains balance in the feel of the room.

As for shape, in a rectangular or squared room, it is appropriate to use rounded furniture. For example, in the kitchen, placing a round shaped table will encourage conversation. Also, round corners soften angular interior architectural details.  The roundness of the furniture will balance the sharp edges of an angular room.

Another great tip is to have an experienced and objective opinion.  Ask someone you trust about their first impression of the room.  Does feel crowded?  Welcoming?  Beautiful? Happy?  You know what activities you want to encourage in your room and your design should be in harmony with that feel.

1. What are your favorite colors or feel?  Do you prefer cool (blue, purple, green, turquoise), warm (red, orange, yellow, rose, lavender, brown), or neutral (white, cream, beige, grey, stone)?
2. Keep in mind texture.  Do you prefer paint, wallpaper or fabric covering on your walls?  Texture can change the impact of the colors your choose.
3. Understand the function of your room.  Different colors help create different moods in your rooms and selecting colors that compliment the feel you want to create is essential.
4. There are no rules.  It’s your taste and what mood you want to set.  So, feel free to mix and match colors.
5. Remember that lighting can change the perception of color.  Before you apply color, think about how much natural light is in the room and what types of light fixtures you plan on using.  Also, if you need to high lighting (such as in a kitchen), choose colors that will look good under those bright lights.
6. Finish.  For example, in paint, there are three main types of finish (matte, satin and semi-gloss).  Finish can enhance details, such as baseboard trims on walls.  Finish can be subtle by effecting the flow from one room to another, or it can be bold and showcase a featured item.

Remember that the use of color can downplay the rainy weather that we have in the Northwest.  Color can affect your mood.  So, take the time to invest in something that make you smile every day.  Vive les couleurs !

Over the next few posts we’ll go over each aspects of Harmony.

The first step of the process is to assess the need in the room. Here are a few questions you should ask yourself when determining the room’s need:

1. How many people will use the room?
2. Will this room be used for entertaining?  If so, how many people?
3. What is your style? (Classical, Traditional, Contemporary, Eclectic)
4. What are your favorite colors?
5. Are you incorporating existing furniture/pieces or are you starting from scratch?
6. Give a few examples of your favorite artwork.

By going through this process of “need,”  you can determine what furniture is needed and move on to the next step, which is determining “color.”

My passion is to share this lifestyle, so you can feel happier and healthier in your home.  The use of color and beautiful things are simple ways you can increase joy in your life…without struggle!  Imagine your life if you have a beautiful and comfortable living room that compliments your style and encourages what you want to accomplish in that room.

In a beautiful room, you’ll spend more time.  You’ll feel relaxed.  You’ll want to spend more time at the dinner table with your family.  You won’t feel embarrassed when guests come over and you, your family and guests will want to spend more time there.  You can feel relaxed, your family is happy and you have more time to have quality interactions with people you love.  It’s not magic, that’s just an example of the Art of French Living!

Feel free to join me as I make regular posts with tips on how to incorporate the Art of French Living into your life.