Tall Windows Keep a Light Feeling in a French-Inspired Room

Paneled walls, fine window moldings, and the flowing curved lines of a French style upholstered chair create an elegant atmosphere in this airy room. But many of the other touches take this room out of court and into those casual American provinces, like the contemporary vases, the rattan side table, and the magazines on the modern coffee table. Slide up those tall double-hung windows with panes divided by a single horizontal muntin, and you'll hear children laughing and the wind whispering in the trees, even if there's a city street out front. It takes a discerning eye to put together such seemingly unrelated elements. The important unifying themes in this case are a lightness of style and line that combine to make the room inviting and unexpected. Even King Louis could kick off his shoes.