Bon Anniversaire!

Announcing our first anniversary party at French Garden Interiors! Come help us celebrate our first year at our Sycamore Square location and take 10% off everything in the store.

We will also be offering a 20% discount as a special thank you to our Facebook fans, blog followers and Twitter followers. Simply print our Facebook fan page, our blog page or our Twitter page and get 20% off your entire purchase. What could be easier?

When:
Saturday, November 7, 2009

Time:
10 AM to 6 PM

Cake and refreshments will be served. See you there!

Au revoir!

Some Great Tips for Antiquing

Collecting antiques and well-loved furniture is one of my passions. It is a hobby that started in my teens and developed into the successful business that is now French Garden Interiors.

Perhaps you would like to try shopping for antiques yourself. Here are some wonderful tips that I would like to share with you. I found them online at the Oprah Winfrey site called O at Home, and I believe they can help anyone who is new to antiques shopping.

Rules for Antiquing
By Oprah's interior designer Ellie Cullman

• Call the organizers in advance and ask for a map of the fair's layout and plan which vendors you'll visit first.
  
  
• If you're looking for big pieces, also ask if they can arrange for shipping and how expensive that will be. Renting or borrowing a van may be a better way to get your pieces home.
  
  
• Arrive at the show before it opens, even if you have to pay admission to enter, so you can be one of the first visitors to the booths. There's nothing worse than seeing a sold tag on a piece that you love.
  
  
• Bring accurate measurements of your rooms so you can check whether an item will fit in your home before buying it.
  
  
• Bring a pen, paper and a tape measure. Write down the price, description and size of the pieces you are considering.
  
  
• Bring a digital camera to take pictures of the things you are interested in but not sure about.
  
  
• As you go through the show, take notes on the pieces you like but also get the dealer's cell phone number. When you're ready to buy, you can call the vendors to see if the pieces you'd like to purchase are still for sale.
  
  
• Bring a checkbook and photo ID. Many dealers don't take credit cards.

Source: O at Home - Fall 2004 Issue - Article written by Dan Shaw

If shopping for antiques seems like a daunting task, I am happy to arrange a creative excursion for us to tackle it together. We can also meet to discuss your requirements, and I will keep them in mind as I scour the very best that Virginia's estates and auctions have to offer.

'Til next time... au revoir!

Introducing Free, In-Store Design Consultations!

Are you struggling with furniture placement in your family room? Maybe you would like to make your foyer a bit more welcoming or need to find just the right wall color to complement your drapes. I can help!

French Garden Interiors now offers free, in-store design consultations. Just bring a photo of your room along with any other important elements like a fabric swatch or inspiration piece and let me help you make the best decision. Sometimes it just takes a few minutes of talking together to come up with the perfect solution for your design dilemma!

Please limit one question per design session. If we are unable to find a quick solution to your question, I also offer onsite interior design consultations by appointment.