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Tropical Décor
By : Becky Katz
The French West Indies—which include Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Martin, Marie-Galante and St. Barths—are tropical paradises known to travelers for their natural beauty, the warmth of their residents and their world-class hotels and restaurants. In French Island Elegance, author Michael Connors and photographer Bruce Buck take you "behind the scenes" and reveal a private and magnificent side of the islands, that of private homes, plantations or habitations and grandes maisons.
Connors shows us the superb French-influenced furniture of the islands, most of which is made from rich, dark, exotic island hardwoods like mahogany and courbaril. Additionally, he provides an overview of the history of French colonization on the islands; the plantation economy, which was mainly based on the production of sugar, tobacco and coffee; and the colonial estates.
But the main focus of the book is, of course, the furniture. Some of the splendid pieces include a caned-back mahogany settee (also known as a canapé) with a decorative floral motif carving; several consoles martiniquaises, a furniture form well known throughout the French Caribbean islands and commonly used in bedrooms, hallways, parlors and dining rooms; a 19th-century French colonial stand-up clerk's desk; French colonial island armoires, typically made of mahogany with interior contrasting panels made from satinwood; and a "French cannonball" bed, named for the unusually bold turning of its four posts.
The book delves into the different furniture styles, as well, and how they have changed through the centuries, including the French West Indian Empire style-modeled after ancient Roman and Greek furniture forms but visually heavier and more massive than the French Empire style—and the Revival style of the mid-19th century. Besides the furnishings, the photos also provide readers with a glimpse of what some former French colonial estates currently look like. One of them is L'Habitation Clément on Martinique, which has been restored and is open to the public, and will receive part of the royalties from French Island Elegance. There's also Habitation La Pagérie on Martinique, the sugar estate where Napoleon Bonaparte's wife Empress Joséphine lived as a child and which houses furniture, paintings and memorabilia from her childhood; and Habitation Lagrange, also on Martinique, which was founded as a sugar plantation and restored in the 1990s, and has a distinctive wrought-iron balcony and double-turreted façade.
Whether you are a frequent visitor to the French West Indies, a furniture enthusiast or simply love looking at beautiful pictures of tropical destinations, you'll be sure to enjoy French Island Elegance.
Book your trip today! Visit www.aa.com, call American/American Eagle reservations at 1-800-433-7300, or call your travel agent for more information.
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