Provence Style: Decorating with French Country Flair

An intimate tour of quintessential Provencal style, featuring chic homes and interior details inspired by this picturesque region

Thirty years after Peter Mayle documented his farmhouse renovation in bestseller A Year in Provence, the French southeast continues to seduce interior design devotees. But the era of colorful rusticity and shabby chic has since been replaced by a far more nuanced approach in line with contemporary tastes and needs. Provence Style showcases this new direction, featuring Shauna Varvel’s eighteenth-century Rhône valley farmhouse — Le Mas des Poiriers — as an exemplar.

Named for the working pear orchard on the grounds, the property was reimagined by Varvel and noted local architect Alexandre Lafourcade, who transformed an outdated structure into a luxurious and contemporary expression of Provençal style. Alexandre’s mother, renowned landscaper Dominique Lafourcade, designed the extensive gardens.

With her exquisite home serving as an archetypal starting point, Varvel goes on to explore the architectural and interior elements that are part of the reinvented Provençal aesthetic. Featuring a selection of homes created by noted interior designers, Provence Style beautifully illustrates the textures, furnishings, fabrics, color pairings, motifs, and accents that define each area, from kitchens, living spaces, bedrooms, and bathrooms to garden terraces and courtyards.

About the Authors:

Shauna Varvel began her career in public relations with Estée Lauder in New York and Tokyo. After many years of renting summer homes in Provence, Varvel and her family finally chose one to call their own, taking on the renovation of a 200-year-old farmhouse outside Avignon, France. The project has been celebrated by numerous publications, including Veranda, Town & Country, and Fortune magazines.

Alexandra Black has written widely on cultural and material history. She is the author of Living in Cuba, The Japanese House, Dusk Till Dawn, and The Fashion Book, and has contributed to Elle, Vogue Living, and Gourmet Traveller.