Decorating
in the French Style
DVD
by Jean-Christophe Burckhardt
Produced by www.masterartisan.com
R.R.P.$19.90
ON BACK ORDER
As reviewed in The Australian Woodworker Issue 128
Decorating in the French Style by Jean-Christophe Burckhardt provides an overview of the informal French Provincial, outgoing Louis XV and more restrained Louis XVI decorating and furniture styles, in the context of Australian homes and our environment.
While the DVD is primarily an interior and exterior decorating guide, there are many images of carved Cherrywood and Oak furniture, in uncoated, clear and painted finishes. Often the carving, marquetry and cabinetry hardware are viewed and discussed in detail.
Jean-Christophe restores antiques, and designs and makes reproductions of the period. In the DVD he introduces two gilders, one of whom demonstrates the complete gilding process from gesso to burnishing. In another segment we view Fouard Ibrahim at work carving the detail on one of Jean-Christophe’s pieces. Fouard is well-known to readers of The Australian Woodworker (he appeared on the cover of issue #104).
French Provincial is an informal style with a sense of history, conveyed by the collection of worn and uneven textures, varying colours and interesting details. The DVD visits two homes built in this style - a farmhouse in northern NSW and a home overlooking Sydney Harbour.
By comparison the Louis XV and XVI styles are much more formal, with gilding and heavy carving.
While you can jump forward and back through the DVD, it is not equipped with a chapter menu. There are several extras including slide shows on Cherrywood furniture and Sofas, Chairs and Bedrooms.
This DVD is not a woodworking video, but if you are interested in the French styles it covers, it provides a good introduction and will interest carvers, gilders and period cabinetmakers.
Duration: 65mins