How to do Interiors like You’re Madame Bovary

Last weekend was opening weekend for the latest filmic rendition of the classic 19^th-century French novel Madame Bovary, starring Paul Giamatti, Ezra Miller and the lovely Mia Wasikowska. I haven’t seen it yet, so far the reviews are mixed, but it’s one of my favorite books.

Now, dear reader, I hope that none of you are unhappily wedded to a quack doctor or are maxing out your finances on custom tailoring whilst falling in love with a heart-shattering rake, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take a few decorating cues from our lovely Mademoiselle Emma.

There have been many versions of Emma on the screen over the years. All of them portraying a blend of naiveté, passion, and the strong desire to build a life that’s more beautiful.

19^th Century French Interiors

Emma (well, and her author, Gustave Flaubert) lived in the era of Neoclassicism. People were pushing off the maximally-ornate flourishes of baroque and rococo aesthetics in favor of a look that they believed harkened back to that of the Roman Empire.

Ground Your Room with a French Aubusson Rug

Aubusson rugs are some of the finest ever produced in Europe. From as early as the mid-1600s, weavers were taking up commissions of them for royal palaces. Emma would only be able to afford something a bit more modest, but perhaps in the same style. Here are just a few gorgeous antique French Aubussons:

Go for the Gilding