There are many reasons I'm partial to French culture and lifestyle. Cheeses such as Camembert and chevre and gruyere, crusty baguettes, wine, omelettes, café au lait at sidewalk cafes, black wrought iron street signs and window boxes, Provencal fabrics, soaps and lavender, bicyclettes…and did I mention wine?

Another reason is now clear. I bought three shelter magazines–two American and one French–and the photographs, underlying style and, dare I say value, were remarkable and striking.

The houses and the rooms in Maisons Cote Ouest (which roughly translates to West Coast Houses) are places where I would want to eat, sleep and live. Not so the other two, Architectural Digest and Elle Decor. The French designers seemed to value the fundamentals of architectural style and materials that are real like wood, stone and metal. American designers, on the other hand, value stuff–and lots of it. There is also heavy use of color which, when combined with all the stuff, appears that American designers are hiding under layers and layers of paint and objects.

Architectural Disgest, October 2009
Just inside the front cover was a blaring, glaring, two-page spread from Ralph Lauren Home. The red-and-black bedroom was dark, over-decorated and over-pillowed. I counted eight pillows on the bed. Why would someone want or need eight pillows on the bed? My inclination was to shove them all out of the way. Layers upon layers of linens covered the bed and at least one, maybe two, oh-so-casually tossed coverlets were at the foot. Bedside tables were covered with stuff. (Where would I put the books I'm reading?) Ditto the walls. The focal point was a gigantic set of mounted moose horns hanging over the bed. Would you want to sleep in this bedroom?

Elle Decor, October 2009
Another stalwart of American shelter magazines is Elle Decor. It recently surpassed all others in this category and left some detritus in its wake, including Home and Garden. One featured living room was simply too much and too red. (Red must be an "in" color for interior design.) An ugly Lucite table was in the center of the room above which hung a strange light fixture fashioned of a bunch of silver balls. Another spread featured a "Media Room." (I don't have a Media Room. What am I thinking? I don't even have a tv.) Although not red, this room was also dark and furnished in shades of blue and black. Cozy, huh? Another silver-ball light fixture hung over the whole mess.

Maisons Cote Ouest, Septembre 2009
On page 59 is a gorgeous dining room–warm, inviting and serene. The soft colors are derived from shades of cream and various wood tones. The well-worn, pine-planked floor is a lovely foil to the beamed ceiling which is painted off-white. Surrounding a simple pine table are alternating chairs of either cream-colored upholstery or handsome wicker. Along one wall is a beautiful cherry hutch–large and glass-fronted and filled with useful items such as dishes, crystal, serving pieces and liquor bottles. I would love to eat at this table.

And, at the end of the day, I could definitely sleep in the bedroom on page 52. The walls are soft apricot and the bed is simple but sophisticated. All the linens are crisp and white. Two (only two!) fluffy pillows are at the head and a thick duvet is invitingly rolled back.