France - "Toile de Jouy"

Toile means "cloth" in French. "Toile de Jouy" refers to fabric that was first manufactured during the 1700's at a factory in Jouy-en-Josas, a village located southwest of Paris, near Versailles. Toile is a type of decorating pattern consisting of a white, off-white or colored background on which a repeated pattern is shown in the form of a picture of a fairly complex scene, generally of a pastoral theme or an arrangement of flowers.


Yellow and blue toile fabric from Thibaut

Yellow is the color of sunshine and is one of the most uplifting and versatile colors to use in decoration. It is the color associated with laughter, happiness and good times. The warmer butter yellows are easy to live with and create a wonderful sense of relaxation and evoke the warmth of Provence. Blue is a peaceful color with qualities of compassion and caring and is a retreat from the harsh and unkind world of everyday life.

Yellow and blue combined in interiors are one of my favorite color combinations. The dining room of the famous Impressionist painter Claude Monet at Giverny was decorated with yellow and touches of blue and it was here that he and his family enjoyed dining with friends.

The unique quality of the light and colors of Provence have been attracting artists, painters and tourists for years. What a joy of life!

Images: 1, 2 & 3 - http://www.thibautdesign.com/  4, 5 & 6 - Donna Kennedy-Meyer