An Atlanta designer takes her cues from French florals, fabulous finds, and a bit of history to fashion a welcoming retreat filled with polish and au courant style.
Designer Patricia McLean has always loved history—the romantic landscapes of 18th- century painters and the blissful character of banquet Napoleon chairs. Both offered inspiration for her latest design in the Atlanta Symphony Associates’ Decorators Show House, but it was another historical element that enticed and delighted. “It was all about the fabric,” says Patricia.
Based on a quaint French floral motif, Canton Rose Aegean by Duralee Fabric introduces a palette of blues, greens, and yellows to the historic pattern.
The print feels at once timeless and fresh, lending its delightfully feminine design to draperies, bedding, upholstery, and even book jackets.
Indeed, history blossomed as Patricia paired her own brand of whimsical Southern flair—which she calls “au courant Southern”—with traditional elements of design.
Antique mahogany bedside tables provide palatial elegance, while 18th-century mirrors suggest an air of grandeur. In a final nod to history, Patricia wallpapered overhead to evoke the classic architecture of plaster ceilings.
See more of Patricia McLean’s designs in the January/February issue of Southern Lady Magazine and in the spring issue of Southern Style.
