Toile Tips

• Toile colorways aren't just about style; they also evoke different emotions. "Blue and white can feel very cool and open," interior designer Millicent Barwick says. "Reds are more dramatic."
• Accent fabrics and trims can change toile from formal to casual. "Stripes, for example, can make toile feel more formal, as can a braided type of enhancement or silk trim," Barwick explains. "Checks can create a very country French look."
• Toile with a white background and an airy or wispy pattern can make a room appear more spacious.
• When it comes to toile, "use as much as possible," interior designer Catherine Callahan advises. "It makes the room cohesive and creates a sense of serenity and proportion. And it looks very finished."
• "Toile is such a special pattern," she says. "It should always remain the star of the room. When you pair it with other fabrics, try subtle ginghams, checks, some stripes, and of course, solids."
• "You can take a small space and wrap it all up in one pleasant pattern," interior designer Kay Bailey McKallagat says. "The result is a space with an ambience and character far beyond being a very small room."
• "If you're a little afraid of pattern," she says, "toiles are the easiest. You can do an all-toile room, or just touches of it. The best thing is, there are no rules -- you determine your own comfort level as far as quantity goes."

More: Country French Decor