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A French provincial home has the look of a very formal French farmhouse a country feeling imbued with more formal furnishings, fabrics and accessories. -- © 2007 Grossman Photography, Weston, Fla.

Dear Décor Diva: I am moving from Florida to Austin, Texas. The new house is French Provincial, Mediterranean with a wood-and-iron spiral staircase. All the cabinetry work is dark. In the family room a white stone fireplace goes all the way up to the cathedral ceiling. My question is about my glass-and-iron tables. Can I still use these with the French Provincial look or do I need to buy all new wood furniture? - Carmen Garcia

Dear Carmen Garcia: A French provincial home has the look of a very formal French farmhouse. It has the feel of country imbued with a much more ornate look. French provincial furnishings are cozy, rustic and warm and at the same time much more elegant and opulent than French country.

It depends on their style, of course, but yes, I believe you can feel free to mix and match different types of wood and metal. Part of the charm of French provincial styling is to have pieces that dont match exactly. Adding wrought iron or anything characteristic of the 17th or 18th century is considered to be authentic French provincial.

You will probably need to purchase a few new French provincial wood pieces. Buffets, armoires and large kitchen tables are essential in creating an authentic French provincial ambiance.