French Country Decor Is Rustic Yet Refined, Making Homes Feel Both Luxe And Lived-In: Here’s How To Incorporate This Style Into Your Own Space
There is something about French country decor that can make a house feel both lived-in and luxurious. It can make a shiny, new, contemporary home feel like it’s tucked away in the rural countryside while retaining an air of sophistication.
The style is characterized by rustic and refined elements—natural materials, fancy lighting, toile fabrics, florals, woven tapestries, muted colors, and farm animal motifs. When these features are combined, they will give your space warmth, homespun charm, and classic elegance. Here are some ideas to consider if you want to incorporate French country style into every room in your house.
Soft Pastels
Any colors can work in this decor style as long as they present soft, muted tones. Instead of a bright, sunny yellow on your walls, opt for mustard. A jewel-toned emerald should be replaced with a forest green, reminiscent of a quaint village set among the gentle, rolling hills and valleys of rural France.
Blue is also a popular choice, but keep it playful and light. Stronger colors are used sparingly. Additionally, whites should be warm, not stark; think creams and ivory.
Ample Seating
Stay away from matching furniture sets to cultivate a cozier look. Provide plenty of seating in your living room, creating a cluttered yet harmonized design. No French country interior is complete without chairs and couches blooming with patterns. Incorporate toile accents and floral prints into your chairs. If printed seating isn’t enough to satisfy your eye for flair, take the patterns to your wallpaper.
Antiques
Rather than focusing on trends, this aesthetic embraces the old. Items weathered with age add character to the space, while brand-new items will stick out like a sore thumb.
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Include stuff like a well-worn wooden console table, a slightly frayed jute rug, and even a faded coverlet in the bedroom. Embrace the scratches and scuffs! The flaws just mean there’s a story behind every piece.
Don’t get too carried away with it, though. It’s worth emphasizing that your furnishings should look distressed but not shabby and damaged.
Burnished trays, glass vases, watering cans, and an elaborate gilt-framed mirror next to the entryway also make great decor pieces.
Copper
Pass over gleaming metals in favor of wrought-iron hardware, antique brass, and copper kitchen appliances and cooking tools. Hang copper pots and pans in your kitchen to give it a little rustic charm. These metals pair well with natural materials like painted bricks, stone tiles, wooden flooring, and exposed ceiling beams.
Extravagant Lighting
To set the mood, you’ll want to install fancy chandeliers that drape down from ceilings. Gorgeous, grand lighting is the main feature that will elevate your space from dingy to elegant. If you want to have extravagant lighting on a smaller scale, opt for ornate wall scones.
Or you can position a candelabra on a side table as a tribute to the days when candlelight and fire were the only sources of light for French farmers and peasants.
Linens
Layered fabrics will help your space exude timeless taste. Combine laidback linens in gingham, floral, and toile patterns. The plant-based natural fibers of linen or cotton give a nod to the greenery that blooms across French fields. Avoid fabrics such as damask and brocade because they can be too rich and overpowering.
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