For people familiar with American country decorating trends, the country French approach offers something a little different. The French version still favors rustic finishes and crafty decor, but serves it up with more drama in terms of color, texture and contrasts. Spice up your interior with some French country-inspired art, accessories or finishes, or try transforming an entire room, home or garden into a space that evokes the French countryside. Does this Spark an idea?
Walls and Floors
Natural surfaces are key in country French style, but that doesn't mean they aren't dramatic. A classic French country home features a stone fireplace, which is typically set in a floor-to-ceiling wall of stone. Less major but no less dramatic are the finishes used in country French decor. Add color, texture or patterns to your walls to give them an old-world sophistication. Try an accent wall in cornflower blue, accented with antique white trim, or go bolder with persimmon orange or deep red. Faux finishes, stencil trims or freehand painted borders are all at home in French country decor. Floors may be wide wooden farmhouse planks, lightly stained hardwood, terra-cotta tile or a material with a stone finish.
Furniture
Raid the attic, the neighborhood yard sales, flea markets and the homes of family members, because country French style is about combining heirlooms, cast-offs, oddities and repurposed pieces to create an eclectic but inviting environment. A vintage chintz couch is the perfect match for an oriental rug, and the dining area can hold an old farm table, wooden chairs and a cupboard with open display areas for mismatched dishes and glassware. In the bedroom, use a wrought-iron bed frame with a scrolled headboard as a focal point, and add an armoire for classic French country style. In the bath, a clawfoot tub and cafe-style curtains have old-fashioned charm.
Accessories
Begin by decorating your country French home with pieces that celebrate nature's bounty. Adorn an open shelf in the kitchen with bottles of wine and olive oil. Fill a hand-painted ceramic bowl with limes or a wooden cutting board with cheese and bread. Place vintage bottles, jugs, pitchers, glasses and teacups throughout the home and fill them with wildflowers. Hang potted plants near doorways and windows and plant window boxes with herbs or flowers. Add paintings of lavender fields, farmhouses, vineyards and other places reminiscent of the French landscape.
Tags: country French, French country, classic French, classic French country, color texture, country French