French Country Styles
French Country is a popular design style that can give a home a rustic feel and welcoming environment. The French Country style is meant to resemble a cottage in the French countryside. Homeowners and designers who are creating a French Country look will use pastel colors, distressed furniture and toile fabrics throughout their design. Does this Spark an idea?
Pastel Colors
In order to create a warm and comfortable cottage look, designers and homeowners often use pastel colors. Soft pastels can provide homeowners and guests with a cheery and light feeling. Popular pastels for a French Country room include yellow, lavender, foam green and pink. It is also popular to mix and match shades of pastels or choose a select few for the room. Pastels can be used in a variety of design elements, from wall paint to furniture to artwork. Most homeowners will match a pastel wall color with pastel-colored candles, picture frames and throw pillows. If the homeowners and designers are using distressed furniture, pastel colors can also provide a contrast with this rustic element.
Distressed Furniture and Accessories
Another design element that is commonly used in French Country rooms is distressed furniture and accessories. Distressed furniture and accessories typically consist of dark or light wood that has been purposely stripped in certain areas. This unique design style allows the wood on the décor item or furniture piece to look chipped and rustic. Cabinets, tables, chairs and benches are furniture pieces that are often distressed in French Country style. Decorative accessories that can be distressed include picture frames, mirrors and table lamps. The distressed elements give a sense that the items are old. Many design stores have distressed furniture and accessories. Creative homeowners and designers can strip and distress old items themselves.
Toile Fabrics
Toile fabrics are another popular design idea in French Country style homes. Toile is French for "cloth" and is most commonly used as furniture fabrics or wallpaper. Toile can be upholstered on sofas or chairs as well as pillows and curtains. Toile is often found on white or beige cloth with repeating pictures. The pictures on toile can include flowers, farmhouses, birds or trees and are often red or blue in color. This design element works well with distressed furniture and accessories and can add to the rustic French Country look.
Tags: French Country, distressed furniture, Country style, French Country style, furniture accessories