It's time to abandon those four white walls and embrace a style that has soul. French country decor, with its preference for the antique and the well-loved, fits the bill. The design trend brings a whiff of Provencal lavender fields to the home, but is less homespun and slightly more regal that its American country counterpart. Does this Spark an idea?
Palette
A French country palette features faded antique shades as well as dashes of bolder hues. Creamy and distressed whites are the ideal accents for cornflower blue, Mediterranean blues and greens, saffron yellow, woodsy browns, faded gray, deep red and persimmon orange. Try an accent wall in a golden hue, and add a trim of jaunty blue fleur-de-lis. Create an eye-catching faux finish by painting a wall deep blue or green and letting it dry before adding a coat of thin whitewash. Use fine-grain sandpaper to rub away at the whitewash and allow bits of the blue or green to show through.
Furniture
Think rustic, farmhouse, cottage and shabby chic style and you have the French country look. Bistro-style metal patio furniture looks perfect in a breakfast nook, while the bedroom might feature a wrought iron bed frame painted antique white or palest lavender. In the bathroom and kitchen, use natural materials such as wood, stone, marble, clay and paper. Add regal touches for a little French formalism, such as chairs with turned-out legs, cabinets with painted trim, hand-painted tiles and metal scroll work on bins and shelf supports.
Accessories
Decorate with the quintessential French country symbols such as the red rooster and the fleur-de-lis design. Use chandeliers or ornate table lamps for lighting, and accent it with wrought iron candle holders and simple white candles. Create a focal point for a room with a bold accessory such as a large wall clock, a mirror framed in ornate scrolls or hammered tin, or a lavish Oriental rug. Dress windows in French cafe curtains set halfway down the window frame. Use vintage fabrics or old pillowcases or dishtowels in translucent cotton fabrics, which allow the maximum amount of natural light to come inside.
Tags: blue green, French country, French country, wrought iron