French Country Interior Design
Style and Design Tips

Do you want a beautiful, relaxed, elegant, rustic style for your home?

Then consider French country interior design for your next decorating look.

French country interior decorating is inspired by sunny, rural, Southern France.

If so, you will recognize the feeling of sunshine, sun-baked earth, fragrant lavender fields, beautiful old, rustic homes...

...and the relaxed, welcoming atmosphere (not to mention the delicious foods and wines typical of the region…!)

It is hardly surprising then, is it, that French country interior design is becoming a really popular trend.

Find out how to bring the magic of the French countryside into your home...

...with these stylish and practical, French country decorating tips…

I will guide you through everything you need to know to get the look for yourself...

How to Get the Look

• Firstly, make sure you are creating a beautiful, rustic look – but with a refined, elegant and even romantic feel too…!
• Generally, there are two ways you can go here:
  • the white, almost 'shabby chic' look - pale and elegant (just like in the photo above)
  • or a more rustic and country feel - heavier and more solid with warmer, darker woods

  Both of these looks will work well separately or together to give you the French country decorating style.

  If you like, try and mix a little of each for a look that suits you.

  We will look at all the different options you can try, here...

Walls and Color

• To get that perfect, French country interior design look, consider your walls first.

  Wood panelling, or a rough, aged texture, will give a really authentic, antique, rustic look.

  Consider using suede effect paint (or other textured paint) or a color wash effect, to get the look.

• Ideal colors to get the French country interior design look, are colors inspired by the French landscape.








• Yellows - inspired by the sunshine and ripening cornfields – are the top color range to choose to get the look.

  Choose rich, warm yellows, (but nothing too bright), with golden or orangey tones.

  In the photo above look at how the rough texture of the wall gives a very rustic look...

  The yellow color makes the room feel warm and welcoming - and definitely cheery.

  Then layer up your look with rustic (distressed) furniture (like the cupboard above) and lots of simple crockery - and you've got a simple, French country style.

• Mix a base of yellows with red, green and blue, or rusts, oranges and salmon pink.

  Black and white (or cream) should be in your color palette somewhere too.










• Color should not be just for walls – fill your home with these wonderful, rich colors...

  Use them for fabrics – curtains, throws, upholstery, cushions – tiles in kitchens, and accessories too (more on them, later…)

  Notice how the yellow in the photo above is really set off by the turquoise blue of the woodwork used as an accent color...

  It is an ideal color combination to consider for a relaxed and country style to remind you of France.

• If so much color is not for you, you can just as well choose a more neutral palette...

  Here go for softer creams and mix with natural browns, greens and oranges.
  
  

  

  
  
  In this case, bring the warm and welcoming tones into the room with wood.

  Dark wood (flooring and furniture) is ideal - and gives a traditional French country interior design look - as in the photo above.

Furniture and Accessories

• Try to choose furniture with a rustic feel – slightly distressed and worn looking is good...

  ...but with an elegant feel too.









• Dark wood looks good in a French country interior design scheme...

  Or whitewash your wood

  • Use a quality satin or gloss
  • or alternatively, with a watery coat of normal white emulsion paint (dilute with water approximately 50/50) to allow the attractive natural wood grain show through

  This will give you quite a light and airy look, suitable for smaller spaces.

• Antique furniture and accessories are a great way of getting the country French decorating look – so keep your eyes peeled at antique fairs, flea markets and while browsing on eBay.









• The gorgeous wooden pew above gives a very relaxed and traditional look. And gives a link to the importance of religion in traditional and rural France.

  Add a cushion like this in a simple country style to add some comfort - and lots of style.

• When choosing your furniture look out especially for traditionally styled ladder-back chairs, dressers, sideboards and beautiful beds, for a typical French country decorating style.








• Wrought iron will play quite a part in your French country interior design scheme too.

  Look out for furniture with wrought iron decoration, wrought iron decorative wall hangings, and particularly wrought iron lighting and candle sconces.










• When choosing pictures or accessories, roosters are a very typical French theme – they are the national emblem of France...

  ...so choose anything with roosters on, to make sure you get a very authentic, French country interior design look.










• You needn’t go over the top with the roosters though – stick with one or two (a couple more, if your room is large, or if your roosters are small!)...

  ...or a small collection, given pride of place in an attractive display cabinet.

• Pictures of other farm animals - pigs, cows, horses, ducks etc – are also typically French, so slip a few of these into your country French decorating scheme too.
• Also look out for beautiful, rustic, French style ceramics - with or without roosters and other farmyard animals...

  ...in typical French country colors of white and cream.

  The ceramics below are definitely the ones to go for if you choose the elegant, pale, shabby-chic look...
  
  

  

  
  
  If you prefer your look more rustic go for chunkier plates and dishes in a simple, traditional style - like these below...

  They suit a rustic style kitchen wonderfully - try simple browns, yellows, blue red and green.
  
  

  

  
  
  
• If too many farmyard animals aren’t your thing, decorate your walls with artworks from famous French artists...

  ...particularly the landscapes of Cezanne, Monet and Van Gogh

  (I know Van Gogh was Dutch – but many of his most famous works were inspired by the landscape of Southern France, and his use of color will work fantastically well in this French country interior design color scheme).

• A really easy way of getting the country French decorating look, is simply to include lots of old fashioned style signs written in French.

  There are lots of these about, and it just makes it really obvious where your inspiration and style come from, lending a really authentic French flavour to your room.

Ideas for French Country Kitchens

• Add chequered tiles to your French country kitchen to get the look...
  
  

  

  
  
  These yellow and green ones look very authentic - and are a great way to get the look in a modern kitchen
• Copper pans and kettles are ideal. Choose copper handles or copper bottoms on pans if completely copper ones are a little out of your price range.
• If you have space arrange your kitchen with a central wooden table to be the heart of your home and family
• Display your crockery proudly in your kitchen (especially plates with farmyard animals and roosters, too - of course!)

Fabrics

• Fabrics are light, pretty and with a luxurious feel.
• Choose fine linen or lace for a very romantic and elegant rustic feel.

  Linen and lace are very typical French country fabrics, very sought after, and can be found in plenty of antique markets.

• Or go for chintz, roses and the typical French ‘Toile de Jouy’ pattern.
• Choose fabrics for your walls too – beautiful wall hangings - particularly tapestries – are an excellent way to get the French country interior design style.
• The photo below chooses soft, relaxing looking natural fabrics to layer up a comfortable sofa...

  Also note:

  • rustic, traditional looking furniture
  • elegant, traditional style lamps
  • colored painted shutters in turquoise blue
  • a relaxed, rustic and elegant air

  I think it makes an ideal French country decorating style living room...

A Sweet-Smelling Finishing Touch

• A perfect way to pull your whole French country interior design together, and find the ultimate finishing touch, are vases and jugs of fresh lavender.

  The magical lavender fields of Southern France are a wonderful, unforgettable sight – and very typical of the region – so bring the outside in...

  ...and fill your home with the beautiful, and very relaxing, fragrance from huge bunches of lavender – absolutely exquisite!

You can twist the French country interior design look and take aspects from it to suit the exact look you'd like in your own home...

I hope that this page has inspired you to recreate your own little bit of Southern France in your home.

Don’t forget to sit back and relax in your finished room – with a lovely glass of wine – in typical French style …!

I find eBay is usually a really good place to hunt for French country style accessories (unless I can persuade my other half I need a holiday to France...!).

See what you can find today...
This is a live feed from eBay - and is constantly updated. Just click on a product for further information, or to bid or buy...

Have fun!

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Where to Go Next

For more about this style, take a look at my friend, Renate's, website, dreamhomedecorating.com, where she has an excellent section on French Country Decorating, here...

Look at a glamorous and sophisticated French interior design style.

Do you want to start your decorating straight away?

Let me guide you through the whole design process, with these practical interior design tips, and checklist.

More styles you might like

Find more pages on Mediterranean decorating styles and country decorating styles.



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