French Country Interior Design
Style and Design Tips

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

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

Have you ever spent your holidays in the tranquil French countryside?

If so, you will recognise 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 hot new trend.

Find out how to bring the magic of the French countryside into your home, with these stylish and practical, French country decorating tips…

• Firstly, make sure you are creating a beautiful, rustic look – but with a refined, elegant and even romantic feel too…!

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.
• Mix this with red, green and blue, or rusts, oranges and salmon pink. Black and white 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…)

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 (with 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.
• Look out especially for 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, yellow, 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 he 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.

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...

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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.

• A perfect way of pulling your whole design together, and finding 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!

Remember, this rustic look is all about romance, elegance and refinement, so include plenty of white to lighten your scheme, and fine carvings and delicate patterns, to keep it all pretty.

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 …!

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.

Return to the main interior design themes page, to find more pages on Mediterranean decorating styles and country decorating styles.



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