French Interior Design
Elegant and Sophisticated Style

The French have always been seen as the ultimate purveyors of style, sophistication and good taste - so why not take a leaf out of the French book, and go for a bit of classy ‘ooh la la’ in your home.

The French interior design look isn’t just about creating a peaceful, rustic idyll. A fantastic French style to try in your home is an elegant Parisian apartment, or French boudoir look.

• The look does not have to be too ‘Moulin Rouge’ though …. Actually, the French interior design look is a very sophisticated and stylish look, with a real air of faded elegance and vintage chic.
• Influences for this French decorating look are ornate and decorative - Baroque, Rococo and Neo-Classical styles.
• The feel for this look is one of quiet luxury, sophistication and style – in the typical French manner! Think of beautiful, vintage, decorative furniture and accessories, with rich, opulent colors and textures.
• This is a very satisfying style to live with – being surrounded by all that gorgeousness and luxury…! And, actually, not at all difficult to achieve in your home.

Just follow these simple guidelines, and discover how to get a sophisticated French interior design style for your home – in no time at all!

Walls and Color

• Go for really glamorous walls, for your authentic French interior design style.
• It doesn’t really matter if you want pale walls, or rich colors – either will work with this look very well – just make sure that you go for something glamorous, sophisticated and luxurious looking.
• For pale colors go for creams, cool greys, mint, duck egg blue or eau-de-nil – add a touch of shimmer, silver, gilt or gold – for the ultimate touch of luxury.








• If you fancy darker colors, go for rich, jewel colors, such as emerald green, peacock blue, teal and red.
• Mix pale or dark colors with black, white and touches of gold.
• To get the beautiful, glamorous look you need, for an authentic French interior design look, you should definitely include lots of ornate pattern.
• An accent wall of beautiful wallpaper in an ornate, swirling, Baroque or Rococo pattern, would be perfect for this look - giving the glamour and an ‘ooh la la’ feel to your sophisticated room.

Furniture

• Furniture should be fine, elegant and decorative in style.
• Beautiful antique and vintage furniture is a very good way to get the French interior design look in your home.
• Old furniture is a good look – but it should never be shabby - fine elegance is what is required.
• Choose quality, dark, carved woods, dainty, white or black painted furniture, with touches of gilt, or classy, mirrored furniture. The style should be decorative, with finely carved legs, arms, backs etc.








• Look out for vanity tables, with full fabric skirts and frills, little round tables with skirts, elegant bistro tables and chairs, fine, roomy armoires and elegant chaise longues – absolutely perfect for very refined lounging around…!

Fabrics

• Fine, luxury fabrics are a really essential part of this French interior design look.
• Go for really rich, opulent fabrics, like velvet, damask, brocade, toile de jouy, lace, and of course, silk and satin.
• Use these beautiful fabrics for full, drapey curtains, with fancy swags and tails, or draped around poles or four-poster beds.
• Try some beautiful fabrics hung at the wall too – you are aiming for a really opulent, luxurious feel – tapestries of other fabric wall hangings will really help with this.
• Choose rich velvets, or fine, beautiful patterns, silks and satins, for upholstery, throws, cushions and bed linen.

• Dark wood flooring is ideal for the French interior design look – or if you want to go for something lighter and paler in your room, paint your floorboards in white.
• Choose gorgeous oriental rugs to go on your wooden floors, to get the perfect, classy look.
• If you do want wall-to-wall carpeting, to keep your toes lovely and warm, choose a pale colored carpet, with delicate Baroque, Rococo or floral patterns.

• Accessories are a really important consideration to getting the French interior design look.
• Choose very fine lighting and chandeliers - crystal chandeliers, with lots of dangling bits, will look gorgeous!
• Also try wall sconces and lamps, with silk lampshades, plenty of beautiful fringing, feathers, crystals and beads.
• Black is a really good color to choose, for lampshades, lighting and other accessories.








• Add plenty of decorative, vintage mirrors, clocks and pictures.
• Ornate picture frames in black or white are an excellent way of showing off photos, or French artwork by Monet and other Impressionists. Also include stylish vintage posters of Parisian nightspots, and evocative pictures of the Eiffel Tower.
• Signs written in French are also really essential for the French interior design style – and give a really authentic French feel to your room.
• Look out for beautiful hat boxes, jewellery boxes, pill boxes and all the pretty paraphernalia of a French boudoir – silver hand mirrors, brushes and crystal perfume bottles.

The French interior design look is certainly a very glamorous, sophisticated and glamorous look. It will create a very finished, grown-up room, that will certainly impress friends and neighbours. At the same time, it will be a wonderful pamper room - ideal to sit back, relax and luxuriate in…!

Are you interested in French Country interior design?

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 browse for more ideas, styles and inspirations…

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