French Interior Design
Elegant and Sophisticated Style

Be inspired by glamor.

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.

  Look how sophisticated this rich red French dining room (below) looks with ornate picture frames, chandelier and crown molding...

  And with these touches of black emphasised with the table cloth and chair upholstery...

  And some classical style patterns on chair upholstery and the rug... Beautiful!










• You can 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.

  The look is definitely formal, rather than 'rough and ready'!










• An accent wall of beautiful wallpaper in an ornate, swirling, Baroque or Rococo pattern, would be perfect for this look.

  And give you the glamor and a definite ‘ooh-la-la’ feel to your sophisticated room.

  When choosing wallpapers (or fabrics) go for designs with a:

  • Baroque
  • Rococo
  • Fleur de lys
  • Toile de Jouy

  pattern - for an authentic French feel

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.

  Simple nets, like the ones below, can give the room a softer and romantic look - keep the fabric full and generous for the best effect...










• Use these beautiful fabrics for full, drapey curtains, with fancy swags and tails, or draped around poles or four-poster beds.
• Curtains could be simple (but full and generous) in plain nets, silks, satins or velvets...

  Or go for something much more formal in a beautifully patterned fabric...

  Or a more structured and formal curtain style - like the beautiful curtain pictured below...
  
  

  

  
  
  Think about some of the more formal styles (such as French pleats) listed here...

  Or just add a valance, pelmet or swags...

  You can get a more formal look for windows quite quickly with a simple tie-back.

  Find out more about swags, valances, pelmets and tie-backs, here...

• Try some beautiful fabrics hung at the wall too – you are aiming for a really opulent, luxurious feel.

  Tapestries or 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.

Flooring

• 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

• 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.

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…!

Look in flea markets, car boot sales and especially on eBay for your sophisticated genuine French, or French-style pieces...

This is a live feed direct from eBay and is constantly updated. Simply click on a product for more information, or to bid or buy, and you will be taken direct to eBay...

Happy Hunting! Hope you bag a bargain...

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