French country house decor

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Jillian is a freelance journalist with 10 years of editorial experience in the lifestyle genre. She is a writer and fact checker for TripSavvy, as well as a fact-checker for The Spruce.

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French country style is defined as a mix of rustic and refined decor inspired by the homes in the French countryside. It's a popular style worldwide because of its comfortable and casual elegance that's never ostentatious. Three distinct characteristics make up the style:

• Softly patterned fabrics in muted colors
• Distressed, painted, and vintage furnishings and accessories
• Lots of wood and other natural materials

You may also hear this type of decor called provincial style. Provincial style is recognized as a slightly more formal, refined look. Some of its elements, such as its rich colors, bold patterns, and gold accents, can be incorporated into the French country style.

Colors, Prints, and Materials

Colors of this style can be found on the warm side of the color wheel with hues that have medium to low intensity. Think of soft yellows, warm pinks, baby blues, and creams for your rooms. Provincial-style fabrics are known for having more saturated colors, such as sunbaked ochre and deep brick red that bring to mind the pigments found in the region's natural clay earth.

Toile de Jouy, best known as toile, is a traditional pattern printed on cotton or linen fabrics used for upholstery, drapery, tablecloths, and wallpaper in French country rooms. Toile de Jouy is also known as the "fabric of Jouy" because the 18th-century factory of Jouy-en-Josas located near Versailles became famous for printing the fabric.

The toile pattern is characterized by its designs of landscapes and figures of one color printed on a white or cream background. The beauty of toile is that it can be paired with many other patterned fabrics, such as stripes, plaids, checks, ginghams, sunflowers, and small florals. Other patterns used on French country fabrics include roosters, damasks, and the borders that characterize bolder-colored provincial-style fabrics.

Furniture

The key to French country-style furniture is comfort and style. Upholstered seating and chairs always incorporate soft and cozy cushions. Other furnishings, such as tables and chests, are typically graceful, simple wood pieces that often incorporate some type of carvings that emphasize the furniture's curves. The furniture is also characterized by distressed, painted, and often whitewashed finishes. You can use milk or chalk paint to distress furniture to get this style.

French provincial furniture is a touch more formal with added embellishments than French country style, and its history explains why. French provincial furniture was created in the 18th century for wealthy families living in the French provinces as more affordable adaptations of the luxurious Rococo-style pieces made for the monarchy.

Tip

Wrought iron or rusted metal accents and accessories are often paired with distressed French country furnishings.

Architecture

The style's architecture is taken straight from the French provincial countryside. Here are the style's most popular interior architectural elements:

• Exposed wooden ceiling beams
• Natural stone, wood, or brick floors
• Weathered appearance

French country homes incorporate stone, wood, and muted colors into their exterior architecture, as well.

Kitchens

A kitchen in this style is both comfortable and sophisticated. Cabinetry may look like regular furniture with molding and carvings. Casual kitchens of this style feature shabby chic and vintage touches, including pretty old jars and bottles that hold pantry items, quaint signage for wall decor, wrought iron pot racks, and plenty of copper pots. Modern French country kitchens are known for their signature, decorative range hoods.

Dining Rooms

A rustic chandelier of distressed wood or metal with candelabra bulbs is a must in a traditional French country dining room. A lighter-toned wooden dining table surrounded by whitewashed, vintage, or mismatched chairs brings in a casual and welcoming look. For a casual feel, hang gingham curtains to the floor with a little puddling. Lightweight silk draperies puddled on the floor add a bit more formality.

Living Rooms

Airy, whitewashed, and sun-kissed describe the style of French country living rooms. There should not be any heavy, dark fabrics or furniture in the room. This style living room beckons guests with an uplifting and pretty mix of patterned fabrics and painted furniture. Use sheer lace curtains to allow light to stream in while still providing privacy. For a quaint and whimsical touch, place a wrought iron garden bench with pillows under the front window for the look of a casual window seat.

Bedrooms

A French country bedroom is feminine and soft with a mix of cottage shabby chic and comforting vintage elements. Add in a small crystal chandelier somewhere in the room, layers of soft and lacy white bedding with a toile comforter and curtains, and a headboard made of distressed wood or an old iron gate, and you have the makings of a beautiful bedroom. Use an old metal garden bench at the end of the bed as a sitting area. A bedroom is the perfect place for painted and distressed dressers and armoires.

Bathrooms

Just as a bedroom in this style will have a feminine flair, so does a bathroom with the same decor. Toile wallpaper, a small crystal chandelier, candlestick-style wall sconces, a mirror framed in gold with a bit of carving, and a vintage clawfoot tub combine to create the perfect French country bathroom. For a casual feel, use a wrought iron towel rack or stand for linens.

Tip

A distressed or painted bureau transformed into a bathroom vanity and topped with a vessel sink is a beautiful French country touch.

How to give the interior of a country house a truly French style

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Country house in the style of France

• How to give the interior of a country house a truly French style
• How to give the interior of a country house a truly French style
• How to give the interior of a country house a truly French style
• How to give the interior of a country house a truly French style
• How to give the interior of a country house a truly French style
• How to give the interior of a country house a truly French style
• How to give the interior of a country house a truly French style
• How to give the interior of a country house a truly French style
• How to give the interior of a country house a truly French style
• How to give the interior of a country house a truly French style
• How to give the interior of a country house a truly French style
• How to give the interior of a country house a truly French style
• How to give the interior of a country house a truly French style
• How to give the interior of a country house a truly French style
• How to give the interior of a country house a truly French style
• How to give the interior of a country house a truly French style
• How to give the interior of a country house a truly French style
• How to give the interior of a country house a truly French style
• How to give the interior of a country house a truly French style
• How to give the interior of a country house a truly French style
• How to give the interior of a country house a truly French style
• How to give the interior of a country house a truly French style
• How to give the interior of a country house a truly French style
• How to give the interior of a country house a truly French style

With all the variety of proposals of modern architecture, many future homeowners choose to design their future home in the French style. As a rule, these are stone mansions with two or three floors. Their appearance depends on the province they come from. Chateaus are typical for the environs of Paris, the Loire or Bordeaux, the south of France is decorated with country houses or Provence, in the north the rustic style, gravitating towards the German, dominates. Chalets are being built in the foothills of the Alps. According to the principle of matching styles, the interior of such houses should also be French. What common features characterize it?

When designing the premises, elements of baroque, rococo, empire and any combination of them are used. However, modern interior "stuffing" is not excluded, for example, in the fusion style. Antique furniture, vintage knick-knacks, collectible antique accessories, an abundance of flowers and a fireplace with a real fire are welcome. A variety of textiles with floral patterns or images in the spirit of chinoiserie are often used. The rooms are richly draped with airy silk fabrics.

Characteristic interiors and furniture

The French appreciate things with a touch of time, sometimes deliberately aging interior items and furniture. They are not embarrassed by the venerable age of the dwelling, which can be seen from the darkened wooden ceilings on the ceiling, mirrors a little blind from time to time, ancient fireplaces made of stone or marble. Even the restoration, which has to be resorted to from time to time, is of an exceptionally delicate nature.

Living room

Space and lighting are the two components of the interior of France in the living room. The room should be spacious and well lit. The characteristic colors of the finish are light pastel colors.

Be sure to have a set of upholstered furniture, a coffee table and a fireplace. You can not do without decorative pillows, as well as without lambrequins and draperies on the windows. An antique mirror between the windows and Sirena Small composition complete the impression.

Kitchen

The interior design of the kitchen is selected depending on its size.

• A large area is decorated in a palace style, using gilding and an abundance of decor. Serving table Versalille will clearly be appropriate. It is customary to decorate such a kitchen expensively.
  
• For a medium-sized kitchen, a design in the spirit of a French cafe with functional space zoning using an impromptu bar counter is suitable.
  
• Provence style is perfect for small spaces. Characteristic of this original and natural interior is the white and lilac range, reminiscent of the blooming lavender in the fields of Provence. Mats on the floor and pottery - everything is simple and cute.
  

Children's

Simplicity and sophistication reign in the nursery - two characteristic features of French interiors. Warm and sunny decor of the room is created by soft pastel colors, natural fabrics and very simple hand-decorated furniture. A combination of antique, vintage and modern elements is often used.

The floor in the nursery is usually made of wood. Additionally warm and soften it with numerous plush rugs. The crib is often decorated with a canopy, and the walls are decorated with paintings of roosters and flowers.

Bathroom

Particular attention is paid to the bathroom. Quite often it is made with window openings that occupy almost the entire surface of one of the walls, and even with a passage to the garden. Such windows give a feeling of soaring and proximity to nature, creating a romantic and sensual atmosphere not only in the whole house, but also between its inhabitants.

Furniture

The French interior is replete with decorative elements, but there is no sense of chaos, although artistic confusion does occur. Every thing has its place. For example, antique armchairs from the pre-revolutionary era can stand next to a stone wall, softening its brutality and, at the same time, losing their own excessive majesty.

Increasingly, handmade furniture is used to decorate living rooms. Bleached oak products are considered traditional. Patina, gilded forging, multi-colored glass inserts and carved elements of rare wood are used as decor. When choosing upholstered furniture for the living room, pay attention to Avalon Easy armchairs. Remember that the shade of the upholstery should match the decoration of the room.

French design elements

Wood or stone is the most commonly used floor covering in France. If the choice falls on wood, for example, for a nursery, a bedroom and a living room, then this is, as a rule, parquet in light colors. For the kitchen and bathroom, terracotta tiles or glossy porcelain tiles are more appropriate.

The French style originated in the 17th century, so it is not surprising that the walls in the interior can be finished with natural stone or wood. To cover the walls, use wallpaper with a discreet pattern or plain paint.

The best solution is whitewashing the ceiling. However, depending on the features of the chosen direction, stucco molding with discreet gilding or wooden beams, which are also attractive in their own way, can be used.

Numerous interpretations do not cancel the main feature of the French style: maximum comfort must be achieved by all means. The French have never skimped on furnishing their home, making every effort to ensure that the interior retains its charm for many years. Perhaps that is why it causes love at first sight. And the designers of Casa Ricca Club will help you embody your favorite style.

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French style house - romance and simplicity (69photo-examples)

A French-style house is the dream of any romantic. The originality of Parisian design inspires. She is able to breathe freshness and lightness into any interior. The Dekorin project wanted to show you the basic principles on which this unique direction is based. Ready to move on to France? Go!

What does a French style house look like? Distinctive features of architecture (with photo)

Not all of us can boast that we have a house in France somewhere among lavender fields or on the banks of the Seine . .. But you can convey the spirit and mood of Paris if you arrange the facade of a private house in an appropriate way and its interior.

So, by what architectural features do you recognize the French style? Well, firstly, the house should be quite spacious and bright. The windows are large, with many partitions, often arched or panoramic. (More information about French windows here).

This style has been formed for more than one century. You can feel the influence of different historical eras. The old French houses have absorbed the features:

• of the Roman era. This is the period of the XI - XII centuries, when there was an active construction of churches and castles. Hence - domed vaults, round arches, various architectural ornaments.
• Gothic era. This is a later period, the formation of which ended closer to the XV-XVI century. The Gothic symbol is the lancet arch.
• Renaissance (XVI - early XVII century). Here are the columns, pilasters. The facades are strictly symmetrical, decorated with patterns.
• Rococo era (XVIII - XIX century). From this historical period, the French style took grace, sophistication, an abundance of decorative elements.

It should be noted that there are three main architectural trends a la France:

• chateau;
• Provence;
• Norman style.

This is what the completed projects of houses in the French style look like.

Impressive, isn't it? There are arched windows and gothic elements here - in a word, fabulously beautiful.

If you are planning to build a house on a country plot, consider some interesting project in the French style. Here are ideas for inspiration. It seems that princesses, kings and queens still live in such houses, which look like real castles.

French style in the interior (with examples on the photo)

French style in the interior is an extreme attention to detail, comfort, some kind of elusive lightness and airiness. Unlike the categorical hi-tech and one-sided minimalism, the French style is not for everyone. Some tasks can only be done by experienced designers.

Look at these photos.

The first impression is that there are so many. But, looking closely, you understand how much soul is invested in each piece of furniture. It becomes clear why this or that color was chosen in the decoration of the walls.

But - first things first.

French style does not tolerate low ceilings. In a modest space, all its magic is lost, this special charm disappears.

And one more thing. There is no desire to bring everything to perfection. On the contrary, some roughness, irregularities are allowed. You can even say that they bring some mood to the interior, set the tone.

Generally speaking, there are:

• Classic French style. It is characterized by lightness, sublimity, purity and the desire for freedom in space. Here's what it looks like.
• French country (Provence). This direction has something in common with the classical, but more original in character. Here you can not restrain yourself and embody a variety of design ideas.

French-style living room interior - what to take as a basis?

For the interior of a living room in a country house, the French style is a great idea. The space will turn out to be festive, cozy, with a touch of chic. The main thing is not to overdo it with gloss. The idea is to modestly hint at the level of prosperity. No pomposity or pretentiousness.

Decorative plaster, sometimes wallpaper, is used for wall decoration. The best solution is to paint in a slightly bleached matte color:

• ivory;
• pale olive;
• white;
• ecru;
• light pink;
• grey;
• pale blue.

If the choice fell on wallpaper, you can use light ones with a small floral print. They look like slightly faded chintz.

The ceiling must be perfectly flat and white. If the height of the room allows, you can decorate it with plaster moldings, rosettes, moldings.

A simpler option is a stretch ceiling with volumetric photo printing. The view is impressive - you can’t distinguish it from real gypsum elements.

Porcelain stoneware, parquet, wood are suitable for flooring.

The essence of decor is that the design does not attract all the attention. The main role here is played by furniture. It is different in color and texture, “alive” and, it seems, does not fit together at all. But that's the whole "salt". Ottomans, chests of drawers, a console table, a sofa - each element has its own history, energy. And this is the unifying link.

Much attention is paid to textiles. Satin is used for furniture upholstery. Its barely glaring texture fits perfectly into the general idea of ​​the French style. Sometimes the upholstery repeats the wallpaper print.

How to create a French interior in the bedroom?

In a bedroom decorated in the spirit of Paris, all eyes are on the bed. It should be large, comfortable, with a massive headboard, it is possible with a canopy. The colors in the wall decoration are also muted, restrained. Peaceful harmony, elegant beauty, restraint, dignity can be traced in everything.

Expensive bed linen, curtains and other textiles are contrasted with forged headboard elements. This is especially evident in black and white interiors decorated in French style.

French style kitchen design

The kitchen looks great in French country style. The design can be filled with various "tricks".

Appropriate here:

• rural-looking kitchen utensils;
• textile chair covers;
• cabinets with curved legs;
• vintage crystal chandeliers;
• textured wooden beams;
• floor tiles;
• French curtains.

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