French country theme

What Is French Country Style?

Fact checked by

Jillian Dara

Fact checked by Jillian Dara

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.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

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.

25 Examples of French Country Decor

John Bessler

If you feel like there's a certain je ne sais quoi about French country decor, allow us to break it down for you. This style is all about natural materials, muted colors, toile fabrics, extravagant lighting, touches of gold, tapestries, and more—all with a rustic touch. We gathered 25 stylish examples of French country style, from modern interpretations and eclectic visions to classic renditions. Read through to get to know the characteristics of this style and get inspired to incorporate French country decor in every room in your house.

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Cubism On Display

James Merrell

In the dining room of this Cape Cod estate, designer Kathryn M. Ireland chose a sea-grass rug to cover the floor and reupholstered the owners' Gustavian chairs to keep a traditional touch. And then there's that fun Cubist moment in the corner.

Layered Linens

Hearst Magazines UK

With layers of laidback linens in a variety of hues, this bedroom exudes warmth and timeless taste. The tall upholstered headboard brings in some bright, playful tones while sticking to the distressed character of French country design.

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French Doors

Romanek Design Studio

Interior French doors are a bucket list item as far as chateau-inspired decor goes. In this grand living room by Romanek Design Studio, the pared-back design set against the backdrop of a classic, ornate architectural canvas represents a modern take on classic French country decorating.

Grand Lighting

Thomas Loof

The gorgeous, large-scale antique lighting in this foyer really sets the tone for the rest of the home. The exposed beams, stone tile floors, and understated console table introduce that French country rustic look.

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Channel Marie Antoinette

John Bessler

Channel Marie Antoinette with cheerful pastels, layered prints, curvy lines, and fun details, like a fringed awning. Here, John Loecke and Jason Oliver Nixon painted a jaunty mint green and white diamond pattern to disguise the damaged parquet floors. "That was more than seven years ago, and the paint has held up—proof that painted floors are practical and full of pizzazz," they say, adding, "dining chairs move around so much easier on a wood surface than on carpet."

Vintage Scores

Douglas Friedman

In the dining room of this Manhattan duplex, designed by Garrow Kedigian, is a circa-1900 mahogany table that's surrounded by antique chairs that were purchased at a Paris flea market and re-covered in a Schumacher velvet.

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Slim Profiles

Corey Damne Jenkins

Another common characteristic in French Country design is furniture with slim profiles. Read: Ditch your bulkier items. Looking for a way to put a more modern spin on it? Designer Corey Damen Jenkins mixes colorful abstract art and modern photography with more classic elements, like the antique desk and accessories while the lucite chair provides some contemporary flair.

Copper Cookware

PHOTO: Alexandra Ribar: DESIGN: Leanne Ford Interiors

White painted bricks and stone tile floors set the country chic scene in this kitchen. And with that wrought-iron hardware and hanging copper cookware, we can almost smell the French food from here.

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Robust Gallery Walls

Laura Resen

A full gallery wall complete with antique gilt frames and classic portraits is a great way to introduce dimension in the living room. And of course, a Louise XV-style settee is always a good touch.

Exposed Beams

Annie Schlechter

Exposed ceiling beams, distressed wood floors, colorful textiles, and antique paintings and trays on display create a truly charming dining nook.

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Modern Twists

Studio Razavi

Studio Razavi gave this historic home in Lyon, France, some modern updates while still honoring the integrity of the space. The floating shelves and bright emerald green accents and blond flooring anchor the living room in the modern era while the raw materials of the mantel and exposed beams stay true to its history.

And Trusses!

William Abranowicz

Designer Daryll Carter added wood beams and trusses to this 1980s living room for a storied French country feel.

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Natural Materials

Laura Ressen

To mimic the rustic look of French country decor in a more modern way, opt for a jute rug in the living room. Then upholster a classic Louis XVI-style seat in a fun, contemporary fabric and adorn your walls with abstract art.

Antique Decor

Annie Schlechter

Though this sink area boasts a decidedly modern aesthetic, there are many French country-inspired details throughout the space. For example, the antique trays, water cans, and glass vases.

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Subtle Contrasts

Peter Murdock

This cheerful study is bursting with charm, thanks to the bright green walls and personal items on display. The traditional upholstered chair juxtaposes the rustic vase, a contrast often found in French country interiors.

Easy Patterns

Miki Duisterhof

Designer Ramsay Gourd let the exposed wooden beams in this Vermont farmhouse serve as the focal point on the room, but a green couch and upholstered Louis XV-style chairs take a close second place.

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Eclectic Pieces

Bjorn Wallander

The linen skirted chair and tablecloth along with the rustic wood dining table bring in that French country ease while the coral paint and curtains, ornate lighting, and gilt decor assert a more formal and spirited personality in this dining room.

Rustic Details

Luke White

Designer Marshall Watson uses a traditional plate rack to showcase everyday dishes as wall art in this Swedish home. Meanwhile, a vintage table and chairs with a blue gingham seat covering add a touch of rustic charm.

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Antique Mirrors

Douglas Friedman

Super elaborate, antique pieces mixed with more understated and casual items is a French country decorating staple. This black and gilt-framed antique mirror opens up the entryway by Ann Pyne.

Gold Accents

Thomas Loof

Dramatic drapes, plenty of gold, and ornate lighting make this master bedroom a French dream.

Provence. French country

In this article we will talk about what is often called Provence, but is more like French country (why confine all this beauty to one French region!). Many interior designers are close to this cozy direction.

What is "country french"? The first associations are soft green meadows of the French provinces, beige sheaves, pink and blue wildflowers. This style is inspired by local traditions and endearing things that have been passed down for generations in large and friendly families. Light, translucent, light and very simple, French Country has a natural elegance. It calms and induces peace of mind.

It is generally accepted that the French have an innate sense of style and great taste. This natural grace is reflected in the country style in the French presentation - it is very natural, native in a European way and sweet to our northern eye.

Being very harmonious and consonant with nature, country design does not look eclectic, despite some variety of objects combined in it. Adult sensuality, mixed with elderly sentimentality and youthful craving for intricate details - all this perfectly describes the style of French country music.

If you strive for harmony, love lavender and apples, if your dreams include caring for your own garden in the silence of a European countryside - this style is for you.

Style nuance: Elegant but practical furniture

There are unique people in our lives who are able to find an outfit in an ordinary clothing store that looks like it was made to order by a famous designer. With the French country a similar thing - it includes details from quite budgetary elements, and it all looks elegant and functional. It does not have the lush and overly chic details inherent in traditional French design, on the contrary - individually, some elements will look rustic kitsch, but as part of an element they become stylish and appropriate.

Each part of the French country style element works to the maximum, so transforming furniture in this design is not uncommon.

For the unity of the composition, there is no need to use pieces of furniture that are identical in design. The main thing is that all the details are natural - wood, fabrics, a little patinated metal.

Useful recommendation. When choosing furniture, think not only about its exterior, but also about its functionality. Fortunately, a sufficient number of furniture options have been produced for this style for decades - comfortable light chairs with armrests, tables with unusual legs, etc.

Style nuance: Flowers

The main point of French country design was the blurring of lines between what is inside the house and what surrounds it - the pressure of a rural lifestyle affects. For example, flowers are very actively used - from dead wood in a vase (or a small natural bouquet), to floral prints in furniture upholstery or decoupage on a jewelry box.

Useful recommendation . Flowers used in interior decoration should look like they came into your room straight from the garden, and from the French garden - wild rose, poppy, iris, sunflower. Their colors must certainly be natural, the image without even a hint of glamor or fantasy.

Style nuance: Warm shades

Country colors - it doesn't really matter which - juicy or pastel, magically make the interior comfortable and cozy. Even white is used not the one that is blue-white, but warmer, the color of fresh milk. All the shades that are used are very natural - straight from the landscape outside the window. The easiest way to choose colors for a design is to type the query "Provence" in the Google or Yandex image search - and voila! any shades from the opened pictures can serve as a source for inspiration.

Useful tip . Still, you should not use a lot of juicy in the main color of the interior. Leave bright colors for accessories, and give most of the space to pastels.

Nuance of style: Meaning in accents

In Provence interiors, accessories rarely play an exclusively decorative role - all of them can be used in everyday life. Plates and jugs, which look like a cute decor, can be removed at any time and used for their intended purpose. Baskets and wicker bowls can always be dusted off and filled with apples or grapes. Pillows, potholders, vases - nothing that would be just decoration!

Useful tip . Shelves without doors (or even just boards nailed to the wall) are the best place for all these items, because everything should be at hand in a convenient place.

Style nuance: Natural textiles

Along with furniture and accessories, French country textiles are used for both comfort and decoration. Toile de Jouy is a traditional French pattern used in textile prints combined with checks, flowers and stripes. Rough textured fabrics (linen, tapestry), together with thin ones (cotton, cambric) enhance the overall feeling of the interior with tactile ones. Exaggeratedly rustic, overly simple fabrics are one of the pillars of the French country style

Useful tip . Most textiles are traditionally used in the bedroom - pillows (many pillows), a canopy. The most important thing is not to use the same fabrics throughout the interior, but also not to go beyond 2-3 options. The main thing is the combination of colors and textures with each other.

Style nuance: Delicate patina

French country style is rich in traditions, it does not accept new furniture and accessories. Cleanliness, freshness and... age-old wear... Everything around should say: these are generic things used for decades before your arrival. Small chips, scratches, cracks - if not real, but stylized (like, for example, the baguette that we offer), even old stains on the pillowcase - this is what gives the interior a cozy charm.

Useful recommendation. You can search for interior items not only in modern expensive stores, but also at flea markets, flea markets (and then restore them either on your own or with masters who specialize in restoration). You can also find something worthwhile in antique shops, but sometimes they sell a remake that is passed off as antiques, for which you will overpay ten times.

Style touch: Textured surface

Shiny steel or glossy ceramic tiles are the enemies of French Provence. All surfaces should be convex, palpable fingertips.

Useful recommendation. Walls, floor, ceiling - stone, wood, rough plaster are best suited for this (in modern conditions, the texture of plaster can be stylized in different ways). Ceramic raw tiles, wall textiles.

Style nuance: Roosters

One of the accents of the French country style is the image of a rooster. This bright bird has become a symbol of French rural decor and has found its place in the form of figurines, images on dishes, embroidery, etc.

Baguette models made in Provence style can be found in the wooden baguette catalog by selecting Provence style in the filter

Useful recommendation. The image of a rooster is best suited for a kitchen or dining room. In the living room and bedroom, roosters do not look very logical. Do you have any questions? The consultants of the Infanta baguette workshop - St. Petersburg will always help you with the choice. You can contact us by phone (812) 382-09-65 .

Country style and French Provence in the interior of a country house

Why country house decor is the most popular? How to equip and decorate such a house? You will find the answer to these questions by reading this article.

Often we often treat the country interior without due attention, and since the country house is as close to nature as possible, country style is very suitable for it.

In the interior of a country house, this style is the most successful, using it, you can turn old utensils and furniture into cute decor elements. This style of interior is the most “rustic”, it has simplicity and naturalness.

Country style boasts the widest variety of directions - variations on any ethnic theme will look organic.

Each country, observing the main requirements of country style, adds its own characteristics, reflecting the flavor of the rural life of its people.

French country style - Provence reflects the spirit of provincial France, creating a truly rustic picture: light colors, colorful landscapes or sea views illuminated by shining sunbeams - all this leaves an impression of weightlessness and tenderness. This feeling is accentuated by various baskets, wicker and wooden furniture, linen textiles with a soft floral pattern. In the color scheme, the choice falls on white and pastel shades.

The kitchen and dining room are decorated with tablecloths, lace curtains, candlesticks, wrought iron chandeliers and, of course, dry or fresh flowers in vases. This is where “antique” furniture comes in handy, it does not have to be artificially aged, you just need to paint it with pale colors. If the walls are sheathed with clapboard, then to match the Provencal style, they are also painted in white or soft colors, private components stand out in contrast with brown.

Items decorated using the decoupage technique are perfect for a Provencal interior - it is not difficult to master it, and the look of things will be really magnificent.

The style of the French province was called "Provence" in honor of one of the regions in the south of France. Also being a popular variety of rustic style, it differs quite a lot from the considered English and American variants in its great grace, tenderness and femininity.

Provence is characterized by light colors in pastel colors with accents of lavender, mint, sand shades. The walls are usually decorated with decorative plaster or wallpaper in a small flower, and the floors are decorated with light-colored parquet with a pronounced wood texture.

The Provence style is a journey into a poor dwelling of a French peasant who cannot afford luxury elements, cannot even always renew furniture or household utensils, but, nevertheless, is satisfied with a life in which the bright sun shines every day. Light colors predominate in this dwelling, white is especially common, because whitewashing has always been cheaper and faster than painting. The walls are painted or plastered, sometimes completely or partially covered with boards, sometimes they are textured masonry. The floor is covered with a parquet or floorboard with a pronounced texture, cracks and potholes; if tiles are used, then beige-terracotta or grayish tones, with an uneven surface imitating a “stone”.

A characteristic feature of the Provence style in the interior is the coloring of wooden parts in the interior. And wall panels, and a chest of drawers, and a kitchen set should not be the “natural” color of wood (unlike rustic or eco styles), but they can please the eye with juicy turquoise, lavender or lemon yellow. Provence style color combinations are distinguished by their brightness - terracotta and pale blue, white and salmon, yellow and purple, turquoise and beige. These are colors borrowed from the colors of Provence - a bright blue sky, an azure sea with white foam, sandy rocks, multi-colored grasses, whimsically painted walls of old houses. However, there are also completely light, pastel interiors without bright spots.

Tip: in order to fully maintain the authentic style, it is recommended to age the surface after painting. Chips, cracks, color defects in this case are a plus, not a minus.

Forged metal interior elements (usually also painted in light colors), wicker furniture and boxes, a stone hearth, aka a fireplace, complete the interior.

Do not make the dwelling "glossy" - the gilding should be worn off, the paint should be cracked, with a mesh of "wrinkles" in the corner, the fireplace tongs should be rough. For example, if you want to hang a painting on the wall, the baguette should be a little “worn out”, the style should be classical, and the plot should be restrained (everyday still life, landscape or scene from rural life), perhaps religious (for example, Madonna and Child). Provence style is a resolute “no” to glamor, luxury and chic, conspicuous wealth. When in doubt, it is better to prefer a restrained, even poor environment to inappropriate details: furniture made of glass and shiny metal, an English-style mahogany clock, a crystal chandelier and Gothic patterns. Provence differs from shabby in less intimacy, comparative monotony, so do not get carried away with embellishment - lace, rhinestones, combinations of patterns and textures.

Provence style dining room: simple furniture and textiles with small floral patterns.

As opposed to wood and metal, French country fabrics can be finely patterned. Floral ones will fit especially well - painting or embroidery. Natural material: linen, chintz, coarse calico, tapestry, wool. Upholstered furniture should have fabric upholstery, including armrests; sometimes floor-length covers are sewn on chairs and sofas. Window curtains - classic cut, without complex draperies. In fact, the best curtains are two curtains, suspended at the base of the window and allowing maximum light into the room. You can even do without a lambrequin, and even more so, several layers of tulle in addition to the main curtains will be redundant. Brocade, silk, satin, satin, organza, veil, taffeta will be out of place. An intricately woven lace tablecloth is acceptable if the lace is light-coloured or bobbed, rather than the fine black chantilly.

If your home includes a real fireplace, you can add a sheepskin or cowhide tossed on the floor in front of it. It is also important to know the measure here: for example, a fur blanket or an armchair, a tiger or bear skin instead of a modest sheep will already be out of place. In addition, a woolen carpet with a floral pattern or a tapestry can be placed on the floor. Tapestry with a scene from village life 16-18 centuries. You can also decorate the wall - the main thing is not to overdo it.

An interesting idea: a mini-garden of spices for which Provence is so famous: purple basil, mustard with yellow flowers, fragrant tarragon and other unusual herbs will create the necessary atmosphere in the kitchen or balcony.

Painted wrought-iron furniture also organically fits into the style of Provence.

Is the Provence style right for you?

Choosing a style born in Provence, you have to give up a lot.