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Shabby chic french country living room


23 Stunning French Country Living Room Decor Ideas

Looking for French country living rooms to inspire you as you decorate your French farmhouse home? Look no further! We’ve got you covered with the most beautiful French style living rooms you can find online.

When it comes to the living room, you want to create a cozy and relaxing atmosphere for your family and guests. The living room is where you’ll spend your time hanging out with your family and friends, watching TV, and having endless conversations. At the same time, you want it to match your taste, aesthetic, and home decor style.

The French country decorative style is all about blending the comfort of a country home with the elegance of French design. We hope these living rooms will inspire you as you go about decorating your perfect French country living room.

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Let’s go over some of the key elements of a French living room.

Cream Walls and Patterned Curtains

Here we have a real French chateau located in the French countryside! It’s open, spacious, and has some great French country decor elements. From the creamy walls to the patterned curtains, the frame of this room is warm and cozy.

@provencepoiriers

Antique paintings hang on the walls, ivory sofas surround the teal tufted ottoman which serves as a French coffee table, and the space is centered around a vintage, oriental rug. The space is illuminated by a crystal chandelier. This room is definitely upper class and would be best for older residents without children.

Crystal Chandelier

Here we have a somewhat Americanized French living room with some key decorative elements placed in the American countryside. The central crystal chandelier is a great focal point. In the background, two gold mirrors lean against the wall. The sofa itself is white and minimal in design. The antique-style wooden coffee table holds little votives and a rustic bucket of pink roses! It’s a nicely done space, even if it is a bit overly ‘French’ looking.

@frenchcountrycottage

French Blue Striped Throw Blanket

I love how this space has been decorated using French whites, but I especially love that fringed blue striped linen throw blanket in the corner! The French love their stripes and this blanket is quintessential of their decor style.

@shabbyfufu

Round Marble Side Table

How cute is this round marble table reminiscent of a real French bistro table that you would dine on at a brasserie in Paris? I actually own this table and I will say it’s even more stunning in person! You can buy it here.

@decoratinglife.ca

French Vintage Coffee Table

The coffee table is a key element of the living room. This dainty vintage white coffee table epitomizes French furniture design. I like that it was left quite bare except for a small bucket of flowers. It helps the space feel airy and uncluttered! The beige slipcovered sofa adds a bit of warmth to this space.

tidbits-cami

Glass Door Cabinet

This faded blue glass door cabinet is a great storage piece for a French living room. It opens and closes using the signature French iron turnstile. Inside, antique books and decorative objects are sparsely placed on the fixed shelves.

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Wood Armoire

This wooden armoire holds lots of things you may need around the house. From extra pitchers to spare linens, there’s a ton of ways to make use of an antique armoire like this one. If you’re looking for a great French storage cabinet, check out our post on the best French country armoires with charm.

lovegrowswild

Keep a wicker basket and a wooden tray on top to add height to the area and fill up dead space. This home has a tufted neutral sofa and a country white side table in their living room. Honey wood floors keep the space looking cozy.

Gold oval Louis mirror

A gold oval wall mirror in this bright white living room is the perfect French touch for the wall. Other gold accents are found throughout the space like those gorgeous gold side tables with marble tops. Lots of French white linens laying on accent chairs and sofas make this space feel heavenly! We have a few Parisian mirror recommendations online.

@ivorylanehome

Gray Sofa

For a more rustic French look, go with dark browns and gray sofas like this living room decorated with a darker, mountain vibe. Exposed wood ceiling beams and thick wood furniture make this space feel very outdoorsy! Trip to the French Alps anyone?

@sanctuaryhomedecor

Louis Accent Chair

The Louis chair is a classic French accent chair design that you must incorporate into your French-inspired home!

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Orange Sofa

I like how this space isn’t afraid to make a bold design choice like adding an orange sofa to the mix. The two ginger jar table lamps on either side add to the uniqueness of the space. Antique art and upholstered French accent chairs neatly finish off this traditional French country space.

@airellesgordes

Floral Accents

The French love their florals and you can almost never have too many flowers in your living space! Hold them in glass vases, pitchers, and urns – you’ll be glad you did!

@shabbyfufu

Oversized Wall Clock

A rustic wood wall clock will help you keep track of the time as you spend your days lounging on your French cabriole sofa.

@willowbloomhome

Pale yellow sofa

If the rule of thumb is to stick to just one statement piece per room, then this pale yellow floral upholstered sofa is certainly the one!

@rarecorners

Gingham Pillows

Ever since French actress Brigitte Bardot wore her famous gingham skirts and dresses in the 50s, gingham fabrics have been incredibly stylish according to the French. You can use them on your throw pillows, as seen here. Don’t limit yourself to just green either, I’ve seen cute gingham decor in red, blue, pink, and even yellow!

@simplyfrenchmarket

Patterned Wallpaper

Patterned wallpaper will instantly make your space feel more upscale and more French. It should be in contrast to the color of your sofa, or subtly bring it out, as seen in this living room with sage green French furniture. Antique wall portraits and a painted wood coffee table help to round out the space.

Conde Nast Traveller

Tufted Accent Chairs

Tufted furniture is very old-world European and fits in perfectly with most French interiors. You can use tufted accent chairs like these in pairs or on their own, too!

fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com

Gold Accent Chairs

These singular gold side chairs are used as extra seating in this white French living room – a bold design choice that adds warm in an otherwise cold, wintry space.

@white_and_faded

Straw Basket Bag

This classic French fashion accessory is also great to leave as decoration in an empty corner of your living room. The deconstructed French accent chairs nearby give this room an intentionally unfinished, casual look.

Shop the best French straw basket bags from Wayfair, Etsy, or Anthro.

@somuchbetterwithage

Tufted Ottoman as Coffee Table

Many country living rooms use ottomans as coffee tables. You can use trays on top to create a flat surface and hold flowers, candles, books, and more. This tufted ottoman holds the family’s treasures, showing off their personalities and style.

Designthusiasm

Louis Arm Chairs

The Louis arm chair is such a versatile piece of furniture! Their feminine forms are balanced out with a rigid rectangular marble coffee table in this beautiful French country living room.

Vintage Sofa and Gold Leaning Mirror

A vintage cabriole sofa and a gold leaning wall mirror complete this charming European living room. A straw basket filled with market flowers sits on the floor. I can only dream of how fresh this room must smell!

@frenchcountrycottage

White Slipcovered Furniture

Lastly, white or gray slipcovered furniture is very popular in French country homes. Having ample seating for a large family or for entertaining guests is very important when it comes to French living room design. You never want your space to feel cramped or crowded. Oversized, comfortable slipcover furniture helps you achieve the right balance of coziness and practical style.

@white_and_faded

I hope these French country living rooms inspired you to live your best French life! As you can see, there are a few core elements to French country decorating, but you can also experiment and mix it up with your existing home architecture and decorative style. There are many ways to get the charming French look in your home. Don’t be scared to try something new!

More French Country Decor Ideas

If you love decorating at home with the French country style, you’ll love these other related articles on our site.

Let us know your thoughts on these living rooms in the comments below!

What Is French Country Style?

By

Pamela Cole Harris

Pamela Cole Harris

Pamela Cole Harris is a budget decorating expert and writer with over four decades of experience specializing in upcycling furniture and decor. She's a recycling enthusiast with a passion for repurposing discarded items and turning them into stylish decor. Pamela has also published a book on creative DIY coffee tables.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

Updated on 02/01/22

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:

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:

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.

90,000 Shebbie chic in the interior (157 photos) - photo

Rachel Eshvel Interiors


Rachel Eshvel Interiors


Country Schebby Shik


Kitchen in Shebbie Shik


Shebbie Shik and Provence


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Shabby Chic style interior


Shabby Chic decor


Old French style interior


Shabby Chic Provence kitchen


Shabby Chic living room furniture


SHABBY Chic style Textile


Shebbie Shik style in the interior


Living room in Shebbie Shik and Provence

SCHIBBI SHIBBI SHIC

Shebbi Shiki

Shebbie Shi

Shabby Chic Bedroom


Provence Shabby Chic


Shabby Chic and Provence Interior


Shabby Chic Style


Shabby Chic Kitchen


kitchens in the style of Shebbie Shik and Provence



New Year's interior in the Shebbie Shik style


Shebbie Shik in the interior



Shebbie Shiki Provence

Baby Shik style in the interior

Shebbi Shebbie Shiki Provence.

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