French country style has a romantic ring, and for a good reason. Romanticism is a devotion to beauty, being spontaneous, and allowing your imagination to roam. If you are non-conforming to social networks and feeling free with your individualism, the French country furniture style is probably appealing.
Table of Contents
- What is the French country furniture style
- How to make furniture look French country
- What are the key elements of French country design
- What color is French country furniture
- What colors look best on French country homes
- What is the difference between French Country and English country decor
- What is the French country modern style
- Accent pieces that announce French country decor
What is the French country furniture style
Stunning curves and ornate carving on coffee tables and end tables are famous signs of how furniture can describe your artistic flair for the French countryside. A theme recognized by several painters and artisans during France’s different periods and regions. Whether your preference is Provencal farmhouse use or French chateau style, the exquisite details of French furniture will announce your love of beauty and freedom.
How to make furniture look French country
You do not have to spend a fortune on antique furniture items to transition your home into a French country decor. In fact, by starting with a few accent pieces, a certain charm can begin to grow. For example, try out the French Provincial look of decorative wall sconces reminiscent of an English country estate.
Your dining room wall can be a focal point for trying out your French Provincial style. Place one on either side of a buffet or a carved console table. Use a vase filled with large-petaled flowers on the tabletop to offset the balance. Try a French farmhouse approach if this look is too formal.
The French farmhouse resembles the French Provincial, with less ornamentation and a more linear appearance. Dining chairs may have cabriole legs made of solid oak, and dining table tops will be rectangular and oversized to erase any sign of daintiness. Wildflowers and metal or wood candlesticks make a lovely centerpiece.
If you are confused by the variety of styles that French furniture offers, sort through the periods and decide which ones are your favorite, as this can help you outfit your French country design in your living room or dining area. A cabriole sofa could make a great addition to a French Coastal country feel when combined with cane and wicker.
What are the key elements of French country design
French country design allows you to have the formal presence of elegant motifs and gold metal. When painted in antique white, your treasured French armoire can take the grand stage among your favorite pieces of Country and rustic design.
Another common feature is the soft faded colors of blue and gray. Prints and patterns that include fresh toile wallpaper or fabric that romanticizes any living space. Short for Toile de Jouy, a repeated pattern against a neutral background is festive and nature-loving, and this is a classic design in French interior design.
Your distressed furniture, such as vintage armoires, is popular in homes in the French countryside. Wood and metal can be worn or new and formal, according to your style. French Country is a must in decorating if the architecture features stone walls or wooden ceiling beams.
What color is French country furniture
If you already have a neutral upholstered sofa and chairs, you’re halfway there by adding highlights with side tables and accessories. Neutral colors bring out the subtle painted colors that are a big part of French country design. Whether you prefer warm or cool colors, you can’t go wrong with a faded and chalked look. Cool colors demonstrate the outdoor shades of sky blue, green grass, and shimmering blue-green ponds.
Warm colors reflect sun and light with toned-down yellow and red. You don’t have to worry about painting wood products perfectly with French country furniture. The more vintage with chips and scars, the more natural your pieces look.
Chalk paint delivers a simple and enchanting natural appearance to wood and metal pieces, making a room feel relaxed and warm. If you think your painting skills are not professional, no worries. Streaks and unevenly painted areas make your furniture look authentic and appealing, as in a French country home.
What colors look best on French country homes
Visit a few of the best interior design and furniture dealers, like Belle Escape, to experience the different colors of today’s French country homes; if you favor the beautiful colors in the South of France, rust and pale yellow leaves a rustic tone with warmth and comfort. Add a cotton print of linen and burgundy that feeds into a dark wooden floor to feel right at home.
Blues and greens are an excellent French country version, offering many shades. Use neutral grays or evergreens to add a deep background to walls and select several chalk painted shades of blue to make old wood furniture look soft and timeless. Use your love of period furniture to fill a corner or create that perfect island with grace.
The pleasant part of French Country is how elegance and simplicity can work in the same space. Embellish a few ornate pieces in a room with simple straight shelves and use color and texture for accessories. For instance, clay vases with colorful wildflowers or colored glass jars carry no additional charge for simple natural beauty.
What is the difference between French Country and English country decor
An English country kitchen is an excellent example of comparing differences between French Country and English Country. Boldness is a character of an English Country with neutral browns and characters such as farm animals and botanical scenes. French Country is more delicate, with elegant curves and motifs. Toile kitchen curtains of blue and pink bring a feminine flavor to a dainty rolling landscape outside.
You will find more straight lines and a robust wood presence in English decor. The bold darker colors of English contrast with French light colors, and there is more of a lived-in feel with English, whereas French demonstrates a soothing setting. However, similar traits shared by both are dark wooden floors or rugged tiles.
What is the French country modern style
French Country modern designs have been taking hold in American homes. While French Country is timeless in the decorative swirls and natural materials, throwing modern tendencies into the mix gives this style a contrast of sleek and flashy. For instance, textures of glass, mirrors, and chic bamboo area rugs hold a priceless modern look with large ceramic vases and distressed side tables.
Slipcovers of neutral colors for sofas or dining room chairs offer a warm outline that spells French Country with box cushion styling. Set on a colorful art deco rug with a chrome and glass coffee table, antique accessories of French country design highlight an otherwise plain sitting area. We can change wall colors from neutral to trendy colors of the year and keep a modern French country style.
Accent pieces that announce French country decor
Selecting accent pieces for your French country decor can be a delightful way to learn about the different regions that make up the history of interior design throughout France. Each form of style reflects the areas of France. A picture can barely deliver the scents and water ripples of the flowing river of Lake Annecy, but several artists have tried.
The old town of Annecy, framed in a simple white frame, allows you to experience this region firsthand. Posters or original paintings are available for your mantel or any empty wall space.
The South of France brings you a wine-making experience like none other. Beaune is in the center of Burgundy, where its reputation of being the best wine-making in the area takes place. Distinctive wine bottles or a stylish display of wine corks will make you feel like you are among this city’s magic.
You can add a touch of color to your kitchen or dining room with a painting of the Northeast part of France, Colmar. Blossoms of violet and gold take over this area close to the German border in the spring. You can almost smell the sweet fragrance of trees and flowers as they sit among the extraordinary architecture of Franco-German scenery.
I can find hundreds of French country accessories on Etsy. Whether you are looking for Toile wallpaper or wooden wall art, there are colors and textures for every French country design style. Don’t be afraid to mix and match Country with modern or rustic. Your taste can take you to whatever look you desire. You can visit paint suppliers, furniture stores, or sites that offer homemade accessories until you create your preferred look.
Try Boho, shabby chic, coastal, eclectic, or industrial as new design forms with French Country. What started with a typical 2-color design can quickly mold into a stunning and brand
-new format. Start with French Country and let your imagination run wild.
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Karen Gillan, Senior Writer
Experienced Writer with 20+ years. Demonstrated writing experience includes technical writing, magazines, story writing, and journalist projects. Karen has a powerful media and communication background with academic training from LaSalle University (architecture, interior design) and business college courses. She loves editing novels and contributed to a national art journal.
