French Country Style
French Country style is sophisticated, yet inviting. Relaxed, yet elegant. It's a testament to simpler times, with nostalgia for a type of dignity that has faded into memory.
French Country blends natural elements like wood (it can be raw or painted in distressed neutral tones) with accents of refined touches like crystal, china, and fine metals. The only bright colors to be found are in the most minuscule details: the floral pattern on the antique dinnerware; the delicate needlework on the bed spread, and of course, the fresh flowers poised nobly on every surface.
To get this look, you must begin with a purge. I'm a huge fan of purging anyway, but this type of purge is intentional with an eye for design. In a French Country home, everything is functional and beautiful. So while Marie Condo
says it must either be functional or beautiful, French Country says it must be both. Go through the room you're redesigning and remove all these things:Say no to...
Brightly colored itemsIf you haven't been intentional with your décor up 'til now, chances are you've accumulate a whole rainbow of possessions. While there are plenty of styles this works well for, French Country isn't one of them.
Decorate instead with practical items likes vases, books, serving trays, coasters, maps, etc.
If French Country incorporates any dark item, they are always accent pieces, not anchors. But don't throw away your dark wood furniture! Refinish it
!
Photo by Ancient Surfaces
Once you've finished purging (congratulations!) you can bring in the elements of beauty you love to complete the look. Here are a few staples:
Say yes to...
Sheer linen curtainsSheer curtains are important because they let in the most light. French Country is never gloomy!
Provincial living values durability, so outside of a very limited number of lace or crystal items which would be extremely valuable family heirlooms, everything is designed to last for generations. Linen and cotton should be your go-to fabrics. And whites are preferred for their bleachability and brightness.
You can save money and be more french be covering the sofa you have already with a slip cover like this one
. This is a distinct mark that distinguishes French Country from regular country or farmhouse style: a few not-so-subtle hints of glamour.
In the French countryside, you never throw away wood furniture. Handmade dining sets and rocking chairs will stay in the family for generations. How do you keep something so old looking clean and chic? With white paint, of course!
Pick out some beautiful feminine vases to place on select surfaces around the room. The vases should be pretty enough to stand on their own without flowers in them, in case you ever have a lapse in fresh flowers. Not that that would ever happen--but in case.
Forgo the fancy china sets and shop instead at thrift shops and garage sales. The more variety you have, the better. A plate tells a story, after all. Plates carry the memories of meals shared and conversations enjoyed long into the night. The French dine slowly, over many courses, so a beautiful plate really has time to be admired.
If possible, all you drinkware should be stemmed and transparent. The French are epicureans, after all, and they know that pressed your hot clammy hands directly against the sides of a glass will raise the temperature of your wine--leaving those new trendy stemless glasses out of the question. Additionally, one telling characteristic of wine is its color: you should be able to anticipate the flavor of that Bordeaux before it even touches your lips by its color and bouquet alone. So make sure your drinkware is transparent and stemmed.
Alright, enough chatter. This list is hardly exhaustive, but you get the idea, right?
Without further ado, I give you my French Country LookBook:
Tip:
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