French Country Decor

Simple and Elegant Old World Charm

French Country décor is warm and inviting with its own unique charm, which is often derived from the unexpected mixing of furniture, functional items and other decorative aspects that you wouldn't normally expect to see grouped together. It is this element of surprise that gives it that air of Je ne sais quoi, setting it apart from other country styles.

French country decorating is born from a simplistic lifestyle built on traditions and the preservation of heirlooms from different periods in history, resulting in a special mix of décor which over time has evolved into a charming style.

It is only in recent years that the beauty of this unique style found in French country homes - with its melting pot of simplistic decor, comfort, elegance and old world charm - has caught the attention of interior designers.

The look and feel is relaxed and casual and translates well into modern interiors. It can either be rustic and functional or refined and elegant, but rustic and functional does not mean short on comfort or elegance.

There are many factors that make up the style as a whole which cannot be defined in a short paragraph or two.
So where do we begin? As a starting point we can look to the French for inspiration.

French Inspiration

We all know the French are masters of style and elegance; therefore it is no surprise French Country home decor although simple and casual, is both elegant and stylish.

The French seem to be born with 'style genes', for the way they combine their eye for beauty with comfort and elegance is simply a natural thing for them to do.

They love possessing beautiful and interesting items, whether old or new - purely because they appreciate the craftsmanship, beauty and charm of the item rather than being acquisitive.

Mixing and matching furniture and objets d'art in a relaxed and casual manner - which they artfully arrange with absolutely no effort - is what they do best. If the arrangement feels right, then it is right, period.

Furniture is not restricted to any particular room in the house and will be moved around and be repurposed wherever its function is needed at the time.

So how do the French pull it all together? Not by following interior decorating rules and dictums, but simply being ever conscious of harmony, scale and balance and retaining light and airy spaces as they arrange, layer, use contrasting textures, mix old and new, repurpose and above all, keep it simple.

Creating the Look

The heart of French country decorating is based on what feels right and pleases the eye as opposed to following decorating rules - in the manner of how functional items and furniture are combined with other elements in the room. There is no wrong or right - as long as the mood spells warmth and comfort and colors don't shout at each other.

Create contrast by mixing old with new and even different fabric prints together like checks and florals. Just keep a common thread, or binding factor, like color or neutral background for harmony.

Harmony, scale and balance is the basic principle of French Country décor and you will notice I mention it often, for it is these three elements which help pull the style together.

Magic works by placing the unexpected with the norm, so you can be bold and creative. Here's an example:

Would you think of placing a chest of drawers in your kitchen? Well, although my kitchen is large with free standing units, I didn't have enough drawers (does one ever have enough?) to house all my table and kitchen linen, so guess what? Yes, I painted vintage drawers a soft misty grey, moved it into the kitchen, and voila... I now have more than enough space for my linen tablecloths, napkins, torchons, etc.

Age is of no importance with French decor, so it doesn't matter whether you use an item that is brand new or antique, or even a flea market find - as long as it has character and charm and can be used in the home in a relaxed and functional way.

French Country decor could either be simple cottage, homely farmhouse, or more refined and stately country manor style. Whichever variation you choose will weave the same thread of old world French Country charm into your decor, exuding a relaxed and elegant ambience.

Books from Amazon:

Amazon.com Widgets

You may also like:

7 easy steps on how to introduce Country French decorating into your home.

If you can't picture what your room or space would look like, how about creating a mood board to help you visualise and plan?

Create rooms that are inviting using things you love and these French decorating tips from Interior-Home-Decorating-Ideas.com

If you enjoy hunting for treasures, visit Jennifer's site and be inspired by these cottage style decorating ideas using flea market finds.

Otherwise, if you like French Country Cottage decorating it may interest you to visit Denise at Cottage Home Decorating for more inspiration.

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