Do you love the curve of a graceful turned leg? Is button upholstery your passion? Is your favorite color “toile”? Just kidding… it’s a pattern! You’ve come to the right place!
French Country is not just a decorating style, it’s a mindset. On the one hand, it’s a particular look, and always vintage with a hint of nostalgia. On the other hand, anything goes. You can mix materials and textures and just have fun with it.
Some hints: Try to stay with soft yellow, baby blues, and creams. Unless you’re working with a particular French country motif, such as roosters, sunflowers, or lavender. Use baskets, wire or woven, to get a rustic feel. Keep natural materials in mind while you’re decorating. Natural stone, wool, cotton, wood. And, back to toile. It really defines French country.
Let’s start with the most important room, the bedroom. What style bed do you want? You can go from a pared down wrought iron bed… painted a nice cream color. Or, take it all the way to an ornate Sofia bed with button upholstery. Do you prefer a sleigh bed, or maybe something with a canopy? Any of these will work, as long as you have an armoire. No decent French bedroom would be without an armoire. If it has a crackle paint finish, even better. Do your best to fit some toile into your private oasis.
In the dining room, keep it welcoming, old world, and rustic. Mismatched chairs are okay… just paint them the same color. Pair them with a wooden or metal table. Keep the window treatments light, but indulge yourself with a beautiful chandelier. You may want to use shutters for an old world feel.
Will your kitchen have a theme? Roosters and olives are popular for the kitchen. Bring in the baskets and jars to give your kitchen the country feel. A kitchen table should be painted wood. Bring the natural elements into play.
Now to the living room. You have a lot of options here as well. A chaise lounge will do well in the bedroom, but it’s right at home in the French country living room as well. You have a wide variety of chairs that will suit your room, and you’re free to mix and match. Take a look at the traditional French accent chair, the French provincial chair, the wingback style, and the medallion armchair, all keeping with the French country style. Or… just go for an oversized armchair. Here again, if you like button upholstery, buy it. Lots of people think it gives the furniture an elegant, finished look. Is there room for toile in the living room? Okay, let’s move on.
I like the lavender theme best in the bath, but some people like to incorporate it into the bedroom or kitchen. It’s just a matter of preference. Vive la difference!
The most important think about choosing furniture and decorating with it is to have fun. If you feel overwhelmed, get a second opinion. There are many furniture companies that specialize in French Country furniture. You shouldn’t have trouble finding an interior decorator to help you choose some pieces for your French country home.
Source by Cat Harvey
