Popular Decorating Styles: French Country

French Country Home Décor: A Popular Home Decorating Choice

French country design is a very popular design choice today, even for those who have never been to France. Don’t let the idea of “French” design intimidate you because it’s actually quite easy to achieve this French country décor style.

French country design is influenced by the colors, textures, sights, and sounds of the Provence region of southern France. It’s all about living the good life, relaxing, and enjoying the world around you. But it’s also about working hard in order to get what you want out of life. Natural colors, fresh produce, rich fabrics, aromatic spices, deep red wines, dark metals, and rustic coziness are all a part of French Country décor.

The first thing to remember about French country design is that it’s okay to go over the top when mixing patterns, colors, and styles. Mixing big, bold stripes with small patterned flowers can create a lot of visual interest when layered on top of one another. One of the most common French country designs you’ll see in bedrooms is to use a beautiful toile patterned wallpaper and then repeating it throughout the room by using it on the bedcovers, pillows, chairs, curtains, rugs, and lampshades. While modern convention might tell you not to mix these things together as much, somehow it works with French country décor.

Color is a very important element in French country design. No color is really off limits because French country design uses just about every color of the rainbow. However, make sure they’re bright, vibrant, and mimic the sunny French countryside of Provence. Beautiful yellow and gold tones, bright red and rust hues, and rustic terracotta orange are used to bring in the colors of the sun. Rolling hills of tall grasses, fields of scented lavender, and beautiful blooming cornflowers inspire the soothing greens, purples, and blues that are common in French country design.

Colorful linens and cotton fabrics are a must in French country décor style. Provence is famous for making hand-dyed fabrics of brightly decorated patterns that are inspired by the natural surrounding elements of southern France. Many popular patterns incorporate sunflowers, olives, lavender, and figs in their designs made of vibrant yellows, oranges, blues, and greens. You can infuse this French country feeling into your kitchen by brightening up the room with beautiful tablecloths, napkins, curtains, placemats, rugs, baskets, and aprons. A blue braided area rug can instantly add that country charm to your kitchen.

Other accessories and design elements used in French country décor include old rusted metals, natural stones, ceramic tiles, copper pots, and plastered walls. Mixing the delicate colors and fabrics with these harder elements of metal and stone are essential to any French country design scheme. It creates that feeling of relaxing comfort mixed with a rustic, old world atmosphere. Adding a metal table, some old copper pots, ceramic canisters, and wrought iron accents to a French country kitchen will transport you back in time. Stone floors and aged walls that make you think of an old French country farmhouse will complete the look.

Let the uniqueness and the eclectic side of your personality shine in a room entirely dedicated to French Country décor. It is a style that makes you and your guests feel at home and a design choice that you won’t get bored of quickly.

©2007, Kathy Burns-Millyard