French Country d©cor is a style that endears itself to many because it is rustic, old-world and welcoming, fitting in with equal ease into small country homes as well as large elegant old chateaux.
Here are some tips to help you get this popular look into your home.
The abundant use of wood
To create a home that reflects the countryside you cannot miss out on the use of natural wood in design, particularly because of its warm tones. The older it is the better, just like wine growing better with age.Wooden furniture with intricate carving or wearing a distressed finish, open ceiling beams, and even other accessories made of wood are some of the ways you can do this.Rustic furniture pieces (either new or reproduced) which have curved panels, hand carved details, and consist of raw wood add great interest to this style.
The use of other natural materials
Other natural materials are used for different purposes like painted plaster walls, chair seats with woven rush materials, stone fireplaces often using tile, stone and ceramics for the border and wrought iron accessories hung up on the side walls.Flooring too is generally rustic being made of stone, clay, or brick.
The use of soft fabrics
The hallmark of French Country style is the use of "toile", a timeless and traditional design using provincial patterns on beautiful fabrics. Soft colors and delicate multiple fabric patterns which typify this style have become extremely popular.The toile themes as a rule include farm animals, Chinese patterns, country scenes, courting scenes, or monkeys
The use of naturalcolors
French country d©cor makes abundant use of colors associated with nature. These colors find a place not only in the fabrics used but also on painted furniture and other accessories. Besides this, nature expresses itselfin the form of natural wood tones, fruit motifs and buckets of fresh flowers.
The use of texture
The use of texture is another important element in French d©cor. The use of natural stone, rough plaster, rustic stone tile, hand-scraped wood beams, distressed wood furniture, woven rugs, time-worn pieces of pottery, chair seats of woven rush material all bear witness to this fact.
The use of accessories
Colorful ceramics, tiles, delicately carved pieces, and Chinoiserie pottery are some of theaccessories commonly used in French Country d©cor.Floral arrangementsin old pitchers, copper pots, or glass vases,iron candle holders and wire baskets are frequently found perched on tables covered with colourful tablecloths.
Here are some tips to help you get this popular look into your home.
The abundant use of wood
To create a home that reflects the countryside you cannot miss out on the use of natural wood in design, particularly because of its warm tones. The older it is the better, just like wine growing better with age.Wooden furniture with intricate carving or wearing a distressed finish, open ceiling beams, and even other accessories made of wood are some of the ways you can do this.Rustic furniture pieces (either new or reproduced) which have curved panels, hand carved details, and consist of raw wood add great interest to this style.
The use of other natural materials
Other natural materials are used for different purposes like painted plaster walls, chair seats with woven rush materials, stone fireplaces often using tile, stone and ceramics for the border and wrought iron accessories hung up on the side walls.Flooring too is generally rustic being made of stone, clay, or brick.
The use of soft fabrics
The hallmark of French Country style is the use of "toile", a timeless and traditional design using provincial patterns on beautiful fabrics. Soft colors and delicate multiple fabric patterns which typify this style have become extremely popular.The toile themes as a rule include farm animals, Chinese patterns, country scenes, courting scenes, or monkeys
The use of naturalcolors
French country d©cor makes abundant use of colors associated with nature. These colors find a place not only in the fabrics used but also on painted furniture and other accessories. Besides this, nature expresses itselfin the form of natural wood tones, fruit motifs and buckets of fresh flowers.
The use of texture
The use of texture is another important element in French d©cor. The use of natural stone, rough plaster, rustic stone tile, hand-scraped wood beams, distressed wood furniture, woven rugs, time-worn pieces of pottery, chair seats of woven rush material all bear witness to this fact.
The use of accessories
Colorful ceramics, tiles, delicately carved pieces, and Chinoiserie pottery are some of theaccessories commonly used in French Country d©cor.Floral arrangementsin old pitchers, copper pots, or glass vases,iron candle holders and wire baskets are frequently found perched on tables covered with colourful tablecloths.
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