When it comes to home decor, some trends live on forever, and French country is one of them. It’s similar to Modern Farmhouse but more refined, just as French decor typically is. It’s infused with charm, elegance, and rustic simplicity, and of course, there’s the whole provincial grace that comes with it. But when it comes to this style, how easy is it to achieve? Well, there’s a bit of art in French Country, and it’s going to take more than a nice flower arrangement to make a difference.
Photo by Maria Orlova
There are different types of rustic decor aesthetics out there, like farmhouse, shabby chic, and southern rustic, and the list could keep going on and on. Each of these has key pieces that help make it what it is, and it’s the same for French Country, too. So, how can you achieve this “art” to create this aesthetic in your home? Well, here’s what you need to know!
Start With Natural Materials
Technically, all rustic interior styles use natural materials, especially burlap, wood, and so on. However, one thing that really helps with the French Country aesthetic is the use of stone, brick, and hard elements like that. If you have fireplaces made of stone or brick or something similar, then you basically already have a head start. These features naturally convey the rustic, ageless appeal essential to the French Country style. If you want to improve the aesthetics without incurring exorbitant costs, brick veneer or stone veneer are good alternatives to brick and stone. You can browse through stone veneer and a selection of brick veneer listed here to create your desired aesthetics.
But that’s not all either; wrought iron is another one that other rustic styles don’t use (copper too), so you’ll want to utilise that in your space too. If you have wooden floors, wooden beams, and stone walls, well, all of this will make such a massive impact, too!
Ornate Details
French design is all about ornateness within the details; that’s what gives it away if something is French or not! That’s the biggest difference that other rustic designs lack, and that’s that fancy appeal. This could be chandeliers, onlays, hints of brass or gold, paintings, detailed picture frames, ceiling medallions, large area rugs, luxury fabric like velvet, and the list could go on and on.
Soft Palette
So, each rustic decor aesthetic varies with colours, too. Cottagecore is filled with pastels reminiscent of spring and summer, Modern Farmhouse is filled with black, white, navy blue, and grey (basically the only colors), and French Country even has its own palette. It’s inspired by the natural landscapes of Provence.
So, you’ll want to opt for muted hues such as soft whites, creamy ivories, gentle grays, and earthy tones to evoke a sense of tranquillity and timelessness. But of course, you’re going to need some lavender, too!
Photo by Heather Ford on Unsplash
Floral Motifs
You can’t think about Provence without thinking of lavender, right? While your standing rustic decor is usually synonymous with sunflowers, when it comes to French country, it’s basically lavender. There’s this bucolic charm that French Country has, so you may want to get some greenery into the space, like olive trees, maybe some toile de jouy wallpaper, paintings of landscapes, and adorn your space with fresh and wild bouquets. All of this sort of helps you feel like you’re far away in a little village.