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Design 101
An In-Depth Guide to French Country Style
October 31, 2024
French country style transports you to the quaint countryside of provincial France by curating pieces with elements from various styles, including rustic, modern, and farmhouse.
Incorporating different decor elements brings just the right balance of beauty and functionality together to embody the French country style. For example, a French country interior might feature an ornate crystal chandelier over a rustic natural wood table or an antique gilded bed frame next to a white wicker nightstand.
The joy and challenge of designing French country interiors is discovering just the right balance of elements from various styles to offer fresh and modern functionality with the warmth and welcoming feel of rustic and European designs.
What Is French Country Style?
French country decor carefully balances rustic and elegant elements, resulting in a style that is both comfortable and refined. With a nod to European design, this understated style features quality craftsmanship and an organized layout.
When you walk into a French country home, you step into an open and airy space that is somehow also warm and inviting. Carefully curated collections of furniture and decor achieve a graceful balance of beauty and functionality in French country style.
Though this design style shares elements of other popular styles, there are a few key differences:
• French country interiors are not as rustic as American farmhouse decor.
• Shabby chic is more casual than typical French country decor.
• Warmer elements offset fresh, simple, and bold elements to maintain a more comfortable, inviting feel than most modern styles.
The History of French Country Decor
French country decor is based on a style referred to simply as "farmhouse" in France, which differs from the American farmhouse style. The French farmhouse style originated in provincial France in the 17th century when the country's first real middle class had enough income to purchase finer furniture. However, the decor also had to be functional to work with the daily realities of country living.
American soldiers serving in France during World War I saw the rustic yet stylish design of French farmhouses and brought the French country style back to the United States after the war. Modern French country homes became popular in the United States in the 1970s and remain a favored style today.
Elements of French Country Style
Elements of French country style can be found in rustic, European, and contemporary styles. With just the right balance of elements, your French country decor will transport you to provincial France.
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Colors
French country interiors feature calm, neutral colors that warm the cooler aspects of soft blues and greens.
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Finishes
You'll find a careful balance of finishes in French country decor, including distressed and weathered looks, natural and dark stained woods, and even some white-painted furniture.
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Materials
Natural materials like wood, iron, and clay join crystal, gold, and other delicate glasses and metals in French country-style homes.
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Prints
A mix of solids and prints fill French country homes. Popular prints include gingham, small florals, plaid, checkers, stripes, and toile — pastoral scenes printed in one soft color on white or light material.
Learn moreElements of a French Country Style Home
The secret to a French country style home is in balancing the different design elements. Too much of one element and the others will become overwhelmed or seem out of place. Consider the function of each item and decide which style best fits that function.
One of the benefits of French country style is its flexibility. Because this aesthetic veers away from matching decor sets, you have the freedom to find furniture, art, or other decor that really speaks to you. Find unique pieces from antique shops, thrift stores, or even independent artists. Choose a few pieces you love and make them the centerpieces of the space, such as a cozy sofa, a uniquely carved dining table, or a bold, modern art print. Then you can build your look around those items by adding neutral elements that won’t overwhelm them.
French Country Style Bedroom
French country style lends itself well to a bedroom. The cozy, rustic, and cottagecore elements will help you to feel relaxed and comfortable, and the neutral color palette won’t be too bright or overstimulating. The sleek lines of the modern aesthetic elements also keep the decor from being too visually stimulating. The result is a soft, homey space that will lull you right to sleep.
In a French country style bedroom, you’ll likely want to lean into the cozier rustic and farmhouse elements of the aesthetic, while using the modern style pieces as a bold accent. You may want bed linens in soft, natural fabrics such as cotton or wool. Undyed fabrics or neutral colors such as beige and brown can lean even more into that rustic feel.
To soften the clean, straight lines of modernism, add some throw pillows with soft, scalloped edges, or choose a curved or ornately carved headboard as a focal piece. The key is to use the more ornate decor sparingly — just enough curves to take the edge off without making the decor feel too busy.
You might pair this with natural wood furniture such as a wooden bed frame or dresser. To add the modern touches, consider using chic metal hardware for the drawer pulls, or adding a sleek metal lamp to your bedside table.
Top off the look with a crystal chandelier, or an industrial-feeling iron and glass light fixture.
French Country Style Dining Room
Where better to add a little French-style fusion than your dining room? A light and airy French country style dining room is the perfect place to relax and indulge in a hearty meal after a long day.
Choose a light, neutral color palette that leans into the buttery warmth of golds and browns. Or lean into natural tones like light blue and spring green. Avoid bold colors that will clash with the more natural elements of the aesthetic.
Skip the table linens and go for a rustic wood dining table that will look great bare. Choose placemats in natural materials such as rattan, jute, or wood. Surround the table with soft, cushioned dining chairs that will nicely contrast the table’s hard lines.
When it comes to dishware, you don’t need a fancy, matched set of china. For French country style decor, skip the perfectly matching pieces for an eclectic mix of dishware that uniquely suits you. Pick a few unique patterns that pair well together, or find some funky antique dishware at a local antique shop or thrift store.
For a table centerpiece, you don’t need anything elaborate. Some simple cast iron or crystal candlesticks would do the trick. Or lean into the rustic side with a simple clay bowl of fruit or a small potted plant.
Surround your table with wall decor that pairs the clean lines of modernism with cozy cottagecore and farmhouse elements. Choose a framed piece of abstract art in neutral colors, or hang a soft cotton or macrame tapestry.
French Country Style Living Room
To bring the French countryside to your living room, start by choosing a focal piece or two to build your decor around. A delicate floral sofa or a large piece of wall art can be great focal pieces. Or you could choose a distressed or whitewashed coffee table topped with some eclectic table decor. Whatever catches your eye, you can build the aesthetic around it.
To achieve this look, trade the typical matched living room set for some cute coordinating antiques. For example, you could pair a neutral sofa with a floral ottoman, or match up a plush leather couch with sleek, modern armchairs.
Wall and shelf decor that will fit right in here might include clay or porcelain vases, blown glass, or framed pastoral prints. With accent decor, try to strike a balance between rustic charm and modern minimalism. Lean into clean lines and natural curves, with a few more ornate pieces thrown in to keep visual interest.
What Are the Rules of French Country Style?
The rules of French country decor are simple:
1.
Avoid matching sets
For example, rather than a dining room set complete with matching table, chairs, and hutch, surround a rustic, wooden table with antique, upholstered chairs and a dark-stained French buffet.
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Stay away from saturated colors
Lean into warm, neutral colors and soft pastels. Light blues and greens, gentle blush, and a mix of whites work well with French country decor.
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Keep it warm
If you veer too far into modern design, you lose the warmth essential to French country design. Balance contemporary decor's symmetry and clean lines with pieces featuring scalloped edges and ornate designs.
How To Incorporate Modern French Country Style Into Your Home Decor
If you find the balance of beauty and functionality integral to French country style appealing, incorporating this style into your modern French country home decor will be an enjoyable adventure.
Rather than working toward a decor filled with matching pieces, each piece you choose sends you in a new direction to find another element to maintain the balance of rustic and refined.
Choose decor in a variety of styles, balancing vintage with modern, formal with rustic, and ornate with simple. Here are some examples of how to incorporate modern French country style into your home decor.
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Invest in a secretary desk, a unique piece that originated in France in the 17th century. With its ornate detailing, storage space, and hide-away desk surface, it's the epitome of beauty and functionality. Offset it with a modern desk chair.
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Surround a rustic, natural wood table with upholstered dining room chairs. Select chairs with a more formal look to balance the casual look of the rustic table.
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Place a decorative tufted ottoman with print fabric at the foot of a simple upholstered sofa with clean lines in a solid, muted color. Consider choosing an ottoman with storage for added functionality.
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Select decor for your entry area that makes guests feel like they've stepped into provincial France, like an opulent, detailed chandelier balanced by pottery filled with fresh flowers.
Curate Your Own French Country Interior
Start your French country decor journey by searching for French country pieces. Then, begin curating your own unique French country-style home by shopping by style for pieces from various designs — like rustic, mid-century modern, and cottagecore — that come together to deliver you to the French countryside.
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