Add This Site:
French Interior Design & Decorating
The article below gives you some general French interior design ideas and original pictures. If you’re looking for specific French home decorating information, do check out the following links as well:
It takes a serious amount of sophistication to pull off a mix of art, antiques and the latest fashions and then, possibly, stir in a bit of country or kitsch. Of course this isn’t the only type of French interior decorating there is ... ... but I do think it’s one the French are particularly good at. "If It’s Worth Doing, |
Oooops … are you French, by any chance? Well, would you agree that French interior design is about creating spaces with a truly original flair - and the occasional healthy dash of flamboyance?
To me as a foreigner, it seems quite obvious everywhere in France. Just look at the flower displays in your public spaces. Even in very small towns, they’re extraordinary; always eye-catching and superbly tasteful. (And they do look quite expensive, too!).
Anyway, back to French interior design. Let’s start with something France is famous for the world over (apart from the wine…)
Castle Style
Here’s a picture I took at one of the prettiest castles in the Loire valley, Chenonceau.
This painted ceiling is just one of its many marvels.
Now you could say, castles are a special case of interior decorating - after all, they’re built to show off wealth and power, right?
So really, having gorgeous ceilings is the least you can do if you’re a castle, French or not French!
But have a look at this one - another painted, or rather stencilled, ceiling, and it's definitely contemporary French interior design, and not in a castle. It was done for a lovely little hotel, La Maison de Blauzac, tucked away in a tiny town in Provence.
The wardrobe doors at the top of the page (if you don’t mind scrolling back up for a moment, please)…
… are in the same room as this ceiling, and there’s a broad strip of gold all around the lower part of the walls.
The sky-blue-and-gold color scheme makes for a serene, rich and, well, princely environment to recharge your batteries!
Playing With The Past
Obviously, interior decorating in France isn’t all about gold (in fact, much of it isn't!)
One of the things that strike me about French interior design is the playful attitude towards the past.
There is so much gorgeous old stuff around this country that it doesn’t need any ‘packaging’ to make it look even more special, gorgeous, or old.
For example, the plasterwork on this chimney breast (in another Provençal house) is antique, and so is the print.
Why frame it?
The owner just hung it on a rusty iron hook and fastened it with a faded silk bow.
Country Elegance
Just because you’re not in Paris doesn’t mean you don’t do things with a flair.Here’s an example of French interior design from Les Sardines aux Yeux Bleus in Gattigues.
(Les Sardines is my favorite B&B in the South of France. It manages to be exquisitely relaxed, a bit rustic and very chic, all at the same time.)
In one of their spacious bathrooms, this antique chair displays its elegant lines against the backdrop of a sheer linen curtain that's been swept up from the floor in a big, sculptural knot.
Go For Color
Looking at the pictures so far, you might be left with the impression that French interior design is generally done in chalky or faded colors.
Far from it.
Have a look at this French country living room – it’s all in red, pink and rust, with some blue, écru and cream thrown in to create an enlivening mix.
The scrumptious surfaces of the quilt and overstuffed cushions covered in velvet create a lush, tactile, inviting seating area.
A Bit of Gold Can't Hurt, Either
At the end, just once, let me return to the 'gold' theme in French interior decorating ... for the heck of it.Have a look at this picture and you’ll understand why I couldn’t resist! It’s a life-size portrait, given to the owners of Chenonceau castle by the sitter himself, King Louis XIV …
…and it has the most over-the-top picture frame I’ve seen in my whole life.
To be sure, contemporary French interior design doesn’t generally go to these lengths (and it’s not just for the current lack of kings!)
But if you’re into French home decorating, something gilded, or at least something polished to a high sheen, will never go amiss.
That said, I also find that French interior decorating is much more interested in gracious living than in Parisian uber chic.
It’s about the art of making everyday life really, really enjoyable.
Chances are that's what you had in mind as well. And chances are you're not, at the moment, the proud owner of a French castle, or of an antique pile in the countryside.
So how do you create convincing French interior design?
Well, there's the French (Country) Interior Design section of this site, of course. If you want to go further, I suggest looking into French interior design magazines. Here's a selection for you:
Magazines
French interior design magazines are renowned for their originality and inspiration. Whenever I'm in France, I bring back an armful.
Even if your French is rusty, scant, or non-existent, French interior design mags are worth it just for the pictures.
My personal favorites from the ones pictured here are
- Art & Decoration (artistic, inventive & very elegant)
- Marie Claire Maison (great French design news and inspiring color schemes)
- Elle Decoration (very hip, fresh & eclectic)
- Campagne Decoration (focuses on French country interior design and is a great bi-monthly inspiration booster)
- Marie Claire Idees gets rave reviews from US readers ("I subscribe to Martha Stewart Living and I'd have to say this beats it").
Books
Next to magazines, books are invaluable when it comes to creating the French look. And they come with the added bonus of being translated into English ;-)
The following selection of French interior design and decorating books is a combination of best rated / best selling on Amazon.com, plus a few books that are already out of print but still listed & available on Amazon (and so good that I just had to mention them here!)
This 'Best Of' selected reading list is focused exclusively on original, authentic French homes:
If you would like to see more of the French interior design & decorating on this site, check out the following links:
French Country Interior Design
Provence Interiors
French Country Style Curtains
French Country Kitchens ("Get the Look")
French Country Kitchen Design
Color Schemes for French Country Decorating
Decorating with Toile de Jouy
French Country Decor on a Shoestring
French Bathroom Decorating Ideas
French Bedroom Furniture
| Would you like to be kept informed with news and updates to this site? Subscribe to my blog and/or free e-zine - it's simple, and keeps you supplied with ... ... fresh home decorating news and ideas year-round! |
Return from French Interior Design to Dream Home Decorating Homepage
