French Country Home Style Ultimate Guide (by a French Girl)
Did you already dream of a home that makes you feel you’re in France?
If so, you may already have heard about the French country home style.
But what do you need to decorate your home like the French?
Is it the colors? Or is it the materials? Or maybe it’s the furniture?
Yes, yes and yes – It’s all of that and more.
Let’s start this French country guide!
Contents
Chapter I: Elements of French country home style
Chapter II: Decorating with French country step by step
Chapter III: Decorating with French country room by room
Chapter IV: Where to buy French country style decor & furniture?
I have provided a direct paid link wherever possible so that you can easily shop and decorate.
I. Elements of a French country home style
French country style could be translated by a popular decor in France named « style campagne chic ».
The word « Campagne » means countryside. And the word « Chic » adds a little bit of elegance to this countryside decor.
What’s crossing your mind whenever you heard about the French countryside?
Do you see a warm place with alleys and flowers everywhere? Maybe you smell the delicious fresh bread odor coming from the boulangerie? And heard the bell of this little church in the middle of the village?
As a French, this is what I see:
French country home decor must reflect this atmosphere.
For that, there are some elements to keep in mind… Your color palette is the first thing to choose.
You know French Country is the look you want for your home, but you can’t achieve it? And it drives you crazy?
→ Learn the secrets of a French woman to decorate your home the French way from start to finish in this complete course. Discover all it contains here.
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1. French country color palette
The french country color palette is mostly neutral.
Use a lot of white, beige, and gray, particularly on walls and furniture.
Then, you can add faded colors like baby blue, soft green, or pale pink to furniture or decor.
Finally, gold and copper accessories like mirrors or pans will add brightness to your French country home decor.
Check this post to know how to choose the right French country colors.
I also created a post gathering the best French country paint colors to use.
2. French country patterns
Solid colors are always a good choice.
But a few French country patterns here and there will give character and charm to your home.
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Stripes and checks are a safe bet. I particularly love them on cushions, and chair upholstery. But bed linen can also be a good place to put some french country patterns. That’s up to you!
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Toile de Jouy fabric: I absolutely love that one. It’s a traditional French fabric on which are showed characters with scenery or landscapes.
Gorgeous, isn’t it?
But it has to be used very sparingly.
I’ll talk more about toile de Jouy fabric and how to use it here.
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To discover the other French country prints to use, you can read this blog post.
Tip: Always keep in mind the French country color palette when you choose patterns.
3. French country home architecture
Old French homes have usually beautiful architecture, with exposed beams, fireplaces, stone or brick walls, tiled floors… It depends on the region of France. It’s also what makes interiors charming.
If you can renovate your house with some of these elements, you’re a lucky one! This will definitely add character to your home.
But I know some of you won’t be able to do it. That’s why I looked for some great tricks for you.
And I gathered them into an e-book. In there, you’ll find all my secrets to make your home look instantly old and collected over time, even if you live in a very modern house. You can learn more here.
Related Post: How to bring a French flair to your modern home
4. French country materials
Use authentic and natural materials. And always focus on good quality.
• Wood: for your floor, furniture and decor. Old and raw. Or painted with chalk paint for a distressed look (this chalk paint is perfect for a French country finish).
• All kinds of metal like copper, brass, wire, galvanized metal and wrought iron for your home decor or appliances
• Cotton or linen fabrics for your bed linen, curtains, cushions, and kitchen towels
• Ceramics: earthenware, stoneware, or ironstone crockery (white or beige dinnerware with transferware is gorgeous!)
5. Decorating with French antiques
Once you have the right colors, patterns,s, and materials, you can focus on decor.
And when I say decor, I mean mostly French vintage decor. So if you don’t like old things, French country decor is definitely not for you!
Our countryside home is 90 % decorated with old furniture and decor, inherited from my grandparents or found in brocantes (french version of flea markets).
Decorating with French antiques is very personal. Always choose what you love and what resonates in you. That will make your decor unique and looks like you.
But of course, there’re some key pieces! You can check them all here.
The important thing to pay attention to is to not overload your decor. Or we’ll only see a dump, and the beauty of your collection won’t stand up.
I gathered for you the best French vintage furniture & decor to shop right here.6. French country furniture style
In a French country home style, furniture has to be useful and comfortable. It needs to support daily countryside living.
French country furniture style:
• is made out of natural materials like wood, wrought iron, and linen
• shows carved wood
• mix curved and straight lines
• is never too ornate
• shows a distressed finish
I help you choose the exact French country furniture to choose and much more in my French country design e-book, so you never waste money and time anymore.
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7. An authentic French country home style
An authentic French country home mixes rusticity, elegance, and eclectism.
To recreate the French look, it’s important to take inspiration from real French houses.
There are 10 common mistakes to avoid when decorating your home.
One of them is to have a distorted image of the French country style.
Some people seem to confuse it with the old world or the traditional look.
While these incorporate dark woods, ornate details, or heavy fabrics, the French country style is more bright, only shows subtle colors, and prefers fluid fabrics.
Want to know if you’re making one of the 9 other mistakes? Check them out here!
8. The differences between French farmhouse, French provincial & French chateau
You now know the basics of the overall French country style.
But it’s important that you know there are small variations within this style, which could also be called “sub-styles”: French farmhouse, French provincial and French chateau.
In France, depending on the region and social class, the materials, and colors used were not the same.
To find out what YOUR style is, read this.
This will help you better choose your furniture and decorative items.
II. Decorating with french country step by step
So now you’re sure that you want a French country style in your home and you may even know what is your « sub-style ».
That’s a great point!
But how do you get started?
That seems to be a lot of work… You may think you can’t do that.
And I won’t lie to you. It takes time to (re)decorate an entire home…
But it doesn’t need to be complicated.
All you need is A PLAN.
A plan that will make things a lot easier.
You’ll be able to do it at your own pace, room after room.
I shared the entire plan I used to decorate our home in my e-book.
It’s a complete decorating strategy that teaches you how to design any room in 10 easy steps.
Once you take these steps, decorating is so much easier:
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You don’t feel stressed about it all the time and you can actually make decisions to move your home design forward.
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You are finally able to visualize how it will look at the end, right from the start of the transformation.
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This way, you know what you want and what you don’t want for your home before you start shopping and decorating.
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Your choices are consistent and your home cohesive.
III. Decorating with french country room by room
Now that you know the main features of a French country home style, I can show you what it looks like for each room. The pictures are clickable and will direct you to the item.
There are some essential pieces to have for authentic French country home decor. Let’s start!
1. French country kitchen decor
In France, the kitchen is very often the central room of the house.
This is where we spend time preparing meals, and where the family enjoys getting together to talk.
These 5 essential pieces can be the base for your French country kitchen:
B. Copper cookware
C. Ironstone dinnerware
D. Light window curtains
E. Flowers
Need more inspiration? Find French kitchen decor pictures here.
2. French country living room
The living room is my favorite room. This is where I just relax after a workday, chilling on the couch watching tv or reading a good book.
A French country living room must be a friendly and cozy room. These can help:
B. A comfy and large sofa + 2 or 3 confortable chairs
C. A side table
D. Some wall art with a gold mirror or paintings
E. A chandelier
Related post: 37 terrific ideas to get an authentic French country living room
3. French country dining room
In my family, we eat in the kitchen, as we got the chance to have enough place for a large table.
But when we receive guests, we like to eat in the dining room, on our big farm table, inherited from my grandparents.
Our dining room is furnished with:
B. Wooden chairs dressed with cushions or linen
C. A dresser
D. Antique dinnerware
E. A floral centerpiece
Want to know what my dining room looks like? I’ll take you there.
4. French country bedroom decor
Your bedroom should be the more peaceful room in your home.
For a French country style, you just need to have the basics in mind (colors, materials, and patterns) + these five pieces:
B. French country patterned or plain bed linen
C. A wardrobe (une « armoire » in French)
D. A rug
E. One or two nightstands with an antique lamp
Grab this FREE guide about how to get an authentic French country bedroom.
5. French country bathroom decor
The bathroom or « salle de bain » in French.
It’s a room that needs to be bright and shows a bit of luxury with quality materials.
Here are five ideas of furnishing & accessories you can add:
B. A French mirror
C. Wall sconces
D. An old piece of furniture for the sink
E. Wrought iron accessories
6. French country entry
Your entry is the first impression your guests will have of your home. So it has to be great!
It should show your guests what to expect for the rest of the house.
The entry decor will depend on the space you have.
But always include a wooden piece of furniture and vintage items.
Don’t overload it.
Be simple:
A. A wooden piece of furniture
B. Vintage decor
C. A mirror
D. A coat rack
E. An umbrella stand
IV. Where to buy french country style decor and furniture?
1. French country furniture
I know that authentic French antique furniture can be hard to get if you live abroad, as shipping costs must be very expensive for large pieces.
That’s why I selected for you French country style furniture you can find in famous stores.
2. French country style decor
If you follow more for a while, you may already know I have a French vintage shop « Brocante, Ma Jolie ».
I sell some beauties I found in brocantes (flea markets), in small villages in the North of France, where I live.
In my shop, you’ll find a lot of French country decor like antique dinnerware, copper, chandeliers, mirrors, linens, and more.
But, if you’re looking for a special item, please feel free to contact me. I’ll be glad to try to find something for you!
You can also find some other vintage beauties in this shop and this great one.
And I gathered for you the best French vintage finds here.
Wanna decorate the French way but feel like you don’t have the budget? Check these 10 tips to save money and time when decorating!
FAQ
What is the French country style?
French country home decor is a warm and welcoming decorating style that comes from French countryside homes of the past. It mostly incorporates warm neutral colors mixed with traditional patterns, distressed furniture, and French vintage decor. The final result must be elegant but imperfect.
What colors are used in French country decor?
To get a French country decor, use a neutral color palette with a lot of white, beige, gray, and taupe. Add some faded colors like blue, green, or pink, but always in moderation. Finally, bring brightness to your home with gold and copper touches.
What is a French kitchen?
A French kitchen is a convivial and joyful room where the French likes to talk when preparing meals. It’s furnished with a big wooden table in the center and vintage wooden chairs. Copper pans and utensils are hanging on the wall next to enamel or ceramic canisters. Antique stoneware dinnerware is stored in cupboards. In spring, flowers brighten up the room.
Bonjour! I’m Mathilde, a French girl living in the countryside near the sea. If you’re curious to learn more about me, read my full story.
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1 thought on “French Country Home Style Ultimate Guide (by a French Girl)”
Thank you for putting together this wonderful resource on the French Country aesthetic. I will be referring to it often!