French Country Interior Design
by
David McEvoy
If you want to put a touch of je ne sais quoi into your home then why not consider the French country style of interior design. The French country style has become one of the most popular styles throughout the world and conjures up images of warm Mediterranean sunshine, sandy beaches, beautiful purple lavender fields, winding country lanes, scenic villages peppered about the countryside, flea markets, and of course the sheer charm and elegance of the cottages and farmhouses not to mention the people themselves. The good news is that you don't have to go all the way to Provence to bring a touch of rural France back into your home.
If you are stuck for ideas or inspiration you can start by browsing through magazines or do a search on the internet to get an idea of what elements go to make up the French country style. Of course you can always employ a professional interior designer to do the job for you but it helps if you know what you want to start with. Although the French style can vary significantly from area to area, to most people, it's the area known as Provence in the South of France that seems to spring to mind when thinking about French country style.
The lifestyle in Provence tends to be more casual and so the look matches this which is invariably welcoming, warm, and decidedly unfussy. Think about brightly coloured wooden shutters to keep out the blazing midday sun on windows which are often narrow and deep set. The furniture tends to be rustic with a worn lived in and comfortable look. Imagine copper pots strategically placed next to old stone fireplaces, or the dark wooden beams contrasted against the paler rough plastered walls. The scope is endless so there is plenty of variety to cater for any taste. The following ideas may help to inspire your own interpretation of French country style.
Colours
Colours that fit in with the French country style include warmer shades of bronze, gold, yellow and rust to match the hot Mediterranean climate as well as the cooler ocean colours in different shades of blues and greens, however, bright and vibrant colours do not go amiss either such as strong purple, bright red, and shocking pink. It is the way they are combined that helps to create the final look.
Fabrics and other materials
Probably the most popular fabric associated with the French country style is toile. Toile is generally a repeated pattern on a fabric with a pale background. It literally translates to cloth. However, fabrics in different textures, colours and prints go well and you can include anything from plain cloths to stripes and floral prints to fabrics depicting motifs. Motifs can be found not only on fabrics but also on wall coverings, paintings and ornamental and practical pieces in the home too. Popular motifs include roosters, grapes, lavender, and insects such as bees and the famous Cigale, whose song can be heard throughout the summer in Provence.
Use natural materials as far as possible and consider stone floors and walls, untreated wood, plastered walls that are not perfectly smooth, ceramic tiles, clay, brick, and metals such as copper and wrought iron. The key is to go for the old, the natural and the lived in look.
Furniture
The furniture has a definite rustic look to it, often in darker woods. Don't forget to include the Amoire, a tallish cabinet with drawers, shelves or cupboards used for storage or for decorative purposes. For example, you can use it to display pots, for hiding the television or storing linen and other items. Use your imagination, it is an extremely useful piece of furniture and helps to convey that authentic French look in your home.
Flowers
Flowers are essential for capturing that southern French look in your home. Hanging baskets on patios and balconies, window boxes, pitchers, pots or vases of flowers inside and outside the house help to create that distinctive French atmosphere. Of course any blooms will suffice but lavender is abundant in the south of France and as it is so deliciously fragrant, make use of potpourri, sachets of lavender and bunches of lavender to give your home that final ooh la la.
Bonne chance!
David McEvoy is an expert in interior design. If you are looking for a
leather sofa to give the finishing touches to a newly decorated room then please come and visit our site
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French Country Decorating for the Bedroom
by Lee Dobbins
If you are looking at French Country Decorating for your bedroom then there are few things that need to be considered to ensure that the finished look is right.
Firstly you need to look at style and colour. Most French Country Decorating designs are set against a background of whitewashed woodwork and are able to co-ordinate with a wide palette of colours. For a bedroom flowers and toile patterns can be used effectively. Where ever possible you should use materials that are luxurious to the touch, look at adding some traditional French lace if at all possible to the design or even some brocade may be included within the design as well.
If you like a bit of color, you could consider some light blue or light green walls or even a golden color. The key is to make it look faded or white washed as if it is antique. Match the colors in your patterns to the walls, curtains, rugs and accessories. Adding some antique accessories around the room with "chippy paint" will help to give it an authentic look for the French Countryside. Although these type of accessories are in demand today, you can still buy them at fairly reasonable prices in local antique markets and even some thrift or consignment stores.
Next we need to look at windows and lighting. For a more authentic French Country style the windows should look lovely with the use of soft sheers and tailored curtains and drapes preferably ones that will softly fold on to the floor to add that extra hint of luxury (so don't go for short curtains). It is important to include decorative tiebacks, valances and swags in your French Country Decoration design. The lighting to the room should be ornate with the lamps (Tiffany style seems to suit this kind of design well) and which also help to accentuate the walls and fabrics in the room as well.
It is important that the furniture used in a French Country Bedroom decoration should be a few pieces which have been either wood stained or colour painted to help ground the room and make everything sit in perfect harmony with each other. Certainly a French Country style bedroom should be decorated using the most luxurious toile or floral bedding that you can afford as well as a ornate and gorgeous bed along with shabby chic furniture. Remember a French Country style bedroom should ensure that you are surrounded by beauty and style as you sleep.
But at the end of the day it does not matter whether you go for the country or contemporary look, what you really want to do is design a room that displays your taste and style.
Lee Dobbins write for http://www.bedroom-designs-and-decorations.com where you can find out more about decorating your bedroom.
Article Source: Artsymmetry - Free Online Art Articles Directory
French Country Decorating For The Kitchen
by Lee Dobbins
French country kitchen design can be challenging but can also end up giving your kitchen a nice warm time-worn look. Here are some things to think about when adopting this style into your kitchen decor.
As with all homes it seems that the heart of it is the kitchen and therefore it makes sense decorate it in an appealing and comfortable style. One way is to decorate the kitchen in a French Country Style (French Country Decorating for the Kitchen) and is one of the current trends when a kitchen is about to be redecorated, plus there are a wide range of great accessories available to help enhance the look further.
However, it is important that prior to you going out and purchasing your new French Country Kitchen is that you select a colour scheme. Although often the original colour schemes for a French Country kitchen were either blue and yellow many people are now opting for either black and white or maroon and white instead. But personally I would rather use the traditional blue and yellow scheme. I would start by painting the walls in 2 shades of yellow a golden yellow for the upper half and a more darker golden yellow for the lower half. Not only does it make the room look bright and cheery but it does not feel too over the top in regard to the yellow. To accentuate the room further I would use accents of blue around the room such as tiles and pots, utensil holders etc may be even some pieces of blue glass as well.
If you cannot afford to replace the cabinets that you have then why not just alter the fronts of them by adding a little chicken wire at the front. All you need do is cut out the front panels on the door of a few of the cabinets and then cut a piece of chicken wire that is slightly larger than the panel removed and bend the edges over (avoids you getting cut by the wire) and then staple it to the inside of the door. Not only have your given the cabinet door a country look, but you can display some of your favourite pieces of pottery as well.
Now the kitchen cabinets are ready it is time to start filling your kitchen up with pieces to provide a more authentic French Country feel to it. Rooster (cockerel) accessories seem to be the hottest items at the moment for giving a kitchen the right kind of feel. Why not use a French Country rooster print on a wall and then a few statutes dotted around the kitchen on shelves and say the window ledge. You may even be lucky enough to find a gold and blue rug that has a cockerel as its central character and which will tie in the rooms colour and decor beautifully.
If you really want to finish the kitchen off perfectly then look at adding a valance to the window made from a French Country fabric called moire and you could also use this to cover any seat cushions that you have in the kitchen especially those around a kitchen table (if the room is big enough to accommodate one).
Lee Dobbins writes for http://www.a-kitchen-decorating-idea.com where you can get more tips on kitchen decorating.
Article Source: Artsymmetry - Free Online Art Articles Directory
