When you think of France, the first thing that comes to mind is exquisite and high-class taste, grandeur, romance and luxury, right? And why not. The French really have an instinctive ability to easily mix the old with the new, be it furniture, decor, lighting or the overall theme of any room/space. In other words, the French interior design style is chic and bold yet personal and quirky.
Some basic French interior design elements
Lighting: Crystal chandeliers, ceiling lights, candlesticks and floor lamps.
Fabrics: Brocade and velvet drapery, silk organza, linen and chiffon (transparency + lightness).
Architecture: Rosettes, stucco mouldings, large windows, high ceilings, shiny ceramic granite floors, parquet, laminate and light newly polished stone.
Interior: Semi-matte or matte colors and decorative floral wallpaper.
Décor And Accessories: Decorative ornaments (in bronze/silver), crystal, porcelain figurines, paintings of old cotton fabric and mirrors in large carved frames with gilding placed over special pedestals, flower vases, lace hand-made napkins and hand-embroidered cushions (beads/ribbons).
Furniture: Sofas and wooden armchairs with metal decorations and gracefully curved backs and legs, tables of exquisite past with the thinnest rounded legs and small rugs with plant-based patterns.
Color schemes: Ivory, soft blue, silver, grey-green, emerald, purple and other pastel colors.
Also, here are some dos and don’ts of this decorating style that you can keep on hand:
Make the ceiling more interesting instead of leaving it plain white and keep one wall completely bare.
Pair modern, clean lines with baroque curves in the architecture to create an unconventional and bold yet soft look.
Choose restrained/moderate color schemes for this decor style.
Do not use furniture of only one type; Instead, make furniture stand out by pairing it with something different and contrasting to keep the balance.
Do not hesitate before introducing an oversized spectacular decor to raise the wow factor.
Don’t go overboard with tassels, fringes, frills and too many patterned fabrics.
