Archive for the ‘French Country Decor’ Category
French Country Decorating
French Country Decorating
French country decorating is as popular today as it has ever been. The loveliness that is Paris or the South of France sticks in the minds of travelers, and what better way to recreate those memories than to implement some French country decor in your own home.
Some of the basic components of French country decorating are warm, rich and as welcoming as nature. When you consider this, your new rustic home decor can run crazy with ideas for every room in your home.
Is French Country Decorating for you?
Probably one of many folks’ favorite designs comes when redecorating their homes with French country kitchens. You can select exquisite pieces to create your French country kitchen so that it exudes elegance but remains fully functional. Don’t end your kitchen decorating ideas with just a few pieces to dress up your French country design; consider using French fabrics, such as French boutis, and even French country linens and country wall decor. Beautiful dark oak kitchen tables and chairs can be the focus of your new French kitchen, while you splash some warm colors from the French palette from lighter shades of yellow to deeply toned reds, greens or blues. The French country houses are ones filled with joy and laughter that starts right in the kitchen.
Your French country decorating ideas can expand with the use of textures throughout your home, which also played such an important role in French country homes. Even your lighting can aid with your country makeover with some very nice “farm house” chandeliers and other ceiling lights. Many French lighting designs are made of cast iron and add to the rustic look. But don’t get the idea that French country chandeliers are boring! Have a look around in some of your home decor catalogs for some lighting ideas. Many French country homes include the often-seen roosters in them, which look great in your French country kitchen too.
They say that Paris is the city of romance, so you may consider including some French country decorating for your bedroom. The French country bedroom is the heart of your romantic home getaway. Don’t forget to incorporate the French colors, textures and French country bedroom furniture. You may consider a traditional French design, the “toile de Jouy” that looks lovely on a bedroom comforter or even incorporated into country French curtains.
French Country Decorating with Furniture
There are many wonderful French country furniture pieces to include throughout the home. Many have been updated to look a bit more contemporary, but they still maintain that bit of elegance or even extravagance that was typical in French country furniture. To get some of your own ideas for your French country design, there are a number of magazines that include numerous photographs of French country homes. When you’re looking, pay close attention to the detail and you may be surprised to find many more country decorating ideas, including French country rugs, French country cottage ideas, country wall décor and much more.
French country decorating is alive and well, and it brings a warmth and gentleness to your home. When you’re finished, open a glass of your favorite French wine and enjoy your new French country decorating!
Shabby Chic Furniture
Shabby Chic Furniture – It’s Fabulous
Part of the mystique of French country decor is the feeling that you’re enveloped in a warm, comfortable home that has been part of the rural hills of France for years and years. Most of the furniture looks antique or at least very old.
When designing your French country home you can either go out and purchase some very beautiful French antiques, or you can take some newer (even brand new) furniture and give it that rustic look yourself. That’s where “shabby chic” furniture comes in.
So What Is Shabby Chic Furniture
According to Wikipedia, “Shabby chic is a form of interior design where furniture and furnishings are either chosen for their age and signs of wear and tear or new items are distressed to achieve the appearance of an antique.” [Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabby_chic]
To create shabby chic furniture, you can paint your piece with several layers of paint, then give it the distressed look so as to give a time-worn appearance. It does not really work with natural wood stains, and it works best with different shades of whites, beiges or even softer pastels.
As mentioned, if you do not happen to have any older furniture around, you can find newer unfinished wood furniture and distress them yourself. Start with different coats of paint to start the aging in appearance. From there, you can sand around certain corners and edges to give your piece that worn-down look.
One of the “magical” ways to complete your shabby chic decor is to purchase real antique handles or knobs. If you cannot find antique hardware, there are many stores that sell replica handles or knobs. This gives your shabby chic furniture the instant genuine look of rustic, period pieces.
Before you run to the flea market, look around your own home. Is any of your furniture looking old and tired? They are candidates for the shabby chic look. Wicker is really popular, as it is easy to find used, light weight to transport, and spray painting it is a breeze.
Snap, Crackle, Shabby Chic Furniture
Another way to add a distressed look is to use “crackle” paint. This is a paint finish that actually looks like the paint is cracked, chipped or pealing, giving your shabby chic chair or shabby chic table a quick aging.
Whether you use a basic whitewash base or some other concoction of painted layers, you can have fun experimenting with your shabby chic decorating. Try making a shabby chic chandelier or other accessory. The shabby chic decor is not just for furniture.
Keep in mind that French furniture is charming, beautiful, and lavish. Most of French furniture was considered works of art. Create your French country decorating while making your own shabby chic furniture.
Apple Kitchen Decor
Apple Kitchen Decor and other French Country Kitchen Ideas
Although many people associate apple pie with the America way, an apple kitchen decor is really something that you’ll find in a French country kitchen.
Apple Kitchen Decor – You Can Almost Smell The Apples
It’s funny how with an apple designed kitchen you can almost smell the fresh apples. You can start with a light leaf green color for your walls or a nice apple related wall paper. If you’re daring, you can even go for a deep red color, which is not that unusual in French design, especially for an apple kitchen decor.
Regardless of which color scheme you choose, keep in mind whether you want your kitchen to look contemporary or if you are going for that shabby chic decor. Country French decor is often created with either antique pieces or new items distressed to look antique.
When it comes to accessories, there is a plethora of apple related accents. Look for some decorative ceramics, canisters, napkin holders, cookie jars, and even apple-shaped trivets to help embellish your apple kitchen decor.
More Apple Kitchen Decor Ideas
Believe me, you can find apple canisters, apple salt shakers, apple pot holders, apple kitchen towels and even apple napkin holders. How far you go is up to you, but you can get some traditionally French designs when you go for this fresh and fruity apple kitchen decor.
From your kitchen wall decor to your kitchen island designs, you will have fun when you choose the classic apple country kitchen. Adding a tinge of distinctively French accents will tie your beautiful new kitchen with the rest of your French country décor. You can accomplish this by using similar items throughout several of the rooms in your home. For example, you may want to use similar iron wall decor in your kitchen as you did in your family room or living room. Maybe there is a similarity in bathroom tile design that you can incorporate into your kitchen tile design. Maybe even a French Country Bedroom?
You don’t have to make your apple kitchen stand out like a bizarre room in your home. If done correctly, you can make it look as every bit a French country kitchen as any other design, and the apple kitchen decor theme is fun!
French Country Bedroom
French Country Bedroom – A Beautiful Design
French Country Bedroom
No French country decor would be complete without the full French country bedroom. There are different thoughts on colors for a French bedroom, but most that I’ve seen are light and airy. From this base you can work the whole gambit of the French palette of colors. The walls are commonly an off white or very light blue color, and the furniture is classically a white-colored wood. If you are looking for some savings, there are great deals to be had with unfinished wood furniture that can be whitewashed to give it that quaint French country furniture look. 
If you’re opposed to the white or blue walls, try some lighter shades of green or other earthy tones. If the rest of your French country decor has that aged or antique look, you’ll want to do the same with your French country bedroom.
French Country Bedroom Curtains anyone?
You simply cannot complete your French bedroom without attending to curtains, floor coverings and accessories. Choose accessories that match your French country furniture. For example, if you go with the classic whitewashed wood furniture, try to match your accessories to that motif. A very nice touch in French county bedrooms is traditional French quilting, like boutis, or French lace.
It’s all in the French Country Bedroom Bedding
One area where you can splurge is with your French country bedding. France is known for some very famous quilting patterns like the boutis mentioned, which hails from Provence and Marseille, or the “piqûre de Marseilles” or any number of French quilts.
Window coverings can also match your French country designs. More realistic French Country style windows use a softer sheer, which is tailored and drapes down, preferably extending beyond floor length to add that extra tinge of lavishness. Leave the shorter curtains for other rooms). You can find very nice French style tiebacks and valances to enhance the French country decor.
When lighting your French country bedroom, consider some of the more elaborate lamps, or even a more traditional French sconce (wall) fixture. It will enhance the beauty of the textures and bedding that you’ve chosen for your French bedroom furniture.
If your budget allows, adorn your French Country style bedroom using the most luxurious, ornate bed such as the shabby chic furniture style. Part of the nuance of a French Country style bedroom is that your French country design includes something that is as beautiful as it is comfortable to enjoy.
Country home decorating can be a joy, and French country designs offer some of the most luxurious but warm and inviting settings, so enjoy your new French country bedroom.