The Timeless Appeal of French Country Interiors

It all began with a rooster.   Lord of the barnyard, his domain included pastoral views of vineyards and surrounding countryside.

I fell in love with him and his kingdom, brought to life in bold reds and yellows on a swatch of toile fabric.  I decided immediately that I had to bring this rooster home with me.

Today, the fabric that depicts this romantic country scene hangs in my dining room windows, and launched my love affair with French Country interiors.

I’ve been emotionally drawn to country interiors all my life.  I grew up in a home filled with primitive American country decor, and I loved the casual ease of the furnishings.

As an adult, I am drawn to a more refined sense of country, which I found in French decor.

I collect decorating books, and it’s no surprise that the majority feature French Country interiors.  Authors like Betty Lou Phillips and Charles Faudree helped me define my decorating direction.  My favorite is Nina Williams’s The Illustrated Cottage: A Decorative Fairy Tale Inspired by Provence, which describes the author’s love affair with Provencal decorating. From these authors, I learned that a rich mix of prints, trims, and textures bring dimension to an interior.

When I think of French Country interiors, I tend to put them into two categories.  The first is what I call Parisian, or northern French, and uses lots of neutrals like whites, greys, and off-whites.  Living in New England, with its long, harsh winters, I didn’t want too much grey inside my house.  I needed color to offset the monotone of the winter landscape.  Luckily, the sun-drenched colors of Provence provided the perfect inspiration.

I love how French Country evokes a sense of timelessness and comfort, while being beautiful and elegant at the same time.  This living room is a place where you can put your feet up and relax completely.

I also love that beauty isn’t sacrificed for the sake of casual living.  French Country allows you to have both in abundance.

And I definitely love the rich colors!  I’ve always been drawn to reds, blues, rich greens, and sunny yellows, so Provencal French Country is the perfect style for my family.  I encourage you to mix and match fabrics with confidence.  Add in contrasting trims, which the French call passementerie, for a custom look.  The result will be beautiful and completely unique to your home.

One of the greatest appeals of French Country decorating is that is allows you to be creative with color and pattern.  It borrows bold ochres, sunny yellows, blues, greens, and reds of Provence.  I’m a big fan of fabric trim.  It completes a pillow, curtain, or cushion.

French design tends to last because it’s rooted in classical motifs, and the ease with which the French mix fine and rustic furnishings is as current today as in the past.  The mirror above is adorned with harvest images, which are at once homey and classic.

My living room, dining room, and entry are influenced by Provencal colors and the “rooster” toile that inspired my interiors. The French created toile, which makes the fabric perfect for French Country interiors.

French Country is warm, inviting, and happy.  We think you’ll agree that the mix of color and pattern evokes positive emotions and draws you into the room.  This is a space that says, “come in, put your feet up and get cozy.”

Tastefully mixing and matching fabrics allows you to incorporate accessories and wood tones beautifully.

Texture is important in decorating.  A mix of wood, metal, and rush create visual texture so an interior is multi-dimensional.  Texture also comes from mixing fabrics and trims.  Note the ruffles on the pillows above, set against the linen sofa fabric.

Together with the rush and walnut bench, and the stone of the fireplace, it adds visual dimension and interest

The photo above features an upscale pompon fringe.  Without it, the curtains would appear flat and lifeless.

By changing out cushions seasonally, you can either tone down the warm colors for summer, or cozy up for fall and winter.

As decorating trends come and go, I’ve been very happy with the timelessness of French Country design.  With just a few tweaks over the years, my home feels as fresh today as it did when I completed it, and it never fails to make me smile.