French Country Decorating

French Country Decorating has been around a long time. The rich, warm colours and textures of French country decorating with their rustic old-world charm have their origins in simple farm cottages that once populated rural Provence in southern France.

Life for the poor farmers of Provence was a world apart from Paris, the busy French capital, or even the thriving commercial towns that existed in northern France. In contrast to all this, life in Provence was simple, and did not change much from one generation to the next. I personally love the idea of simple in our world today of complexity. I like to decorate rooms with this same approach.

Although the origins of the French country decorating style are to be found in Provence today the term French country decorating is frequently used to describe a style that covers elements from all of rural France, and includes not just the humble farmers cottage, but also the far more refined tastes of the country manor and the château. It is when all these different rural influences are combined together that we start to approach the style which we know today as French country decorating.

You may be asking, "What are the key elements of French country decorating?"

This style uses neutrals materials to create a look that is at once simple, and welcoming. The walls will usually be either painted plaster or perhaps rough stained while the floors can be wood, brick, or in many cases natural stone. It is however perhaps the stone fireplace which is considered the defining feature of the French country decorating style. This fireplace complete with it's tiled border and assortment of pots, pans and other accessories forms the very heart of the rural French home.

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When it comes to furniture the emphasis is always on the rustic. You should expect to find plenty of intricate hand carved detail on display, as well as other traditional country motifs such as roosters, lavender, or sunflowers.

One of the most common items of furniture to find in rooms decorated in the French country style is the amoire. This versatile unit would traditionally be used to store anything from linen, to tableware, or even pots ans pans.

Adopting the French country decorating style allows you access to a color scheme that covers a wide range that starts with the traditional rich darker reds and greens from Provence and extends to the softer, paler yellows and golds which originate in the cooler northern French countryside.

French country decorating also reminds me of cabin decorating, and also camp decorating.

Notice in the photos below, the claw foot tub, along with the simplistic white chair. These two accents can be common in this style of decorating.

This style reminds me of going back to a simple and relaxed atmosphere of day to day living. However you choose to decorate, you will find some element of French country decorating that you can employ to give your home a charming rustic appeal.