4 French Country Design Ideas for Your Custom Home
December 17, 2019When you’re thinking about designing your custom home, the options can get overwhelming. You may have an idea of what you like, but what interior design style best fits you? Taking a closer look at different styles can help you further narrow down elements you like and elements you don’t to build a look and feel in your custom home that truly fits you. Here is some more information about French Country interior design as well as a few French Country design ideas to help you determine whether this is the right style for you:
What is French Country Interior Design?
French Country interior design is a mix of farmhouse and French elegance. This is not to be confused with French Rococo, which is all about opulence and luxury. French Country is inspired by homes in the French countryside, particularly those in Provence. It exudes an elegant simplicity with a clean, rustic look and feel.
Sunlight, blooming flowers, ruffles, mixed patterns, distressed or reclaimed wood, and more are all staples of French Country interior design. When it comes to colors, you can go with something more subdued while still mixing in vibrant hues for a unique and interesting look. French Country is all about elegance and luxury with a lived-in and welcoming feel.
4 French Country Design Ideas
If this sounds like it could be the interior design style for you, here are a few French Country design ideas to inspire you for your custom home:
1. Consider a Cozy Breakfast Nook
A lot of getting the right look and feel for a specific style is in the decor and accessories. But, a cozy breakfast nook nestled into a corner by a window is quintessential French Country style. A bench, chairs, or bench and chair combination with soft and patterned fabrics paired with a small table can help you create a sense of country living with a French flair.
You’ll get some natural light from the window and a vase with some flowers on the windowsill or on the table can add some extra elements to your breakfast nook. Plus, making sure there is a window nearby is one of the tips for including a breakfast nook in your custom home, regardless of your interior design theme. You can also mix and match patterns for an interesting look.
2. Pick Drapery with a Dramatic Flair
The style of your windows and the window treatments you choose can have a big effect on the atmosphere of a room. Dark, heavy drapery can be oppressive depending on the decor of the rest of the room. But, if paired well with other elements, it can also provide some elegance with a dramatic flair.
You can also go with something lighter and airier around your windows if that matches the rest of your decor better. Because natural light is an important aspect of French Country design, you want to make sure you can still get plenty of it when you tie back your curtains or drapery.
3. Include Natural Wood
Natural wood is a classic staple of Farmhouse, Rustic, and French Country interior design. Weathered, distressed, reclaimed, or white-washed woods are all common in French Country design.
A side table or sideboard in neutral tones with distressed cabinet doors creates an interesting contrast. A wooden table in your breakfast nook, natural wood bookcases, or a reclaimed barn door repurposed for interior use can all give you a touch of rustic country living in your decor.
There are plenty of ways to incorporate natural wood into your home for a French Country feel. Between walls, floors, furniture, accessories, tabletops, exposed wooden beams on the ceiling, and more, there are a lot of options available to help you create the look you want.
4. Think About Adding Vintage or Antique Decor
Another one of the French Country design ideas you can incorporate into your custom home is vintage or antique decor. You can go all out with vintage-inspired furniture, washes, finishes, and more. Or, you can keep it simple and add vintage or antique accessories to help create a sense of timeless elegance with your French Country style.
Patterned fabric with a vintage feel can be used on furniture, pillows, blankets, and more. Toile is the most common pattern, but you’ll also find botanical-inspired patterns, stripes, plaids, checks, and more. You can also mix and match patterns, which is common in French Country design.
Decor or patterns that feature common French Country motifs like roosters, sunflowers, olives, and lavender are also popular, especially in curtain panels and table linens. The curved lines common to a vintage look are another popular element of French Country design as it tends to give furniture and other areas or items a softer and more welcoming look and feel.
These are just a few French Country design ideas to help inspire you for decor and ideas for your custom home. Working with an experienced custom home builder can help you work through details and options to make sure you end up with the look and feel that you want. If you’re ready to get started on making your dream home a reality, contact Custom Home Group at 717-284-4090!