Decorating with a Modern-day French Country Furniture Style
When We Think of French Design, We Think of Effortless Refinement, Favorite Objects & Utility Muted By Comfort & Elegance.
You have no doubt seen the canonised, stylish French woman. She looks chic, and elegant without looking affected.
Her scarf is casually wrapped around her neck, her coat is years old but cashmere and her bag is a weathered saddle leather Italian number. Her hair is shiny, her nails are groomed and she’s carrying a bundle of fresh flowers. French homes reflect this same seemingly inborn sense of style, taste and refinement.
The rest of the world has admired this effortless style whether it’s a chic Parisian apartment, a sophisticated family home in Bordeaux, a coastal retreat in Cannes or a French country house in the Loire valley. The French country style has become increasingly popular so much so that whole collections of furniture can be ordered in ‘French Country’ and objects have become overly themed to the point of looking more like a themed hotel room than a classic French home.
So how do you do modern French country without falling into the trap of decorating by numbers? One of the secrets of good French design is an unstudied, unforced aesthetic that feels spontaneous. The classic French design approach is an undesigned or at least less designed, collected approach.
The collected approach is where objects have meaning and provenance. It might be the final you found at the little antique shop in Avignon. It is the well-loved wool throw your great aunt gave you. It is the brass bed your grandfather was born in.
The Modern Day French Country Look is About Formal Infused With Comfort, Classic Blended With Rustic.
The French love their families, their friends and their food so living spaces center around these things. Kitchens are a specific area where French design has been heavily influential. Family meals are paramount in French culture and therefore kitchens are often designed to be large, open communal spaces. Imagine a big wood slab table with lots of chairs surrounding it topped with cheese, bread and wine.
The French Also Have a Love For Blurring the Boundaries Between Indoor and Outdoor Spaces.
This influences everything from the predominant materials used to lively additions like fresh flowers and large baskets and bowls of fresh produce. French kitchens are meant to be used not mere showplaces. The French design aesthetic effortlessly marries elegance with functionality.
In a modern French home, just enough embellishment is added to elevate everyday things from the strictly practical. French country homes are not unadorned but typically decorated with useful everyday objects that serve multiple functions. On shelves, counters and even the walls, you are likely to see serving bowls, pitchers & baskets. That same basket stored artfully on a counter does double duty holding produce at the farmer’s market.
Choose Classic Pieces Above Overly Distressed or Themey Pieces.
Pieces that age over time are fine but all too often big box retailer pieces that are intended to look “French Country” end up looking like everything was faux distressed. If you want to pull a little French flair into your design, try an authentic French standby like the Tolix-style chair or stool.
The Tolix collection was created by Frenchman Xavier Pauchard in the 1930s and has become known as THE French café chair and stool. We sell a high-quality designer Tolix reproduction in many styles and colour choices at a price that makes updating your design a no-brainer.
The Tolix style line is made from galvanised steel and painted galvanised steel and the pieces are the kind that only get better with time as they develop the natural patina of age.
In Keeping With the Collected Look, Avoid Matchy-Matchy Furniture or Accessories, or a One-Look Design Scheme.
It is preferable to mix materials, woods and textures. Choose individual classic beautiful things and they will blend in an eclectic, personal way making your space feel like no other. Use furniture made from natural finishes and rounded, natural forms.
The Relaxhouse authentic Thonet-inspired collection is another great line for a European-inspired home. The Thonet chairs were initially fixtures of Berlin and Vienna, Thonet himself being a German designer, but overtime these chairs and stools found their way into cafes all over Europe including France. Thonet’s classic No.18 style chair is a stunning but simple addition to your kitchen giving it that old-world European charm.
For a More Spare, Modern Feel, You Can Use Vintage Inspired Lighting and Hardware to Evoke the Same Functionality With Less Embellishment.
Industrial chrome pendants and glass doorknobs can add character and still follow the “found objects” collecting approach that defines the best of French design. Zinc fixtures, galvanised steel chairs and warm, mixed woods can add layers of texture that adds visual interest to a simple space.
A nice way to do French country in a more modern way is the all-white kitchen. In the kitchen, counters cabinets and even tableware are often white. White dominates the design with natural wood being the contrasting element. The mix of white and wood in varying textures looks elegant and clean.
French Country Inspired Design Employs a Colour Palette Pulled Straight from the Landscape.
Lest you think you must use only woody neutrals, think again. Colours that work well in a French country home or a modern French home are things like velvety heathers, dusty sages and sunny yellows. On the bolder side, think bright, peony pink, cornflower blue and brick red. Colour too is used eclectically in a way that mirrors the ‘collected look.’
Steer clear of a room done only in a strict two-colour scheme like blue and yellow. In a classic French country home, you are more likely to find a large natural wood plank table with Tolix style chairs in a natural galvanised steel finish, a bright blue enamelled Le Creuset dutch oven with the warm smells of Coq Au Vin filling the room and a bouquet of yellow daisies on the counter.
Frequently Asked Questions:
The modern French country design approach is about creating an unstudied, unforced aesthetic that feels spontaneous. It emphasizes a collected approach where objects have meaning and provenance, blending formal with comfort, and classic with rustic elements. The design often features family-centric spaces, especially in kitchens, and blurs the boundaries between indoor and outdoor areas with natural materials and fresh elements.
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French kitchens are designed to be large, open communal spaces that center around family meals. Incorporate a big wood slab table with lots of chairs, topped with cheese, bread, and wine. Use natural materials and add fresh flowers, large baskets, and bowls of fresh produce to create a lively and functional space. The kitchen should be used and lived in, not just for show, marrying elegance with functionality.
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Choose classic pieces over overly distressed or themey items. Authentic French furniture, like the Tolix-style chair or stool, adds genuine French flair. Avoid matchy-matchy furniture or one-look design schemes; instead, mix materials, woods, and textures. The Relaxhouse Thonet-inspired collection is another excellent choice for a European-inspired home, providing old-world charm with pieces like the Thonet No.18 chair.
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Use vintage-inspired lighting and hardware to evoke functionality with less embellishment. Industrial chrome pendants and glass doorknobs add character while maintaining the collected approach of French design. Zinc fixtures, galvanized steel chairs, and mixed woods create layers of texture and visual interest. An all-white kitchen with natural wood elements also achieves a modern French country look with elegance and simplicity.
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French country inspired design employs a color palette pulled from the landscape, including velvety heathers, dusty sages, sunny yellows, bright peony pink, cornflower blue, and brick red. Avoid strict two-color schemes. Instead, use colors eclectically, mirroring the collected look. For example, a natural wood plank table with Tolix style chairs, a bright blue Le Creuset dutch oven, and a bouquet of yellow daisies.
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