Creating a French inspired home

Do you want to make your home sophisticated and elegant with a French touch? Here are some ways on how to add French-inspired interior design styles to your home:

• Painting – Establish a French theme with the use of paints or finishes. For the rustic farmhouse look and country style, use rustic stone against distressed white. If trying to establish a chic and sophisticated urban element, use an espresso brown or blue based grey and highlight with grey or blue. Use ornately patterned wallpaper with gold-leaf accents to evoke the splendor of Versailles.  

• Fabrics – Use fine fabrics on sofas, beds, tables, window frames, curtains, and drapes. Choose something silky or velvety, a monogram, or some antique cloth. Cover entire interior elements in French-inspired fabric or just add a subtle accent, such as an ornamental border at the base of your drapes. Don't be afraid to get a little offbeat and quirky in you use of fabrics. Have fun with it!  

• Architecture – Incorporate some elements of French-style architecture in your home. Create a stone wall or a large fireplace that is common in French countryside homes. Create some French doors that open up to terraces with a garden view. Install ceiling medallions and sconces to shelves, walls and ceilings. Attach a planter box to you window and fill it with herbs, such as lavender or basil.

French inspired furnishing

• Flooring – Give your floors a French interior design look with some dark wood flooring. Conversely, paint your floorboards in a white or pale color to brighten a room up. Add an oriental rug for a classy look. If doing floor-to-floor carpeting, choose a pale colored carpet with some floral, Baroque or Rococo patterns.

Perhaps you may want to pursue a career in interior design or architecture yourself. For more information on educational opportunities, click here.

Sources

Dream Home Decorating (012)
interior-design-it-yourself.com (2012)
eHow (2012)
Image 1 - Copyright of Robin Stubbert (reproduced on Lee Caroline with permission)
Image 2 - Lee Caroline - created using Olioboard
Image 3 - Lee Caroline - created using Olioboard