The mere mention of the French style in the interior evokes many epithets: refined, practical, unique, elegant, etc. - they all characterize the French interior, which many families today prefer.
This is more ethnic than historical style. Therefore, when creating a design, elements characteristic of different historical styles are used - empire, baroque, modern, classic. French style can have many shades and nuances. One of them is French Provence. Style in the interior, which is widespread in Europe and Scandinavia. However, it is more often used for decorating country houses. It creates a calm and cozy rustic atmosphere. But today we will talk about what a French apartment interior can be like.
There are several stereotypes about this style. Many people think that it is too expensive and pompous. We assure you, this is a delusion. The French interior is not deliberately luxurious details, but a harmonious combination of simple things. If you are romantic and appreciatesoftness in details and sophistication, then the elegance of this direction can be created in your house or apartment.
Classic French Interior Features
This style appeared in the 17th century and today it adequately competes with dozens of other trends. A slightly simplified French chic has different characteristics and descriptions, however, antique accessories, furniture, and complex decorative compositions are the same elements. Draped textile delights should fully match the style and make the room harmonious and sophisticated.
From time immemorial, the French have used marble sculptures, inlaid architraves, luxurious chandeliers, etc. as decorative decorations for their interiors.
Modern French Interior
This home design allows you to combine a variety of objects and materials, add elements of historical styles. However, French interior design has a basic foundation that builds on the following features:
- light or white plain walls that match light parquet floors;
- pastel palette of finishing materials;
- using matte textures;
- artificially aged or antique furniture that has distinctive features (carved legs, mosaic finishes, wrought iron elements);
- presence of a fireplace in the bedroom or living room;
- decorative items (candlesticks, mirrors, paintings in gilded frames);
- in the center of the tea roomtable;
- stucco on ceilings and walls;
- combination of chandeliers with floor lamps and lamps.
Modern style emphasizes restraint and comfort. Luxurious and antique items do not occupy a dominant position in it, rather they are necessary furnishings. Elegance is always complemented by well thought-out messiness. In other words, one should not strive for a perfectly verified design, symmetry. Such an interior allows for slight negligence. This is how the feeling of a comfortable and romantic atmosphere is created.
Which rooms suit French style?
This elegant style is suitable for decorating spacious old-built apartments, typical apartments with high ceilings. The French interior will appeal to connoisseurs of antique items and furniture, sophisticated creative people, romantics.
Unfortunately, such a project may not be implemented in all premises. The French interior is not suitable for small, dark rooms with low ceilings: it needs space and light. The studio apartment layout, which is popular these days, is completely rejected by this style. General Requirements:
- spacious apartment with a minimum of walk-through rooms;
- large windows, including French (from the floor);
- high ceilings with stucco.
Color palette
The French believe that the walls should remain white. This is the fundamental color in the French style. It can be painted not onlyceiling and walls, but also furniture, decor. However, this solution is not to everyone's liking. In this case, designers recommend using a pastel palette:
- coffee with milk;
- pearl;
- ash white;
- cream;
- light beige.
The French interior does not accept contrasting colors: they take one color as a basis and complement it with various shades. For example, brown can be complemented with coffee, sand, beige, white, peach.
Finishing the room
French interior design can be complemented with details that are characteristic of a particular historical style that formed the basis of the design. So, an apartment in a new building can be quite easily decorated using elements of the Renaissance and classics, complementing the interior with frescoes or gilded stucco.
Most designers believe that when creating French-style interiors in old buildings, they should not be radically reconstructed. Typically, these rooms have high ceilings, they often have parquet floors. You should not remove them due to wear and tear, it is better to try to save them.
How to decorate the ceiling?
French interior design includes several ceiling finishes:
- regular whitewashing or painting;
- stucco in the color of the ceiling;
- stretch fabrics.
Urban French style is not characterized by the use of wooden beams. This element is used in Provence style. Won't fitand multi-tier suspended structures. A stretch ceiling is allowed in a modern French style, but preference in this case should be given not to a glossy film, but to a plain and patterned fabric.
Walls
Most often the walls are left white: against their background it is more convenient to create an interior. In addition, you can use wallpaper for painting, which is covered with matte paint in pastel colors and decorated with paintings framed with gilded frames. If there are niches in the walls, sculptures, lamps, flowers are placed in them.
Floors
If the apartment has parquet, even if not of the best quality, try to restore it. To do this, it should be sanded, replaced with damaged planks and varnished. The parquet floor is the basis of the French interior. If it is not there, you will need a parquet board or a laminate that imitates natural material. Beautiful mosaic tiles can be used in the bathroom and kitchen.
Furniture
The main feature of the furniture that distinguishes the French style in the interior is its “age”. You can use furniture inherited from relatives, antique samples, pieces of furniture purchased at a flea market, furniture (new) from historical collections (Empire, Classic, Baroque), artificially aged.
Lighting
French interior allows the use of lamps of various shapes and styles. There should be a lot of them in the room. Lamps and floor lamps are placed inniches, on tables, cabinets. At the same time, one cannot do without a central chandelier in this style: it should be massive and pompous in the living room, large, simple in shape in the bedroom and in the kitchen. Fabric lampshades are welcome, which are combined with bedspreads or upholstery of upholstered furniture. At the same time, wood, crystal and glass fit organically into the interior.
Textiles
For the decoration of the French interior, fabrics of soft colors are used, perhaps with a beautiful pattern. They are designed to emphasize the beauty of the design. Diffusing and refractive materials can be used: velvet, silk, organza, satin or taffeta. Fabrics are selected for curtains, furniture upholstery and decorative pillows.
French curtains in the interior are most often made of silk fabrics. They must have drapery, tassels, braids, tiebacks, which will emphasize the features of the room and create original and unique interiors.
Kitchen
We have brought you some of the features of the French style. It's time to consider the design principles on the example of the most visited room in the house - the kitchen.
French kitchen interior is first of all elegance and practicality. This room should not be filled with objects of historical significance. The vintage of this style lies in the family values dear to you.
Kitchen design does not accept the use of black. If there is a need to highlight any details, use dark brown or dark gray. For kitchen decorationnatural materials are used in natural colors.
Paint, textured wallpaper, ceramic tiles can be used for wall cladding. You can use both semi-matte and matte paints. Such compositions can have a mother-of-pearl texture: the effect of soft shimmer will create a calm atmosphere in the room.
Wallpaper with a pattern in the style of old prints will add romance to the room. A seating area or dining area can be highlighted with wallpaper with a bucolic pattern, and the rest of the walls can be left plain.
The apron of the working area is best made of glossy tiles in coffee or beige tones. Depending on how you designed the ceiling, it is important to choose a ceiling baguette. It should not be too bulky and massive. It is painted to match the walls or left white.
French kitchen furniture looks like it is made of stone. She looks like a sculpture. Today, the French style is interpreted more freely and broadly than before. When choosing furniture for the kitchen, it is not necessary to strictly follow all the trends: you can use furniture with elements of modernity, soft classics with smooth lines and rounded surfaces are ideal. The texture of the wood should be pronounced. Lattice facades with original stained glass inserts are allowed.
