Much like a French girl’s bangs—equal parts flawless and careless—French country interior design is so chic.
What would it look like in your living room?
The centerpiece is a beautiful antique fireplace—its intricate marble mantel decorated with elegant mirrors and artwork. Surrounding the fireplace, you’ll find luxurious seating options from the plush velvet sofa to graceful bergere chairs. The setting would encourage intimate conversation.
That’s just a snapshot of a French country decor living room…and in this blog post, we’ll share 10 terrific ideas you can use to create one in your home 🤎 Stay tuned to learn all about how to decorate a living room in French country style!
A Soft Color Palette
The French Country color palette usually relies on 4 pillars:
Neutral colors. A mix of white, beige, taupe, and gray. These timeless colors create an elegant atmosphere in your home. You can do an all-white home. Or a white backdrop (through the walls) and, say, beige furniture.
Wooden tones. This can be light oakwood or darker cherry wood. Not only do these add color—they’re also important because they help us add natural materials to the space (which is really important for the French country style).
Warm colors like gold, copper, pink, and red. For example, a golden mirror and red cushions.
Cool colors like blue and green. For example, a buffet painted in mint green or lavender (dried) flowers.
Distressed Wood
French country decor thrives on rustic elements. And aged wood is the most important! You want to choose furniture—like coffee tables, consoles, and sideboards—in a weathered wood finish. We especially love whitewashed and reclaimed pine finishes.
Some fun ideas you can try in the living room include:
Exposed wooden beams on the ceiling
Reclaimed wood mantelpiece above the fireplace
Vintage wooden ladder (can be used to display throws)
Less is More
We’ve seen plenty of French country living rooms that are…overloaded. Not an empty square inch in sight. And while the French country style may tempt you to add in all those antiques and detailed ornaments—that’s really not the vibe anymore. Today, French country living rooms aren’t as cluttered. They only display the meaningful accessories. Like a vintage item you brought from your travels. Or a carved side table that gives great functionality.
By doing so, you can strategically shed light on the more important pieces—instead of drawing attention away from them (which clutter would do).
The Fireplace
The heart of a French country living room would be the fireplace. It doesn’t matter if it’s made of stone, brick, or limestone. The fireplace serves as a gathering spot, and this design style really celebrates this! For French country style, add a distressed wooden mantel. On top of this, place antique candlesticks, a gilded mirror, or even an elegant clock.
If you don’t have a fireplace—you don’t need to dig in one (well, unless you want to). You can use a faux fireplace (can be done pretty well with a DIY) or a decorative screen that replicates the look of this charming feature.
Elegant and Curved Furniture
A French country decor living room has furniture that is sophisticated yet approachable. Of course, a piece with delicate carvings will complement the style. But if you have more of a modern style, you can go for a curved piece with soft upholstery instead. Provided you decorate the right way around it, such a piece can be a good fit in a French country style living room
Roll-arm sofas, wingback chairs, and settees upholstered in linen/velvet are also great ideas. For the nerds—you can add an antique chair, plus an ottoman.
Accessories
The options are plenty when it comes to French country accessories. But here are some of our favorites:
Woven baskets
Candle holders of all sort of materials—glass, wood, gilded metal
Ginger jars, either chinoiserie style, embellished or plain, or both
Plates and large serving pieces (can be used as decor when not in use)
Corbels of all shapes and sizes, typically ornate
Books—old and new
Flowers and potted plants (any varieties)
Wrought Iron Accents
One category of accessories that deserves a section of its own is those made from wrought iron. These add an authentic and rustic touch to your French country living room. Wrought iron can be added through light fixtures and curtain rods. Even some furniture pieces use it for their build! Using pieces that have intricate scrollwork or floral motifs will serve the purpose just right.
We especially love wrought iron chandeliers if you’re hoping to create a statement. A wrought iron coffee table can make an interesting centerpiece—and a great conversation starter. Smaller details can be wrought iron candelabras that create an old-world ambiance.
Let Natural Light Play its Role
Natural light is really important to enhance the colors—typically soft—in a French country living room. Pairing your windows with sheer and flowing curtains will help. These can be made from linen or cotton, and allow sunlight to filter into the space. For the ultimate French country effect, you want to pair these with a thin but sturdy wrought iron rod. Vintage tiebacks can be another nice addition.
If you’re afraid of preying eyes from outside especially during the night time, you can do the following for privacy: layer sheer panels with Roman shades. You can use the latter to cover up the window as and when needed.
Textures
Textures can really change the ambiance of your French country living room, so you want to layer these on top of one another. Plush throws and tufted furniture would be the basics. Bonus points if you go big on damask—a rich, textured fabric—for the upholstery. You can further layer in a sisal rug for a grounded feeling on the ground.
And, the walls! Considering adding a beadboard for visual interest. Shiplap can add plenty of texture. Or a simple plaster finish; this can help factor in the French country style without going overboard.
Plants
This one’s not that famous—the French country style is deeply connected to nature! You want to add elements that evoke the outdoors. Like flowers (dried are rustic) and potted herbs. One idea that really reflects this style is a vase filled with wild branches—natural but oh so rustic. Other classic choices are lavender and hydrangeas.
To stay true to the French country style, you can use terracotta pots for herbs like rosemary and thyme.