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The Heart of French Country Home Décor
Springtime is here—the days are getting longer, the
weather is getting warmer, and what more perfect way to celebrate
spring and welcome sunlight, freshness and warmth into your home
than
by giving it a French Country décor makeover? The lush colours,
clean lines, and Old World charm of French Country furnishings,
fabrics, and wall décor create an inviting, relaxing environment
perfect for everything from formal entertaining to casual
get-togethers.
The essential elements of French Country home décor are as rich,
enduring and comforting as the earth itself: solid pine and walnut
tables, chairs and armoires, wrought iron chandeliers and
baker’s racks, sturdy ceramic crockery, wall coverings and fabrics
inspired by the shapes and colours of nature, and an emphasis on the
kitchen, the heart of the French Country home. The array
of colours, from light and creamy to deep and earthy, and
hand-rubbed finishes evoke images of sun-drenched fields of
lavender, wine grapes ripening in vineyards, and a timeless,
unhurried,
gracious style of living. The French Country home is a home filled
with love, and nowhere is that more evident than in its kitchen.
The focal point of the French Country kitchen is the dining table,
where the entire family gathers to share meals and create memories.
French Country furnishings may be sturdy and simple at
heart, but they’re also elegant and just a little playful, with
graceful, understated curves. You’ll know when you’ve found the
perfect French Country-style table for you, because it will be the
one that you can see your loved ones gathered around for generations
to come, a treasured heirloom that ties everyone together. When you
place your hand on its polished wood, it will feel like home.
Hanging above your homey French Country dining table might be a
painted chandelier in a light sage green with a distressed finish
and crystal accents, or perhaps a glorious old ironwork lighting
fixture that’s been allowed to oxidize and wears its coat of mottled
rust with pride. In the centre of the table, a simple bouquet of
daisies, freshly picked from the garden, in a thick ceramic crock,
or a shallow basket or wooden bowl with a handful of apples and a
loaf of home-baked bread in it—simple comforts suit the French
Country kitchen best.
The French Country kitchen is designed to let in light and air, and
to be a welcoming haven for visiting friends and family. Feel free
to hang your favourite pieces of cookware on the walls, or on a
pot rack suspended from the ceiling, where they’ll enhance your cosy
decorating theme while at the same time leaving plenty of room for
your loved ones. Copper-bottomed pots and baking
moulds look especially at home against the traditional toile
wallpaper or brightly painted plaster walls that provide the
backdrop to the hub of the French Country home.
Colours and textures play an important role in French Country
decorating, and so do scents. Dress up your kitchen window with a
miniature herb garden grown in old teacups or decorative spice
tins. Not only will it delight your senses with its charming
appearance and pungent aromas, but you won’t even have to go
outdoors to pick fresh herbs for your cooking. And now that your
home
is the most popular gathering place in the neighbourhood, chances
are you’re going to be doing a lot of entertaining.
Author: Sam Ness
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