French Country Decor: Everything You Need to Know About This Rustic and Refined Style
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Loading... - Tristan Renaud
- 20 Feb 2023
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With over 300 years of history, design inspired by the French countryside continues to prove its timeless elegance
Rooted in a rustic, warm base dressed with refined, elegant accents, French country decor offers the best of both worlds: a comfortable, lived-in home that’s undeniably luxurious too. “It’s a wonderful yin and yang,” says Anita Joyce, author of French Accents: Farmhouse French Style For Today's Home, host of Decorating Tips and Tricks, and publisher of Cedar Hill Farmhouse. Though often described as a close relative of farmhouse style, country French decor still has its own aesthetic DNA. Eager to learn more? Here, AD chats with Joyce, along with Amitha Verma, an interior designer, founder of Amitha Verma Furniture Paint, and owner of Village Antiques in Houston (also known as Farmhouse by Amitha), all about this warm and graceful style.
What is French country decor?
According to Joyce, French country decor is “a relaxed take on Provence style, with a mix of rustic and refined elements.” As she points out—and as the name implies—the aesthetic is inspired by the effortless, simplistic beauty of both the French countryside itself and the lifestyle that those who live in the region often embody. “It uses natural elements mixed with authentic French antiques,” she explains. “I would call it a refined elegance where embellishments are tempered by natural elements and relaxed comfort.” Like many things French, it feels effortless yet undeniably chic. “Picture if I were a gal living in Paris in a beautiful apartment, and I’ve been collecting these beautiful antiques, silk-covered bergères, gilt lamps, and antique commodes, and then one day, I decided to move out to the countryside, buy a farmhouse, and restore it.” Verma says. “I take all of my beautiful antiques and I mix them into this very rustic home and a lifestyle where I’m dragging my boots with mud on them inside of my home. That’s the look, all in one home.” Read More…
