French country decorating can be a unified style throughout your entire home. There are all different kinds of color palettes that will work with this so you can keep the same theme but really change the design style from room to room. It can even be a slightly more sophisticated theme for a nursery, kids room, or playroom. It still then uses a lot of bright primary colors such as red but with added sophistication.

Garlands and herbs are very popular in this design style and it’s not just for holiday use. You can turn these into wreaths or you could hang bunches of these items from your ceiling or window treatment. This allows you to bring the outdoors in. It can even be the inspiration for your color palette. Usually a lot of the dried herbs are going to have a silver or sage green tone. Lavender may have pale purple accents to it.

As far as your architecture in the room goes you’re really going to want to bring in some sort of stone even if it’s a manufactured stone. This can be very rustic. If you have a lot of more elegant fabric furniture in your living room bring in lots of grays and rough edges for balance. However, if you want the room to be more elegant then you’re going to want to go with a carved stone fireplace, which is also going to be your most neutral, as well as your most expensive option.

If you’re decorating a bath, kitchen, or want a fireplace surround then French country tile can come into play. Traditionally this would just be a white tile that may have some hand painting to it. This can look a little bit dated. However, if you are staying away from a lot of the floral prints which are very traditional in this design style and instead want flair try a damask tile. This is going to be very chic and current.

Antique furniture is also a staple in these rooms. Look for any kind of wrought iron or brass even if it’s been painted. You might want to have a distressed look to it. This adds multiple colors but also adds in some the feeling of a true antique even if it’s just a DIY project.

One style of furniture that is both trendy but is also in keeping with this design is going to be the idea of distressed furniture. It’s a way that you can bring in a lot of turquoises and grays. These are very popular decorating colors. However, they are also very evocative of this country French look. It’s one of the more trendy decorating pieces around right now but when you put it in the context of the style in which it belongs it ensures that it’s still durable.

If you want this look traditionally it would go with oversized furniture which might not initially be your first inclination when decorating a small bedroom. In a lot of nursery designs, lately we are seeing hutches. This can also have the functionality of a changing table. It works as clothes storage and even toys storage all at once so this multiple functions means that it’s worth all of the space that it can take up. Stay away from wood versions and instead find painted pieces.

We are even seeing a lot of curio cabinet makeovers. Instead of holding just decorative items we are seeing smaller closet rods added so it almost functions as a closet. Then you can add in a lot of storage to your room even if you have a corner cabinet. This is really going to maximize your space.

Creating Your Own French Country Home Décor

This is going to be a little bit more casual than the typical French design style. You’re not going to see a lot of gilding. Instead, you can see a lot of painted furniture pieces in even natural wood tones. A few years ago shaker style tables were quite popular and inexpensive and usually you would find them in pine for just a few hundred dollars. You might want something a little bit more unique. You can accomplish this just by painting the legs of the table in a very French country gray, or even blue tone.

This is also one of the design styles that is going to use stenciling or handpainting. It’s going to be slightly more formal than the country design style. You really want your stenciling to mimic handpainting even if it means that you have to go back in and add some shading or antiquing afterwards.

Decorate Country French Baths

Oversized mirrors are really a must for this design style. You could go with a more formal Venetian mirror. However, any kind of really ornate frame will work well with this. This also helps to create the allusion of more space in smaller bathrooms.

You’re also going to want to add in some antique elements. Usually this would be a vintage tub and bath. However, this can be pretty expensive. Instead, you might want to find ways to create this feeling on a budget. For instance, any style of washstand will work well with this. Usually this would have a vessel sink on top of it but you want to stay away from glass ones which can seem a little bit too modern. Instead copper ones will probably be a lot more in keeping with this style just because this is material that we often see in country French decor.

Country French Interiors for Living Rooms

You’re also going to want to branch out with your sofa choice. Remember fabric? You know that thing that people had on their sofas before microsuede and leather became so popular? You’re really going to need to use this in this design style. You’re also going to want to go with a slightly more formal design that might even have tufting on it. However, then you can also play around with the color palettes whether it’s green or gold. This is also one of the few design styles that is still going to use patterned fabric. Of course a more organic kind of floral print is going to be very formal for this occasion.

As far as the colors go this can be your more subtle way to decorate. Really, a lot of grays and blues that we are seeing even in contemporary design right now are very evocative of country French decor. If you want to bring this into a more modern rooms then just decorate with some natural wood furniture and a few of these paint tones.

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One of the more difficult areas of your room of course is going to be your TV. Usually this design style doesn’t use a lot of black or modern elements. This means that it can really stand out in your room. You may want to consider an armoire. In case of a flat screen TV then go with a wood piece of furniture with intricate details on the doors whether it’s a shutter design style or possibly even faux painting them to look like tiles.

Consider this for any room that is also a little bit bland. It’s going to be one of your more cheerful design styles around. You can even try this in a laundry room. Look for a mini painted chandelier. You can also bring in a toile ironing board as well. Turn your everyday items into decorations especially in rooms that really don’t have space for clutter or accessories.

1. Think Toile.

French country toile bedding is going to require you to make it slightly more casual. This is just because usually is seems just plain French instead of French country. A way around this is to look for lots of ruffles on your floor pillows or possibly go with a mismatched bed skirt in a checked pattern. You could also consider going with a toile quilt that might be reversible. Usually toile is going to be in black and white but the French country kind of design styles uses it with yellow and blue, or even taupe and red patterns. If you are mixing the different patterns together then you can still get away with your classic black and white design.

2. Find elegant looks.

One of the more muted French style bedding options is going to be the matlesse look. This focuses a lot on woven or sculpted pieces. Technically any kind of hand quilting will do but typically we see a lot in white with intricate floral or scrollwork decals. You can also look for some subtle damask prints as well but typically with French Country looks you still need to find ways to make this casual.

3. Be subtle.

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One of the hallmarks of country French bedding is going to be the harlequin print. You can still keep this relaxing and calming. Instead, look for just diamond shapes. You can find this in a lot of quilting designs. Faux satin quilts are very popular in even the contemporary design style so this can still be very elegant. However, you also may want to consider going with a pintuck design which is going to be a very subtle pattern just with pleats and it’s one of the hottest bedding trends.

This can be a very subtle theme. For instance, when you think of France probably fashion comes to mind. You may think of chic little black dresses. You can use this as the color inspiration for your room. Just keep it contemporary with white wood floors and opulent molding. Then hang up an iconic chandelier. You can even just hang your favorite fashion show photos on the walls. If you want your theme to be more obvious then look for a lot of suiting fabrics for your furniture. Just make sure that they are durable or use them as pillows. This can be a houndstooth print as well as tweeds.

French Interior Decorating: The Chandelier

The chandelier is a very iconic design but if you live in an apartment you probably don’t have a lot of choices as to changing out your lighting. However, you can still find ways to bring this into your room. We are seeing a lot of chandelier style table lamps, lately. This can even have some crystals on it. This will be one of your more expensive and totally new versions.

The other option for your French decorating style is going to be the use of chandelier decals. This has been one of the more popular designs in vinyl wall decals. Sure it doesn’t make sense but it is kind of whimsical and fun. However, you can also find this print on everything from pillows to artwork prints. You can create this yourself either with fabric transfers or decoupaging medium depending on the material that you’re working with.

Another of the really iconic fabrics is going to be old coffee bags or stenciled fabrics. You could try stenciling and sewing your own burlap stencil pillows. This is also very common in lots of artwork and can even be as an accent on curtains or valances.

Another staple in French inspired decor is going to be the idea of a topiary. You may want to try aging a terra-cotta pot with a little bit of white milk paint. If you want more of a country design style then look for ivy topiaries. However, you can also be more whimsical by going with faux candy ones for the holidays. A rustic version of this would use a lot of grapevine. We are also seeing a lot of flower pieces using faux roses instead of your typical greenery. You can also look for moss versions.

Another really trendy French item is going to be the idea of a wine bottle. We are seeing a lot of these in chandeliers, pendant lights, and even table lamps in very chic stores such as Pottery Barn. We are also seeing unusual ideas for display. Really minimalist plank style wood versions are very popular.

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Painting Crafts

Paint is your least expensive way to do the most expensive design style. You can try to replicate the Eiffel tower for a whimsical mural. Stay with very loose lines almost like an ink pen. This can even be a fun addition to a nursery. You can also really use paint to replicate molding. This could be very modern with just plain white stripes. However, you can also use a trompe l’oeil effect which will require you to do some shading. This uses the idea of 3-D effects to create very opulent and realistic looking murals.

French Country Dining Table and Chairs Options

The style of French dining tables that you go with all just depends on whether you want a more casual or formal dining space. If you have your basic shaker style dining table you can still find ways to make it work. In recent years this has recently gone out of favor a lot for upholstered chairs. However, just painting your chairs a different color can still keep within the casual feeling. You can always add in seat cushions in a plaid or botanical print.

You also might want to go with a more formal feeling and any kind of dark wood furniture is going to work well for this even if it’s a Queen Anne style, which of course isn’t typically French. However, at times it can be very evocative of the rococo dining style.

The one area where this usually differs is that the rococo style tends to use tons of gilding. You might be able to mimic this with spray paint. However, you can also just change where you get your dining room furniture. You might want to visit some rentals stores especially for wedding use because these gilded chairs are very popular. It will be a little bit more modern and might not be upholstered. This also makes it more family-friendly as well.

There is one other advantage to this furniture. The country French style does rely heavily on a lot of fabric mixed together such as florals and checks together. This is one of the few styles where you can actually get away with using a tablecloth. Keep it formal by going with a floor length version. This also easily allows you to change out your color palette.

A louis the 15th dining chair is going to usually have arms. This makes it more expensive. It’s also going to have upholstery. Typically this would be a velvet which really isn’t practical for everyday use. However, if you’re reupholstering the items yourself you might try going with a plush microsuede. Just stay away from the taupe which is so typical of this design and instead go for a richer burgundy or even purple.

There are all different kinds of reproductions of Louis the fifteenth dining chairs. If you’re shopping at thrift stores you are going to find a lot of caning. You can just reupholster the seat and this will match almost any wood tone table that you may own. There are also going to be upholstered parsons chairs that can work with more of the contemporary design style. However subtle curves on the arms and nailhead trim still keep it opulent looking and it’s one of the more subtle ways to do this design. We are also seeing a big trend in a ghost chair of this style. The acrylic look is going to be pretty expensive just because of the material. However, you might want to consider this for small spaces just because it doesn’t visually take up a lot of room.

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Painting French Dining Tables

You can have a lot of luck with handpainting these pieces yourself or using glazing techniques. If you look at a lot of vintage pieces there will be gilding around the edges and you can really create this look with paint. You might want to stay away from ivory just because this was popular a few decades ago and now seems a little bit dated. However, try adding subtle metallic accents to a black table or even a gray one. Of course, bringing in silver is going to be slightly more contemporary but it still gives you that elegant feeling. Just make sure that all of the coordinating frames in the room also match.

The dining room is a great place for wallpaper just because it is somewhat formal. However, you don’t have all of the steam and water considerations that you would in a bathroom or a kitchen. In this case the rococo design style uses a lot of intricate floral prints. There might be foil to it. You’re also going to see a lot of laurel leaf designs too.

Bathroom Trends

One of the big trends in bathroom design is going to be added storage space. Instead of a lot of cheap looking plastic units now there seems to be hutches as well as armoires that can serve as linen closets. If you already like this style of your wood vanity you can just soften up the room with a painted finish on your armoire and distress it a little bit as well. Then keep the space opulent looking with a lot of white linens and towels. You can even go with a ruffled style of shower curtain or window treatment that is very popular at stores like Anthropologie. However, keep it chic by just using a white tone.

Country French Bedroom Design

Country French bedrooms can seem a little bit fussy at times because there is a lot of fabric even on canopies. There’s going to be a lot of ruffles in the space. There’s also a huge mix of patterns as well. This can make smaller rooms feel even smaller. Adding all of the ornate furniture really doesn’t help this at all.

The one remedy to this is just to modernize and paint everything white. This even applies to wood flooring. This adds an elegant feeling. The monochromatic color palette as well as the quality of the furniture is going to make it different from the more feminine shabby chic style. Then you can add in some toile fabric or even Eiffel tower table lamps. This is perfect if you want to keep this style looking chic.

One of the hallmarks of this design style is going to be French country doors. These have ornate windows in them. Of course, if you don’t need this for your front door then you might be able to repurpose it into a headboard. You could also turn it into a bench or hall tree. Usually this has several layers of paint on it for a distressed finish so it’s interesting but you will need to check it for lead if it’s a true vintage piece.

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However, if you’re on a budget working in a small space you just might not have use for a door. You can turn this into artwork. It’s a very common motif in a lot of stock photos. Oftentimes this even includes iron gates. Gather several of them together and create a collage effect. You could even take a few of these photos to the vintage style of upholstered bulletin boards that are very popular in this kind of office. Just make sure that you obey all copyrights on the photos.

French Country Homewares

This style of furniture doesn’t have to be expensive. It’s usually going to use a lot of upholstery. You may want to go for easier to clean fabrics or even slipcovers. At times this style can seem very fussy. You might just want to have one accent chair and then a plush microsuede sofa that will be more family and budget friendly. Really the iconic piece of this style is going to be the Louis 15th chair that has a lot of ornate carving. We are really seeing a big trend in wider and more comfortable versions. It’s also a chance for you to bring in fun fabrics such as zebra prints. However, if you are still sticking within this kind of design style look for more muted taupe versions instead of the traditional black and white.

Cheap Decorating Ideas for Bedroom Use

One thing about going with budget options is you need to pay a lot of attention to the style of your furniture because this is really going to dictate your room, even if you feel kind of sick of the theme. You can totally change it and even modernize it. For instance a few years ago oak kind of furniture was very popular and even had wrought iron elements. Now, this can seem very heavy and outdated. You don’t have to stay away from the farmhouse and country themes altogether.

One way that you could remedy this would be just painting it out in a weathered blue or gray. Then use neutrals on your walls. Sure, you might have had a blue and brown room before but you might just had the reverse color palette with daring wall colors and neutral furniture.

Now it’s time to really modernize your space. You want to stay true to your existing design style while still getting a more contemporary kind of look. Go with a wallpaper that can be applied to the insets of your furniture. You could also try to make a pressed tin headboard. Use real ceiling tiles. Another option would be to just use this all over your wall against painted furniture. Bringing in a silver element is very evocative of the stainless steel that we see in a lot of the contemporary styles but you just keeps it working with your furniture.

Small Home Decorating Ideas

Small home decorating ideas of course have to focus on storage. It can be a tendency to go with a lot of smaller storage units but oftentimes this reads clutter and it’s very mismatched. Instead, you might want to invest in an oversized hutch. You might be able to remodel it so that it serves as an entertainment center. You can also just add fabric or wallpaper behind the glass for a chic option to hide away a lot of your DVDs. This is perfect if your room doesn’t have a fireplace or a lot of molding and it’s a slightly shabby chic.

Cheap Ideas for Decorating

You’re going to want to make a budget for your overall brand. You can break it down by price. Be aware that you probably go over by some amount so you might want to have an extra emergency fund in place. In this case, you want to be realistic about what needs to be done in your room. For instance, when going with a lot of living room ideas you need to replace your furniture. This is going to be your biggest expense. You should have an overall budget for your entire room and list the items of importance so you know what to work on first. You can always add in paint and accessories later on.

Colour Ideas for Living Room Use

You can make a big impact with just paint in your room. One of the trendiest colors right now is going to be unique shade of blue. It’s just a matter of figuring out which shade is going to work for your specific home style. For instance for a nautical look you can either go for a very saturated navy blue or you can also go into lighter turquoise tones for more of a beach kind of effect. This is going to be one of the few design styles where you can even use this on furniture instead of just sticking with neutral colors of couches.

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Farmhouse living room styles are going to need to rely heavily on some natural element whether it’s a stone fireplace or wood ceiling beams. Even if you just live in an apartment or condo you can read create this look by going with a wood rocking chair or a Windsor style of accent chair. Oftentimes this could even just be a dining room chair that you want to bring a spot of turquoise or yellow into your room.

Princess Canopy Beds

One must have for this kind of space is going to be girls princess beds. This should be grand with either posts or a footboard even if it is just in a twin size. More elaborate princess canopy beds for girls can be mimicked by making a canopy yourself out of white sheer fabric which will be your least expensive option. However, there are some hazards of canopies if there is ever a fire so you want to weigh all of the safety concerns. Instead you might want to make a dramatic draping effect on one wall or even over your window. You can get canopy rings that look like crowns to really complete this effect.

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Princess beds for girls can be really expensive so you might want to save on other areas of furniture. Depending on the scale of your room you might want to go with one oversized armoire. You could also try dressing up that plain white dresser with a little bit of gold paint around the edges for more of a sophisticated look. If you’re decorating a nursery you can have more fun by painting crowns or the word “princess” right on the dresser or knobs, although then it will be difficult to transition into other color palettes or themes.

Princess Nursery Ideas

Murals and wall decals have always been very popular for nurseries. This can be very intricate if you want to go with an entire story book scene, you could even have a princess in the picture that looks like your child. However, this can be more sophisticated if you just go with an oversized crown decal over the changing table. This will be your least expensive wall treatment but also the most modern way to bring this theme into your room.

You’ll also want to consider how literal you want to be with the theme. You can get Disney wallpaper borders or decals. This is a way to get Cinderella or Belle in the room. However, this can be a little bit predictable. Instead, you could just paint the room in your favorite princess colors such as yellow for Belle. Then go with elegant French style furniture that can even mimic some of the characters in the movie because of all the enchanted furniture in that film. If your kid wants the actual princess in the room then create a display space with floating shelves where she can house her doll collection.

The one disadvantage to this theme is that it’s so abundant that it’s difficult to get a unique look. Even for adults right now tiara and crown décor is very popular. We are seeing French style brown stencils on everything from pillows to artwork. You can create these crafts yourself and it allows you to use neutral colors that will tie in with wood furniture but still get this look in your room.

When you think of royalty you probably envision a lot of gold and silver. These have even become popular, albeit expensive, furniture tones. You can also decorate with a lot of crystal accessories or use old mismatched costume jewelry on pencil holders or curtain tie backs to add a bit of bling into your room. You can also find new pieces at the dollar store that are sometimes a little bit too flashy too wear but make great decorative accessories.

Fall Outdoor Decorating Ideas

This can be something as simple as a wreath, just make sure that it can withstand all of the turbulent weather of the season. Grapevine wreaths are inexpensive and can be the base for faux leaf décor. However, you can also venture out into fabric wreaths. Burlap is one of the biggest tends in home décor and it’s even appearing on wreath crafts. You could add a simple monogram to it. This is neutral enough to use for everyday décor as well but it’s very evocative of the fall months too.

You can also try to go with gourd and pumpkin decorations. The secret here is to keep it simple and do these items en mass. You won’t even have to carve the pumpkins. Instead you could just use them as is to line a porch. You could also paint them in elegant whites and golds for a different color palette for fall.

Easy Fall Crafts

Easy fall crafts should work for several holidays such as Thanksgiving and Halloween. This way you won’t have to be constantly redecorating. It also means that you will still have energy when the big Christmas decorating season comes around. This means that you want to go for more of an elegant look and this can really match your home a lot better too. Skip a lot of country scarecrow ideas. Instead decorate with a lot of branches in the place of floral centerpieces. You could even glue twigs to the outside of a vase or picture frame for a look that will coordinate year round. You want to stay away from using actual leaves, although this can be the base for a stencil that you can use on table runners or as artwork. You could even apply it to inexpensive slip covers.

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Fall Leaves Decorations

When decorating for fall you want to go for substance as well as realistic looks. Instead of a lot of smaller crafts make big statements with wreaths as well as garlands. You want to spend more money so that the leaves look as real as possible. Also use a lot of the containers that you already have such as more elegant urns or apothecary jars. This is something that you can change out seasonally without buying an entirely new base.

Color Palettes

Your color palette is going to be one of your most important considerations. This is going to allow you to blend it in with your everyday décor because sometimes all of those bright colors can look overwhelming or juvenile. You can even go with crisp white decorations for a modern look. Usually modern décor would just skip this look altogether, however if you work with a lot of glass this can still blend. Look for vintage mercury glass or clear glass pumpkins and then pair them with everyday groupings of vases and candlesticks to tone it down somewhat.

Another palette you might want to consider is gold. This can also transition into your everyday entertaining or even Christmas ideas. Then you can spend a little bit more money on gold charger plates because you’ll get a lot of use out of them. You can also bring in deep chocolate brown linens for more of an elegant palette.

One thing that you want to consider is storage solutions. Start in the entryway. Find a bench with shoe storage underneath. This is especially important if you don’t have a coat closet. You can also find a lot of wall bookshelves even if you are short on floor space. We are seeing a lot of hanging shelving systems, although there might be weight limits to this. It’s perfect if you just have a few books or decorative accessories that you want to display.

Remember that you have a lot of control over both your furniture and your artwork. This may mean that you want to spend a little bit more money on your barstools. Look for vintage metal versions. You can also go with ornate mirrors in your entryway. They can have a sleek enamel style or even gold leafed frames to them. Spending more money on your furniture is going to make your entire apartment feel a little bit higher end.

You’re also going to want to decorate with color. Even though you have white walls this is instantly either going to go in more of the shabby chic or contemporary kind of look depending on the lines of your furniture pieces. You might want to try decorating with bright orange accent chairs. You could even just paint canvases in solid colors of turquoise and teal. Hang several of these in a hallway to break up a large expanse of white. Gray is great when decorating small spaces but it doesn’t have to be bland.

You also may run into a lack of architectural details in apartments. Look for a portable fireplace. This doesn’t have to be the traditional wall unit with faux wood that never quite looks convincing. Make sure that you follow all of the landlord’s rules and also pay attention to the wiring of your apartment if you live in a vintage space. Of course proper safety questions will come into play. We are seeing a lot of modern versions that are encased in glass that are either floor units or are just strictly on top of the coffee table and this will definitely get attention without taking up too much room.

Decorating an apartment on a budget

The key to decorating an apartment on a budget is to stick within a color palette. This means that even if you have to buy some plastic dishes or use folding chairs for dining room chairs you still get a cohesive and fun look. Summer is a great time to do this because you’re going to see a lot of funky modern plastic designs in oranges and yellows. This is one of the most budget friendly ways to shop, especially if you have to buy everything for your apartment at once.

The other small apartment solutions are going to focus on DIY projects. You might feel a little bit deprived if you aren’t a homeowner then you can’t paint the walls. Instead, practice upholstering an chair. Get creative with your artwork. Maybe take up photography. There are still plenty of DIY projects that you can take part in that will make a big impact in your space.

Other storage solutions for small apartments are going to relate to closet space and there just not being enough of it. You might want to get freestanding wardrobes at stores like IKEA. Just make sure that they have frosted glass doors on them so that it doesn’t seem too heavy or take up too much visual space in your room.

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Another aspect of DIY apartment decorating that you’ll want to be familiar with is the power of a great layout. You probably want to orient your room towards windows. You want to focus on nature as much as possible. This means that you can even remember to decorate your outside patio spaces for a cohesive look. This makes your room really focus on nature to make your room feel a lot larger than it actually is.