Classic French interior: features, interesting ideas and recommendations

One mention of the French style in the interior evokes many epithets: exquisite, practical, unique, elegant, etc. - they all characterize the French interior, which today many families prefer.

This is more an ethnic than a historical style. Therefore, when creating a design, elements typical of different historical styles - Empire, Baroque, Modern, Classics - are used. French style can have many shades and nuances. One of them is the French Provence. Style in the interior, which is widespread in Europe and Scandinavia. However, it is more often used to design country houses. It creates a calm and cozy rural atmosphere. But today we will talk about how the French interior of the apartment can be.

There are several stereotypes regarding this style. Many believe that it is too expensive and pompous. We assure you this is a delusion. The French interior is not a deliberately luxurious detail, but a harmonious combination of simple things. If you inherent romanticism, and you appreciate the softness in detail and refinement, then the grace of this direction can be created in your home or apartment.

Classic French interior: features

This style appeared in the XVII century and today stands up to competition with dozens of other trends. A slightly simplified French chic has different characteristics and descriptions, however, the same elements are antique accessories, furniture, complex decorative compositions. Draped textile delicacies should fully correspond to the style and make the room harmonious and refined.

From time immemorial the French used as a decorative decoration of interiors marble sculptures, inlaid platbands, luxurious chandeliers, etc.

Modern French interior

Such design of the dwelling allows combining various objects and materials, adding elements of historical styles. However, the French interior design has a basic basis, which is built on the following features:

• Light or white solid walls, which are combined with a light parquet floor;
• Pastel coloring of finishing materials;
• Use of matte textures;
• Artificially aged or antique furniture with characteristic features (carved legs, mosaic decoration, forged items) ;
• The presence of a fireplace in the bedroom or living room;
• Decorative elements (candlesticks, mirrors, paintings in gilded frames);
• In the center of the room is a tea table;
• Stucco molding on ceilings and walls;
• A combination of chandeliers with floor lamps and lamps.

Contemporary style puts forward restraint and convenience to the fore. It does not occupy the dominant position of luxury and antiquarian items, rather they are necessary objects of the situation. Elegance is always complemented by well thought out disorder. In other words, one should not strive for an adjusted ideal design, symmetry. Such an interior allows slight negligence. This is how a feeling of comfortable and romantic atmosphere is created.

For which rooms is the French style appropriate?

This elegant style is suitable for decorating spacious apartments of old construction, typical apartments with high ceilings. French interior will appeal to lovers of antiques and furniture, sophisticated creative natures, romantics.

Unfortunately, such a project can not be implemented in all premises. French interior is not suitable for small, dark rooms with low ceilings: it needs space and light. Popular in our days, the layout of the studio apartment completely rejects this style. General requirements:

• A spacious apartment with a minimum of passage rooms;
• Large windows, including French (from the floor);
• High ceilings with stucco.

Color palette

The French believe that the walls must remain white. This is the basic color in the French style. It can be painted not only the ceiling and walls, but also furniture, decor. However, this decision is not to everyone's liking. In this case, designers recommend using a pastel palette:

• coffee with milk;
• pearl;
• Ashy white;
• cream;
• light beige.

The French interior does not accept contrasting colors: one color is used as a basis and complement it with different shades. For example, brown can be supplemented with coffee, sand, beige, white, peach.

Decorating the room

French interior design can be supplemented with details that are characteristic of a particular historical style, which formed the basis for design. So, an apartment in a new building can easily be decorated using elements of the Renaissance and classics, complementing the interior with frescoes or gilt stucco.

Most designers believe that creating an interior in the French style in the apartments of the old building, it is not worthwhile to radically reconstruct them. Typically, these rooms are high ceilings, they often have parquet floors. Do not remove them due to wear and tear, it is better to try to keep them.

How to decorate the ceiling?

French interior design involves several options for finishing the ceiling:

• Ordinary whitewashing or painting;
• Stucco in the color of the ceiling;
• Tension webs.

For urban French style is not typical of the use of wooden beams. This element is used in the style of Provence. Do not fit and multi-storey suspended structures. Stretch ceiling is allowed in the modern French style, but in this case a preference should be given not to the glossy film, but to monochrome and patterned fabrics.

Walls

Most often, the walls are left white: on their background it is more convenient to create an interior. In addition, you can use the wallpaper for painting, which is covered with a matte paint of pastel tones and decorated with pictures framed by frames with gilding. If there are niches in the walls, sculptures, lamps, flowers are put in them.

Floors

If the apartment has a parquet, even if not the best quality, try to restore it. To do this, it should be polished, replaced with damaged plates and varnished. Parquet flooring is the basis of the French interior. If it is not, you will need a parquet board or a laminate that mimics the natural material. In the bathroom and kitchen you can use a beautiful mosaic tile.

Furniture

The main feature of furniture, which distinguishes the French style in the interior, is its "age". You can use furniture that has been left from relatives, antique samples, pieces of furniture purchased at the "flea market", furniture (new), which is part of the historical collections (Empire, Classics, Baroque), artificially aged.

Lighting

French interior allows the use of a variety of shapes and styles of lamps. There should be a lot of them in the room. Lamps and floor lamps are put in niches, on tables, pedestals. In this case, without a central chandelier in this style is indispensable: it must be massive and pompous in the living room, large, simple form in the bedroom and in the kitchen. Welcome fabric shades, which are combined with coverlets or upholstery upholstered furniture. At the same time, wood, crystal and glass fit organically into the interior.

Textile

For the design of the French interior, fabrics of soft colors are used, perhaps with a beautiful pattern. They are designed to emphasize the beauty of design. Spraying and refracting materials can be applied: velvet, silk, organza, satin or taffeta. Fabrics are chosen different for curtains, upholstery furniture and decorative pillows.

French curtains in the interior are made mostly of silk fabrics. In them must necessarily be drapery, brushes, gimmicks, pickings that will emphasize the features of the room and create original and unique interiors.

Kitchen

We have presented to you some features of the French style. It's time to consider the design principles on the example of the most visited room in the house-kitchen.

The 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 your dear family values.

Kitchen design does not accept the use of black. If you need to highlight any details, use a dark brown or dark gray color. To decorate the kitchen, natural materials of natural colors are used.

For facing walls can be used paint, textured wallpaper, ceramic tiles. You can use both semi-matt and matte inks. Such compositions can have a nacre texture: the soft flicker effect will create a calm atmosphere in the room.

The side cloths with a pattern in the style of old cotton prints will give a room of romance. A rest zone or a dining area can be distinguished by wallpaper with bucolic ornamentation, and the remaining walls are left unicolored.

The work area apron is best done from 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 cumbersome and massive. It is painted in the color of the walls or left white.

The furniture of the French cuisine is made of stone. It resembles a sculpture. Today the French style is interpreted freer and wider than before. Choosing furniture for the kitchen, it is not necessary to strictly follow all trends: you can use furniture with modern elements, ideal for soft classic with smooth lines and rounded surfaces. The texture of the wood should be clearly pronounced. Grating facades with original stained glass inserts are allowed.