When it comes time to renovate or spruce up your kitchen, you might envision a space that’s classy yet casual and airy. If that sounds like your dream aesthetic, aim for a French country-style kitchen.
While the French country style borrows elements of the farmhouse aesthetic, the two are different in many ways — farmhouse combines rustic with clean and contemporary, and French country is light, elegant and casual all at once.
To achieve the stunning French country style, follow our tips below and see how small touches can make a significant difference in the look of your kitchen.
Basics of French Country Kitchen Design
French interior designs rely on vintage pieces and both informal and refined accents. A French-style kitchen combines rustic and natural elements of the French countryside.
This interior style is inspired by scenes of Provence, a southeastern region in France that borders Italy and the Mediterranean Sea. The area is famous for its vast mountain ranges, lavender fields and diverse culture. There are many ways to complement your kitchen with appliances, wall décor, colors and more with the countryside in mind.
Craft a French country kitchen that’s rustic, warm and welcoming as you keep in mind essential characteristics like:
- Simplicity: Think of a French country design as polished grace. Embrace the simple side of life with quaint décor and colors.
- Natural rural beauty: Create a kitchen that makes you feel as though you're taking a stroll through the vast lavender fields of Provence. French country designs feature raw materials such as recycled metal and wood, so get inspired by nature as you create your kitchen.
- Intricate yet relaxed: A French kitchen blends distressed and subdued styles with warm colors and curved lines. All woodwork is detailed and elegant for an elevated and welcoming feel.
- Blend of vintage and modern: Use both new and old pieces to decorate your French countryside kitchen. These touches allow your space to feel nostalgic and functional.
Tips for Designing the Ideal French-Style Kitchen
Below, we'll discuss how to use colors that reflect southern France's climate, help you incorporate antique elements and provide tips for using recycled materials in your French country farmhouse kitchen below.
1. Focus on Your Color Scheme
A French-style kitchen features raw finishes like exposed stonework for a more rustic look. Aim for a color scheme that matches the natural landscape of southern France and complements the rough architectural edges.
Warm, earthy, neutral tones can enhance your kitchen's natural finishes, like stone, slate and clay materials. Use soft pastels for inspiration and restful colors like gray and white for the perfect country look. An off-white or cream base alongside warm tones creates structure and femininity, a staple of the French country aesthetic.
Southern France is known for its delightful weather. The Provence region uses rich and bold colors such as yellows, blues and terracottas to reflect the gorgeous climate. Rich tones like mustard, saffron, olive and claret are excellent paint choices to keep with the theme of your kitchen.
A Provençal blue will lighten your space and conjure views of the Mediterranean Sea. Try an intense blue as a minimal feature in your tiles and accessories or paint your cabinets in a similar shade for a bolder look. Whether Provençal blue is your centerpiece or your accent, it'll reflect the feel of southern France every time you step into your kitchen.
2. Choose a French Farmhouse Sink
The classic French country kitchen features a large sink that blends traditional and intricate styles. Think farmhouse, Belfast or Butler when you choose your sink — they're the perfect size, incorporate conventional and straightforward designs and can be customized to match a refined aesthetic.
Include traditional taps, encaustic tiles and bold accent colors that match your French design. While intricate patterns will make your space feel like a scene from the streets of Provence, simple colors help you achieve that casual country feel.
3. Make Your Oven the Centerpiece
Think of France’s diverse cuisines and lively culture when installing your oven. Consider a bold look and functional qualities to truly emulate the exciting refined bustling of a top-grade French kitchen.
Customize your range hood for a classic look. An antique copper or brass hood creates an authentic flair as you salute old French architecture. For example, the linear angles of the Premier PR4 range hood would be the perfect addition to a French country kitchen, and you can make it your own right down to the texture. Make sure you calculate the CFM you'll need carefully.
4. Mix Old and New
Mixing historical and modern styles will create an elaborate and lived-in French country look.
Reclaimed, hand-crafted wood is ideal for the style of architecture to evoke a relaxed, rural cottage. Collect vintage items and décor such as enamelware and wicker baskets. Place them throughout your shelving, on countertops or hang them from your walls for a simple yet traditional look. Feel free to incorporate linens and other softer elements, too.
Combining minimal décor touches with your modern appliances creates the ideal French country kitchen.
5. Use Recycled Materials
In addition to vintage décor, choose recycled materials for your range cover or sink. These materials will reflect invite feelings of sophistication and nostalgia.
Patina is an excellent choice for your hardware, stoneware or furnishings. Additionally, copper and rusted metal accents placed throughout the space can create a historical architectural feel. Again, combining the past and the present is a great way to accomplish your very own version of the French country aesthetic.
Exposed beams, stone elements on the floor or walls and distressed paint will give the kitchen a weathered feeling. Get inspired by botanical motifs and textiles reminiscent of Provence for your accents. Apply every element to your sink, range hood, pans or brass handles for a classic touch.
6. Make Use of Flowers and Plants
Making use of plants and greenery is an excellent way to add some warmth and liveliness to your French country kitchen. Flowers or potted plants can bring in different colors, as well as add a variety of textures and even fragrances to your kitchen. There are plenty of options you can consider to get the right look, whether you're going for flowers in vases or plants in containers. Some of the plants and flowers you might want to consider for your French country kitchen include potted herbs or classic flowers like lavender. Use vases and planters with a rustic or antique look to really get that country style. You could also look at ivies, ferns, or other types of greenery that are a little more free-flowing and not too refined.
7. Choose Retro-Style Appliances
When you're choosing appliances, whether large or small, take a look at some retro-inspired products to find the right matches for your kitchen. They can immediately add a chic look to your French kitchen while keeping it in that country style. Whether you're giving your kitchen a look of the 1950s or 1850s, it makes a statement and helps to create that countryside feel. You can combine your retro appliances with more modern touches to get a balance of different elements that work for the theme you've chosen.
Think about appliances such as your oven and fridge, but also smaller appliances such as your toaster or blender. These come in vintage styles too, while still offering some excellent modern conveniences.
8. Have Fun with Whimsical Elements
French country style gives you the perfect opportunity to have some fun and play around with whimsical, playful elements in your kitchen. For example, you might choose a patterned wallpaper with some eye-catching motifs to give some fun detail to your kitchen walls. Artwork can be a great way to bring in some slightly more unexpected elements, as well as make your kitchen unmistakably French. You could choose some classic French paintings or perhaps some vintage posters and ephemera, such as old printed ads for French products or travel posters.
9. Add Delicate Accents
It's often all in the little details when you're decorating your home. If you want to create a certain style, the small touches can make all the difference. Whether it's a gingham curtain under your French country sink or a shabby chic drawer pull, adding some delicate and dainty accents to your kitchen will help to complete the theme. You can look at adding little accessories or decorative elements, from utensil pots to candle holders, that will build on the French country style of your kitchen.
10. Make It Eclectic
You can keep a French country kitchen fairly simple, but some of the fun of designing and decorating it can be allowing yourself to be a little eclectic and eccentric. This also allows you to choose things without worrying too much about whether they match perfectly with each other. If you love thrifting or finding interesting items online, it's the perfect chance for you to indulge and find some unique things to add to your kitchen. You can choose some eclectic finds for all of the features in your kitchen, from the seating to storage and decorative items.
Perfect Styles to Mix with French Country
French country decor often mixes old and new or combines various styles and materials. That can make it the ideal decor theme to mix with some other styles for an interesting and often timeless result. For example, you could combine French country with Southern style to get the best of the Provence countryside and one of the most popular decor styles from the US. Or you could combine elements of French country with English country style, mixing rustic and refined elements. French country style can also go well with a coastal theme, with some crossover elements like neutral shades and rustic furniture.
If you love the vintage look of French country style but want to bring it more up-to-date, you can also mix it with more modern French-inspired elements. Try looking at modern Parisian style, which often incorporates the elements of older buildings with more contemporary decor styles.
Request a custom quote from CopperSmith to learn more about how you can create your dream French country kitchen with elements such as a stunning range hood or country sink. Our 3D render tool helps you to visualize your kitchen before it comes to life so that you can make the perfect plan.
Choose CopperSmith to Craft the Perfect French Country Kitchen
Design your ideal French country kitchen with CopperSmith. We can customize your sink, range hood and more when it comes time to transform your kitchen. We deliver straight to your home and provide rewards when you sign up for our loyalty program.
Experience the light, elegant feel of southern France and the sophisticated look of its architecture in your kitchen. We have the recycled materials, colors and finishes to make your appliances shine and create your ideal aesthetic.
Request a custom quote today!
Links:
- https://www.worldcoppersmith.com/request-custom-quote
- https://www.worldcoppersmith.com/sinks
- https://www.worldcoppersmith.com/range-hoods
- https://www.worldcoppersmith.com/range-hoods/premier-pr4-range-hood