Are you a fan of French Country Style? There are many of us that dream of living in a quaint, French Country Farmhouse in the South of France with an overload of charm and gorgeous views. Ahhhhh, we can all dream can’t we??? If you want to do some dreaming (and some drooling) check out the beautiful French homes for sale like the one below at Classic French Chateaux . I absolutely love the rustic charm of the stonework and use of wood in many of these homes.
For those of us who love the look of French Country Style but the reality of actually living in France is just a pipe dream, with a little creativity, we can bring that style we love into our own homes whether we live in a cookie cutter tract home or an apartment in the city. Today I am going to share with you a few projects I have recently completed that have Parisian flair.
Upcycled Furniture Flair
You can bring French Country Style into your home by customizing a few pieces of second hand furniture. I bought this table and chair set at a local consignment shop.. Although they were not very pretty on the eyes, I loved the style of the chairs and knew they could be revived. The table was simple but had great legs….
I started with the table. The top was laminate (yuck) and a bit warped so I removed it entirely. I created a new tabletop with pine boards put together and cut into a 36″ circle. I attached it to the base and painted the whole thing a rich chocolate brown. I then went over the whole piece in a creamy white and distressed it. I finished the table off with a French Label I transferred to the top using the Freezer Paper Method.
This was my first time trying this method. It turned out pretty well I think…..
Ok, now for the chairs. I removed the seat cushions and painted the chair frames a nice charcoal grey. After some distressing I went over each chair with a white color wash. Roosters are a “must have” in a French Country Style Home. I picked up the large ceramic Rooster and Hen set on sale with the intention of offering them in my shop but I loved them so much they are now nesting on my Dining Room Table. They have a great crackle finish for an antiqued look.
This coffee table was a $40 second hand find that I gave a French inspired makeover. I painted the entire piece, sketched out the Paris design on the top. This French style coffee table now sits in my living room.
French Country Style Lighting
I had a lot of fun designing these Gray Paris Inspired Table Lamps. I painted the bases with the same technique and designed the shade’s fabric panels on my computer.
Do you remember the brass chandelier in the before picture of the table and chairs? Well that got a new look too. Decked out in black paint and lots of crystals this Large Upcycled Chandelier is so elegant. I think it would look great hanging above the table and chair set don’t you? I rewired it so it can be plugged into any standard outlet. If I had room for it in my own home I would keep it for myself!
I am a fan of candles. The soft glow of candlelight can make a room cozy and romantic. Decorative candle holders like this Distressed Mason Jar Candle Holder that look great on display even when not in use. Decorative candle holders can be displayed on bookshelves and tabletops and if they are attractive they can add charm to a room.
Cozy Things Up With Soft Goods
No room would be complete without a few throw pillows. Toile and gingham check is right at home in a French country style room. This handmade French inspired pillow would dress up any chair or bed and give it a touch of country elegance.
Pillowss add softness to a space. I love working with vintage images, especially when designing new pillows. Here are a few French inspired pillows from my handmade pillow collection.
When I think of French Country Style I often think of red and white checked fabric accents like these Red Gingham Curtain Valances.
This French Country Style Living Room is just gorgeous. The red buffalo check draperies add a casual touch to the room and blend in beautifully with the trim on the arm chairs.
I love how the red check shower curtain adds a bold pop of color in this guest bathroom by Debbie of Confession Of A Plate Addict.
French Country Style is known for it’s mix of elegant and rustic decor in blues, yellows, reds and even black. I love how the black island offsets the neutral creams and whites of this elegant French Country Kitchen created by Courtney (TheFrenchCountryCottage.net)
This French Country Inspired Bread Box started out as a generic chrome colored piece you can find at your local department store. I painted it a satin black and created a French inspired label for the front that translates to “Homemade Bread”. Love it!
Touches Of Pink in French Country Style
If you are partial to the femininity of pink like I am you can easily add splashes of your favorite hue to your French Country Style Home. This gorgeous kitchen from HGTV is a perfect example of how pink can be worked into a design scheme and still be elegant.
I had a lot of fun upcycling this Paris Inspired Vintage Spice Caddy. It was originally a dark brown with plain milk glass spice jars that looked dated and drab. I painted the stand pink and added Paris labels to each jar. Too cute.
Here are a few more upcycled French Finds that I created in the past. I hope it will inspire you.
So, if you love French Country Style and dream of visiting France someday, why not bring a little bit of that dream into your home by incorporating a French Country theme into a room or two? Shop the look here.
Thanks so much for visiting today. I hope I inspired you to start hunting for your own treasures to redesign, recycle and revamp!
~Lisa
Sharing With:
Kim
Wow. You really know how to load a blog post with inspiration! I love your table and chair transformations. Since we can’t move to the South of France, we can certainly enjoy some decor in our own setting. 🙂
Blessings,
Kim
Lynnie
What a transformation, nicely done on that table and chairs set. It made a huge difference.
Hugs, Lynnie
Robin All Things Heart and Home
Oh my goodness…EVERYTHING is just gorgeous…my favorite things though are those chairs! They are beyond perfect! Thanks so much for linking up with Twirl and Take a Bow my friend xo
Gentle Joy Photography
What a beautiful change…. it looks lovely. 🙂
Cindy Richter
Love the transformation of the table and chairs! I’ve seen some like that and just passed right over them thinking old and gross. You’ve opened my eyes! Great job. BTW, found you on WOW. Happy Wednesday.
Lisa
Thanks so much Cindy!
Confessions of a Plate Addict
Thanks so much for including my French Country bathroom with all of your wonderful inspiration! Hugs…Debbie
Lisa
You are so welcome! I love your work.