The French style of interior design is such that it exudes an air of class, elegance and timeless sophistication. The look is ornate and decorative in the details with carved wooden swirls and opulent glass and bead laden chandeliers. Yet the colour palette is notably muted and simple using a range of neutral tones and hues that range from muted eggshell blue to soft beige. It is a style that respects its heritage and so happily combines luxe details with shabby chic walls and vintage furniture.
One thing that is truly important when it comes to recreating a French style interior is the furniture which is really put on display with this particular type of interior design. As such each piece needs to be capable of standing up to showcasing within a room, particularly key pieces of furniture like beds, wardrobes, sofas and dining room tables.
A top tip to help you capture the essence of the style is to invest in some classic and quality pieces of furniture, such as those on offer from The French Bedroom Company and other specialist suppliers. Once you have invested in one key piece you can then work the rest of the room around this, picking colours to enhance the furniture’s features and so on.
A current trend for 2014 is to try and combine two distinct styles to create an individual style of your own and one of the most popular blends is that of British and French design to create the perfect interior. British design is much harder to pin down than French as French interior design is marked by key features and recurring themes as described above. The British style is much more eclectic – borrowing ideas and colours from a wide range of influences. This creates a melting pot effect with such a variety within its remit it can be hard to classify.
British style may be eclectic, but it is bold from British bulldog printed fabrics to union jack tapestry cushions, it is certainly not for the faint hearted. An easy way to incorporate a British interior style is to do a bit of research and find a particular designer that you like; for example the ceramicist Clarice Cliff or textiles designer William Morris. You can then keep an eye out for furnishings or fixtures and fittings that have similar reproduction designs or even the originals if you can spare the time to search for them.