Freya Morris
In this post: There are key elements that are essential to a modern French Country home. There’s nothing I find more relaxing than curling up on the couch with my laptop and taking an unhurried stroll down the virtual aisles of the web.
Sometimes it’s purposeful, with specific items in mind, and other times it’s completely whimsical, driven by dreams and imagination. Like brick and mortar shopping, I have my favorite places that I frequent, and as a fan of modern French Country decor, I typically look for authentic antiques, vintage pieces or really good reproductions. When I’m looking for inspiration, I might just do a general search for “French Country decor” and then let the results take me down an unexpected path. Today I’d like to share with you the top 12 elements I search for to help decorate an updated French Country home.
These are the things I consider essential to modern French Country style, particularly when displayed against a background of relaxed neutrals, washed linens and a whole lot of white and beige. Without a doubt, the one item that reads ‘modern French Country’ to me more than any other is a gorgeous gilded mirror.
I love an all white room, or subtle neutrals, punctuated by a stunning framed mirror.
My favorites have ornate frames with carving and acanthus leaves, but I also love a pretty trumeau or a simple chippy painted piece.
Much easier to shop for than a large statement piece, I love collecting vintage silver. Silver is one of the components you’ll find in most of my rooms, as it adds an elegant glimmer to any corner.
In the bathroom I love to display grooming pieces and I am tickled by the privilege of keeping Q-tips and soap in a silver holder. But even when not paired with silver, I’m crazy about anything with crystal drops, from sconces to candlestick-bobeches to girandoles and anything in between. Of course the best selections are those with a true French pedigree and next you need to decide if you want the clock just for show or if you want a piece that works. Garden urns are definitely one of my current obsessions and I check online almost every night looking for new listings.
To me they represent the essence of modern French country decor, because they offer that delicious rustic side that tempers all the gilding. A modern French look is not trying to mimic the Palace of Versailles, but instead mixes touches of the ornate with worn and aged elements.
I love solid linen in drapery panels, ruffled in shams and chair covers, and tailored and pin-tucked in other bedding. Those big yummy white-on-white monograms on vintage bed and table linens completely speak to me. Vintage linens are usually pretty inexpensive to buy, which makes them a great option for collecting.
One of my absolute favorite pieces is the one pictured above, which I bought in a tiny antique shop behind the Duomo in Florence.
Since it’s impossible to travel to Italy every time I want to buy something, I search online often for altar candlesticks and the like. Mine often include crystal but I’m loving some of the newer alternatives with distressed and chippy paint.
Whether grand and stately or tiny and charming, chandeliers have a place in any French Country home. This one falls in the same category as garden urns in my book, in that dough bowls bring a similar rugged quality to the style of your home.
This contrast of the rustic with the more ornate items is the essence of modern French Country style.
I also love to use my pieces in the useful way they were meant for, such as sipping tea or presenting flowers.
I’ve been a fan of sconces for a while now, likely because I’m crazy for symmetry and I love how they look flanking a mirror or other wall hanging. Sconces can be electric lights wired to the wall or more candelabra style and can range from rustic and chippy to gilded and crystal.
This one could have been paired with cast iron urns, but since they can be used in a different way and searched for separately when shopping, I’ve given garden statues their own category. I tend to favor cherubs and just pop on a crown and you’ve taken things to a whole new level. Whether you’re ready to buy now or are just browsing, I promise this is an awesome way to wind down your day and it beats watching TV every time! subscribe to our newsletter and RECEIVE OUR FREE GUIDE “20 WAYS TO UPDATE YOUR HOME”
