basic tenets of modern french decorating

This is the first article in a new series about Modern French decorating. Follow along as I begin decorating my new home in a style I’ve pegged “Modern French Fusion.” 

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Ever since I married into a French family, I’ve tried to pinpoint what exactly comprises the art of French decorating. Trust me, I’m an avid reader and student with a natural love for design, but after 30+ years, I still can’t quite pigeon-hole the essence of French decor. Until recently.

I still can’t give you a precise list of rules, because what I’ve finally learned is this – modern homes of the everyday French (natives as well as expatriates) do NOT adhere to rules. Rather, they decorate according to what I call the coup de coeur principle. Love at first sight. Having said that, however, there do seem to be some common denominators I’ve uncovered from visits with French friends and relatives coupled with countless hours I’ve spent studying photos from French magazines. (Of course, I run all my findings by my husband, who thinks his bloodline automatically qualifies him as a decor expert.) But before I share my findings for how today’s generation of French adorn their homes, let me give a nod to what first attracted me – my first coup de coeur – to the French style.

tradition

In my mid-twenties, I had spent most of my life in the southeastern United States in traditional wood frame houses with porch swings, Magnolia trees, and big dining rooms filled with Queen Anne furniture. Oh, there was a brief detour with early American eagles and braided rugs, but for the most part, everyone I knew decorated with traditional colonial decor. When I owned my first home, I didn’t know people were even allowed to use paint colors not from the Williamsburg collection.  Then I met my mother-in-law, and all that changed. 

The first meal I ate in my in-laws’ home was a Moroccan couscous, served in a large cast iron terrine placed in the middle of an antique English hunting table. Louis XIII chairs covered in apricot leather flanked the table, and artifacts from all their travels carefully accented each room. Gallery walls of ivory miniatures fascinated me, and the fact that nearly every item in their home had a story captured my imagination. That was it. I wanted to be French.

My mother-in-law taught me all the time-honored French traditions she had grown to cherish, even as her American husband uprooted her to the States. And as my own husband and I began setting up home, I opted for French salon chairs over Queen Anne. I used an antique Louis XV daybed as my living room couch.  I made curtains from cotton toile and formal drapes embellished with luscious French passamenterie. Long before French Country became popular in American households, I had a growing collection of provencale tablecloths – bought for under $20 each during my visits to the south of France. (Needless to say, I was less than happy when the French Country trend emerged in the states. I had hoped to keep it for myself. Though I still maintain that I never fell prey to the rooster craze – only a few ceramic cicadas.)

modern french style

Fast forward to the present, shall we? There are elements of traditional French style that will of course always remain. But today’s generation of young French couples are abandoning much of their gold gilded heritage in favor of a simpler ambience. Here are some basic tenets I’ve uncovered.

1 – don’t decorate for others

When I was in my thirties, my husband and I moved into a 2-story brick home in a tidy suburban subdivision. To this day, what I remember most about that neighborhood is that almost everyone had ivy wall-papered kitchens. (Except me. I was still donning my provencale tablecloths, although I was becoming increasingly curious about roosters.) It’s easy to decorate for others, especially if you live in a homogenous American neighborhood with 2.5 children. The French, however, would never fall prey to this, primarily because they decorate according to their family’s needs, not their neighbors’ approval.

2 -mix and match

Remember the English hunting table in my mother-in-law’s dining room? Paired with antique French chairs. Today’s generation of French still mix and match styles and eras. Blends of Scandinavian, Moroccan and French are especially popular. Don’t be afraid to mix different styles, especially sentimental pieces. 

3 – surround yourself with items you love

In the book How the French Live: Modern French Style, Siham Mazouz claims the French “despise total-look interiors,” and I have to agree. They seem to understand the difference between curating and furnishing and are more likely to fill their homes with items that tell a story rather than coordinate with a matching couch. 

Matching loveseats you will not find in a modern French home, but what exactly will you spot? I can answer that, because I keep seeing certain categories of items resurface in almost every French home I visit:

• antiques (this doesn’t mean you have to go crazy – a beautiful antique table paired with midcentury fiberglass chairs is lovely)
• artifacts (items from your travels or keepsakes that tell a story)
• books (I’ve yet to visit a French home without books)
• art (contemporary, traditional, original, even your children’s)

Mazouz also coins the phrase in her book, “Less house, more home.” I love that. I’m not a pack-rat by any means, but there are a few items I’ve moved from house to house with me simply because of the stories they tell. A set of antique French copper pots handed down to us from my husband’s mother, favorite pieces of my children’s art that I framed, a signed lithograph by Andre Renoux (the first gift my husband ever gave me), and the flag from my father’s funeral. Mattresses and silk flower centerpieces fill houses, but these are the items that fill homes. 

4 – simplify

An emerging trend I see that is quite different from traditional French style is a move towards a more minimalist, simple environment. Only one heavy antique furniture piece rather than a roomful. Simple window coverings instead of elaborate drapaes. Scandinavian style furniture which lends a light, modern flavor. An occasional rattan chair next to a large plant, lending a summery south-of-France feel. White walls with minimal pops of color. Think Ikea meets Pier One, but throw in your grandmother’s rustic, antique armoire. 

5 -place importance on the outdoors 

By this I don’t mean spend countless hours maintaining your flower beds or hire a landscaper to re-sod your yard. I mean open the windows, bring in as much natural light as possible, and if you have a patio or courtyard, treat it as an extension of your living space. Create an eating space outdoors, even if all you have is a folding table and chairs, and don’t fret over a perfectly manicured landscape. Worry less about weeds and more about people. Invite friends over, open a bottle of wine, and enjoy an alfresco evening. 

6 – make cooking an act of love

This is a strange tenet for decorating, but you cannot create an authentic French environment without it. To the French, a meal is more than a meal. It is a way of connecting with others. Personally, I’m not a wonderful cook, but I’m learning to keep some a few easy hors dourves on hand at all times for unexpected visitors. My latest go-to snack is a box of crackers with cream cheese and a jar of delicious fig spread. 

In the coming weeks, I’ll be applying each of these principles to my new home with a variety of DIY projects. Hope you’ll follow along!