French country design emerged from the scenic villages in the south of France, and has become one of the world’s most popular styles of interior design. The French house plans look is inviting, casual, and fuss free. The charm lies in the rustic feeling of the furniture and the accessories and the cheerful and easy combinations of colors. Country French design can be done on a low budget, and it can work for anyone. Just keep these tips in mind, and you can turn your home into a relaxed vacation destination in Provence. Color is one of the most important elements in any interior design, and in Country French style this is particularly true. The colors which are most often associated with the Country French style are soft and foamy greens, yellows and golds, reds and rusts, with splashes of pinks, lavenders, blues and purples. These are colors which create a cheery and bright environment, while still allowing the rustic features of the natural woods and rod iron typical of French furniture to shine through. It is common with this style to mix and match colors and prints which are not obvious (and might even be frowned-upon by other schools of design), such as mixing a floral print with a plaid. The fabric which is most commonly associated with the Country French style is toile, with its white or beige background adorned with repeating nature scenes of flowers, birds, roosters, or people sitting under trees. The colors used for the prints are usually blues and reds, and sometimes greens, browns, and blacks. Toile fabric has become very popular among interior designers, and it can be purchased inexpensively.

As in English colonial house plans design, French Country furniture emphasizes the rustic, lived-in look. Furniture is low gloss and natural-looking, usually of dark woods or pieces which have been stripped and painted off-white or a soft green. French Country also employs wrought iron and distressed metal, especially for accessories such as tables, lamps, clocks as well as fireplaces. The most common motif used in French Country are roosters, which can be found in about every imaginable guise from door stops to salt and pepper shakers. Scout around your local flea markets and antique shops for treasures such as French apothecary jars and signage, as well as furniture. French Country design is meant to be casual and welcoming, so imperfections just make the style more convincing. No French Country home is complete without lots of flowers, particularly lavender bouquets to lend authenticity and conjure up the feeling of the French countryside.

Unlike Parisian furniture, French Country house design plans call for practical and simple furniture reflecting the provincial lifestyle. Traditionally this furniture was fashioned from whatever woods were at hand with little adornment. Modern French Country style furniture pays tribute to this tradition with its simple lines, limited adornment, and natural colored paints and stains. The kitchen table, for example, was originally designed to accommodate farm workers who would all dine together in the farmhouse kitchen. These tables are of simple design, perhaps a thick wooden plank laid atop straight legs and large enough to seat a dozen people. Chairs are wood with caned seats, or topped with cushions of colorful Provencal prints. Bedrooms traditionally feature sturdy, four-poster beds and armoires. Living areas use few upholstered pieces, but those which are upholstered feature scenes of the sun and fields of flowers found in Southern France.