If you’re trying to redecorate or develop a fresh aesthetic for your home, Paris is always teeming with beautiful design inspiration. From their minimalistic tendencies to their appreciation of the arts, transforming your house to include more French and specifically Parisian decor can give you an air of elegance, history, and simplicity. Here are some ideas and tactics for staging a perfectly Parisian home.
Vintage: Nothing screams “France” like an appreciation for the arts, history, and the aged. As you’re out and about, look for vintage movie posters, rusty street signs, old typography, and other memorabilia from a time long since passed. Keep them in the condition in which you found them to honor the snapshot in history they represent and the journey they’ve been on since.
Gold: If you can find it in a weathered gold leaf, include it in your French decor. A simple Google search of the home of Louis the XVI will show how deeply the French valued gold and how tastefully they applied it all around their homes as their means could afford. Mirror and picture frames are perfect for gold leafing, and you can also add gold paint accents to your tables, chairs and furniture if you’re looking for a summer craft to upgrade the items you already own.
Subdued Colors: Whereas American homes are known for pops of color and catchy hues, a hallmark French decor is its simplicity of color palette and muted tones. Rather than opting for brights and bolds, choose whites, silvers, grays, dull purples, and dusty teals. Poll after poll shows that European tourists find Americans very loud and in-your-face, from their speech patterns to their penchant for bright colors. For a truly Parisian feel, always think “less is more.”
Simple Crystals: From chandeliers to vases, nothing classes up a room quite like crystal. France highly valued crystals and plunged the nation into wars and debt to procure them from both the middle east and from western Africa, and to this day, crystals add just enough sparkle and shine to a room to give it that touch of elegance it needs.
Modern meets Tradition: France at once values its rich history of art and culture as well as the next frontier of comfort, style, and grace. Juxtapose some older more historic items against some very modern furniture designs and patterns. Old paintings in modern frames or old centerpieces on a sleek table are excellent aesthetics for this home style.