We know this makes us a cliché, but we’re obsessed with the French. We want to be like them. And there’s no such thing as too much of a good thing, right? Right, which is why we’ve put together a few—well, ten—tips for making your home look like the effortlessly cool, sexy den of a French dame, with a little help from luxury home rental company onefinestay and its exquisite French properties.
Make It Messy
The French aren’t as obsessed with perfection as we Americans are, and you’ll rarely see their homes looking like furniture showrooms. A messy bed is a sign of life, so don’t be afraid to slack off on the crisp corners—it’s sexier this way. Bookshelves should likewise looked lived-in, as if you actually read their contents.
Roll Out Royal Rugs
“Bold carpeting pairs well with crown molding and parquet flooring,” says onefinestay. Try Anthropologie as a great resource for recreating this look.
Buy Velvet
“This sumptuous brand of seating is done especially well by the French,” says the onefinestay team. We are especially fond of seating done in dusty rose, or a bold jewel tone.
Gild Your Gallery
To make your place feel truly French, however, you’ll need to throw a touch of gold into the mix. Says the team at onefinestay, “Gold frames up the ante with a traditional gallery wall significantly, and make any room instantly elegant.” The most magical element of French style is how it juxtaposes this luxe look with the devil-may-care, messy dorm room vibe described in the previous slide, so don’t be afraid to contradict yourself by mixing up different styles.
Let Your Drapes Drag
“These add a sophisticated flare and drama to your windows,” says the team at onefinestay. We suggest going so far as to let them pool a bit at the bottom to achieve that perfectly imperfect, undone French we’ve been driving home.
Add Opulent Accents
The French aren’t afraid to be a little over the top, in doses. If there’s a statement piece you’re dying to add but aren’t sure fits with your decor scheme, we say go for it. “You can always tell when someone is well-traveled by the way they decorate their home,” the onefinestay team reminds us. “Don’t be afraid to show off where you’ve been!” We’re assuming this means that whomever owns this amazing onefinestay home has been to the land of white peacocks, but regardless the takeaway is really, again, that nothing is too much as long as it is balanced with more neutral or sparse decor.
Pick Wild Flowers
When it comes to the fresh florals in your home, the wilder and less put-together, the better. Grab store-bought bouquets to mix or match or, better yet, pull them wild from the yard.
Dine Al Fresco
“The streets of the City of Lights are lined with the quintessential Parisian Haussmann architecture: buildings lined with wrought-iron balconied windows, and garrett windows on the top floor,” says the onefinestay team. “Any apartment or home with an outdoor space available is perfect for a simple table and chair where one can enjoy coffee to sip while you watch the city down below.” While you might not have as much people-watching to do if you live in, say, a sleepy street in Los Angeles as you would in Paris, it’s nice to take your coffee with a side of fresh air regardless.
Embrace Bric-a-Brac Decor
French decor has a bit of a flea market feel, and literally anything can be used to populate shelves, walls, desk space and the like.
While we’re at it, you don’t need to purchase matching dish sets, either. French cupboards are a hodgepodge of high and low, just like their wardrobes.