Known for their impeccable style, the French have mastered timeless and effortless elegance not only in the way they dress but also in decorating their homes. Even in a very small space, the French interior can reflect the romantic living rooms and quiet dining areas designed without sacrificing its modern practicality, with a sophisticated language. So how do they do this? When you imagine an authentic Parisian-style apartment, you most likely think of a classically elegant 19th-century Haussmanian building with high ceilings, high French windows, elaborately carved sills, marble fireplaces, herringbone oak floors, and wrought-iron balconies.
These large and elaborately crafted rooms always look good. But many Parisians, despite living in smaller studio apartments, manage to create stylish, dreamy spaces with an approach that is all about understanding and style and that can be adapted to any space. Let's examine this elegant and stylishly detailed design approach of Parisians and see how we can adapt it to our space.
Work With What You Have
The form, character and history of a room is the starting point of any good design, just as you need to choose clothes that fit and fit your body. Many Parisian apartments have interesting layouts and fascinating architectural details. The French take care to leave the pieces with the past as they are in a historical place, which actually creates the character of the place. We can say that in the buildings built in the 1800s, the renovations made while preserving the existing texture, combining different styles in a way that harmonizes with the historical texture and adding them to the space forms the basis of this Parisian style. If you have a historical place, it will be easier to apply this style. If you have a modern space, you can adapt the historical wall and ceiling details to the space and add a sense of history with antiques or artistic works that tell a story.
Embrace Flaws and Imperfections
Just like in the Wabi Sabi philosophy, naturalness is at the forefront in this style as well. Not every space has to have a gorgeous design, but any space can be a charm. Emphasize what is special about your space. Don't insist on second-hand or vintage items to be well-maintained, or that everything in your home is shiny and new.
The French are known to have impeccable tastes, but they often know that when creating the perfect room, an accentuated detail or bad-tasting texture should proudly accompany it. Make sure that there is a detail that creates a friendly and shabby effect in each room. In this style, it is undesirable for everything to look complete and perfect. You don't need to take care of hiding your computer or electrical cables.
Never Hide
A modern Parisian interior design aesthetic is never overdone. Do not take care that all objects and products are compatible with each other in the living room, it is not important to arrange the throw pillows on the sofas and bedrooms. Parisians aren't obsessed with thread count, but they keep it simple with sleek crumpled natural linens that look great as washed linen no matter how messy their linens are.
Celebrate the beauty of everyday objects like flatware and bath towels, don't hide all your books or restrict yourself to art that fits your color scheme. A house should never have a fixed style, on the contrary, it should be a space that reflects you and changes with your life.
Mix but Match
Parisians embrace history but don't want to live in a museum, and Paris' best interiors blend periods and styles with family heirlooms, travel souvenirs, contemporary furnishings and vintage accents pieces with an individual and personal look. If you don't have a French grandma or don't have access to Parisian flea markets, add antiques and vintage pieces purchased online to the space. Avoid buying all your furniture from one store. Don't stick to one style, aim for a more vibrant, eclectic atmosphere that feels collected over time.
Don't Sacrifice Beauty for Comfort
For Parisians, design and artistry are often more important than comfort. They never accept the notion that a sofa that is ordinary but comfortable, or that the headboard is merely functional, is a virtue enough to buy. Instead, they maintain high standards by making sure every item looks as good as it feels.
City of Lights
Apartments in the City of Light can often feature pendant lighting in the form of classic chandeliers or dramatic modern suspension lights, but light from a single point often does not create the desired effect in the space, so never rely on a pendant lighting as your sole source of lighting.
Ceiling lights are rarely used in Parisian apartments, instead they use multiple light sources to create different environments and moods, mixing table lamps, task lights, floor lamps, wall sconces and candlelight in the four corners of a room for balance. You can create a Parisian effect in your space by taking a look at our specially designed lightings.
Bigger Isn't Better
Most Parisian apartments are modestly proportioned and require clever space planning and creativity. You can bring out the modern aesthetic of a Parisian apartment by using simple materials, bold colors, strong graphics and vintage pieces to maximize design in a small space. You won't find oversized sofas and furniture in a Paris studio apartment, or an oversized refrigerator that takes up valuable space in a small kitchen. The French appreciate modern comforts, but they are also very practical and have managed to host holiday meals without friends and family without enormous kitchens or dining rooms or private guest rooms. Think about how you live in a space 90% of the time and design around those needs.
Adding a Classic French Touch
Adding a marble fireplace or elaborate moldings to your space may be unrealistic, but a gilded mirror, vintage chandelier, European square linen pillow, or wallpaper that mimics classical architectural ornaments will add an instantly recognizable French touch to any room. And of course, you can incorporate the city's most famous landmark with an Eiffel Tower statue, photograph or mural to call out a Parisian landscape.
DESIGN SUGGESTIONS
1.Show Your Architectural Details
Architectural elements from the ornate walls of a house to intricate ceilings, plays a big part in French interior design.
Thanks to Haussmann's massive 19th-century urban renewal in Paris, many of the city's apartments come with nice bones. From high ceilings with decorative sills to Rococo-style wall panels, the French celebrate their architecture by emphasizing details and complementing it with gorgeous chandeliers and designer lighting. But even if your home isn't on the Champs Elysées, you can show off the natural details by making your walls stand out by creating the focal point of the original fireplace or keeping your wall decor minimal.
2.Include Vintage Pieces
Part of the magic of Parisian style homes is the story that comes with every piece of furniture and decor. Antique and vintage furniture pieces are beautiful on their own, but incorporating them into the living room can add instant sophistication to your space. They give not only style, but also an air of royalty and create a great intriguing focal point around the house.
3.Add Parisienne Designs
You can strengthen this style by adding French touches to furniture as well as accessories. It is very easy to create a bohemian, eclectic and real Parisian effect in your space with Pierre Jeanneret chair and armchair.
4.Give your home a golden glow
Gold is synonymous with luxury, so don't be afraid to give your home a golden touch. You can often include accessories, furniture details or mirror frames.
5.Soft Color Palette
A soft neutral color palette maintains a true French quality. Calm pastels or soft whites are the colors of choice for Paris apartments, not only because they are not easy on the eyes. Neutral walls make decorating a breeze when it comes to matching furniture and decor, and they remain timeless despite ever-changing design trends. However, consider adding pops of vibrant color with a velvet sofa or a patterned rug. First of all it is about comfort and attraction.
6. Pay Attention to Lighting
Take a look at these designs in midcentury modern style to create an original and eclectic structure in the space with modern and minimal details in lighting.
Antique walls, especially when combined with antique furniture and elegant curtains, can be said to be a true Parisian style. The beauty of French interiors lies in their unique charm. Each room tells a story about the person living in it, without style or script. This is what makes art an important addition to a French home, especially inspiring or thought-provoking pieces.
8.Welcome to Natural Light Through Large Windows
Finally, include floor-to-ceiling windows that let in lots of light so you can wake up each morning to a fresh start. If you don't have window areas of this width or length, use tulle curtains to add as much light as possible, or keep the curtains open as much as possible. There is nothing like the soft rays of the sun to give your space the perfect look, especially when they delicately touch the architectural details of your home. It goes without saying that the classic Paris apartment has plenty of light during the day, giving it the French 'je ne sais quoi' we all want to achieve.
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