Regardless of where you’re living – from a small apartment to a bungalow – it’s easier than ever to bring the vibe of a French cottage over to you. You can change things around as little or as much as possible to replicate the atmosphere of a cottage, and given that you have a wide range of options from which to choose from, the style choices fall into your hands.
You can mix the feeling of a historic cottage with a more modern vibe, or you can limit yourself to only one decorating genre. The only requirement has to be that you enjoy the way things look at the end of the day.
Don’t Go All In
While you might enjoy the look of a French cottage, there is no need to replicate it to a T. Keep in mind that things have to also be practical and casual and that you’re not turning your home into a museum. You can add a dash of elegance to the place, but you don’t have to sacrifice your own taste. Another important thing to keep in mind is that a French cottage doesn’t take into consideration current fashions or trends.
Style
The easiest place to start is by thinking about windows, doors, rugs, and other large parts of the house (or within the house). Changing something big within the house could completely change the dynamic and you’ll get closer to understanding the type of style you’re looking for. For example, by installing Abbey Aluminium French doors, you will instantly get the feel of a French home, and you’ll have a good starting spot in your redecorating adventure.
Focus on Colors
A big part of turning your home into a French cottage is capturing the color of one. The good thing is that the decorating pallet features virtually the whole color spectrum, which not only means that you have a lot of room to play with colours, but you will also get a vibrant atmosphere in the house. You will get to feature bold colours as well as watered-down pastels.
Depending on your preference, you can learn more towards more warm colours in order to recreate the cozy feeling of southern France, or you can pick more pale colours in order to get the look of a rural home you would find in northern France.
Adding Elegance To The Mix
Perhaps when you think of a cottage, the first thing that comes to mind is simplicity. While that is true to some degree, there is no reason to not add elegance to the mix when turning your home into a French cottage. One thing that will make the place shine (quite literally) is a chandelier, the piece being a defining part of the French country space.
You can incorporate chandeliers into your place in the living room and bedroom, and you have plenty of styles to choose from. In addition, French country homes also feature objects of art, from pots used as decorations to straw hats, to various paintings on the walls.
Embrace Simplicity
A staple of French cottages is the fact that there is an emphasis on simplicity, which ends up giving a feeling of serenity. While you have a wide range of option when restyling your home, there is no need to go over the top and add everything into one place or even all at once. You can make the process a gradual one, and make sure you pay a certain amount of thought into each step (without getting too fussy). Limit yourself to certain decorating elements and infuse your French cottage with your own taste.
