French provincials style remains one of the most popular interior design aesthetics in the world and can be integrated into any home. This design style retains its popularity because it combines elegance with functionality and it is relatively easy to transform your home into this style regardless of your budget.

The best description of French provincial furniture – it is furniture and décor you touch with your eyes and your hands with relaxed elegance characterised by rustic, whites, woods and neutrals combined with the opulence of silks, chandeliers, mixed practical and high end finishes.

Simple ways to help you achieve a French provincial look in your home:

• Base colours should be creams and whites, choose a neutral palette and add accents of colour. The colour palette of a French provincial home is inspired by the landscape. Lean towards warm gold, earthly grass greens, brilliant cobalt blues, and russet reds.
• Paint your furniture in colours such as white, muted grey or taupe you can also use the distressed paint look and look at adding mouldings to your furniture to create interest.
• Add mirrors they are a wonderful French provincial accessory and a great way of reflecting light around the room. Choose a carved wood mirror or something gold.
• Add vintage pieces of furniture such as sideboards. For a modern look, mix French provincial pieces with modern furniture. You can always give antique furniture a contemporary twist by adding crystal knobs or having a sheet of glass or mirror fitted to the top.
• Shutters are a popular feature of these homes and were normally painted in cheery bright colours. White, however is a classic, timeless choice.
• Opt for natural raw materials. Natural stone floors look stunning in a French provincial home, as do distressed ceiling beams, rough plastered walls and lots of wooden details.
• The 17th and 18th century spent much of their time embroidering so include some of this lovely needlework in your home in the drapery or bed linen. Don’t forget add upholstered furniture.
• Choose textiles in traditional prints that take their cue from nature, such as vines, sunflowers, olives and roosters arranged in geometric patterns. A particularly famed French fabric is Toile de Jouy, a cotton or linen material with a white and beige colour scheme or fleur de lis design,
• Accessorise your home with rustic baskets, old copper pots, colourful ceramics, wrought iron and fresh flowers.