The key hue in a shabby chic French country palette is antique white. Distressed, matte surfaces are appropriate in this style. Faded blues, purples, yellows and pinks work as wall colors, accent shades and furniture finishes. Patterns are key in the French country look. Be bold and combine an oriental rug with a flowered couch or, in the bedroom, French toile fabric cafe-style curtains with paisley throw pillows. Timeworn and vintage patterns on wallpaper, bedding, towels, tablecloths, throw rugs and painted on furniture add texture to a room.
The Classic look with linen fabrics accented with distressed white and gold leaf ....... add a mirror table like the one below.
A French Wardrobe made in 3 pieces and then placed into a bottom frame.........a crown molded topper to hold it all in place. This will fit the elevator and get it into your flat this way.
This is a dresser we've done
Strike a classic note with vintage furniture made in solid wood. Begin with a French country item such as a small end table, an upholstered chair, an engraved cabinet, an armoire, a hutch with open display areas, a wrought iron bed frame or a graceful nightstand and add a thin coat of whitewash or distress the surface by rubbing at the paint with fine grain sandpaper. Hutches, buffets, sideboards and desks and chairs with sculpted legs give your home rustic French flavor. Try customizing pieces by adding a hand-painted border of grapevines or cornflowers.
The last 4 photos are from the Shenzhen Home Goods Center. There is a small corner shop on the first floor with beautiful French Pottery at a great price - but you have to carry back. On the top floor is a FAB wholesaler for artificial flowers. They are pricey but the quality is gorgeous (and HK prices are huge for much lesser quality). The embroidered bench is from another shop that specializes in the French country estate look....... I didn't want to leave empty handed.
The first carved headboard and frame is an item we've done for achieving this look. Or you can add a painted headboard accented with birds and flowers....voila Country Style. Add crisp white linen - layers and layers of it............ ruffles on pillows and a gathered bed-skirt. Another material is the Matlaise seen in the bedskirt above and of course you can't go wrong with BLUE AND WHITE! A room with all white furniture and all Blue and White is very calming.
Louis Chairs will always identify the French Country. Here are a few we've done..... with the large checked pattern..........and again then with turquoise linen & faux leather seats for easy cleaning.
Shabby white slipcovers are the Rachael Ashwell's trademark for Shabby Chic.
Checks and stripes are very French. (This is the solid fabric we used on the chairs.)
The top bureau is something I just saw in the Zhuhai Factory. Don't be afraid to paint an antique.
This unique French sideboard was too dark for a small room and it's a reproduction.... the finish not so pretty. It could have been re-stained a darker richer color but still too dark for a small room. So we added cream paint and sanded it to look old. Now it looks like it has been around for a 100 years.
This is not the typical French..... But it's a Farm table with French Pottery ...........the addition of Ghost chairs leaves it uncluttered, if you have a small space. The color of gray and white are also clean like fresh laundry.
Beautiful Hand painted l Porcelain - with updated barrel shades. Now showing and selling on our website.
This is not a French design .... it's what we call Lime wash - giving a piece a light white glaze. Add this to a piece with some curves and oo-la-la !
I could go on and on about this TOPIC .... it's one of my favorite looks. What I like is the now updated look ..... narrowing down the clutter instead of last decades over clutter and pattern.
