Living France Top Tips - Interiors in France

1 - There are many decorating styles to choose from for your home: go for Parisian chic, rural rustic, Riviera elegance or the grandeur of the château. The underlying principle for decorating is like French food – uncluttered with good ingredients

2 - Some French fabrics are 2m 80cm wide, double the normal width found in England, which comes from the tradition of using fabric to line the walls. It’s a wonderfully quick and exciting way to decorate as it covers bad walls, changes the sound quality in a room deadening noise as well as softening the feel – and it looks très chic too

3 - Have you noticed how wardrobes are now called armoires, even in England? This is because large brown overbearing pieces metamorphose into small elegant items when given the French painted look. Use taupes or greys with soft whites on the details in chalk paint then wax at the end for a soft mellow look

4 - Wondering what to do with the old linen tea towels and coarse mangle cloths you find in brocantes? With drop-in seats, cover the seat and turn over and staple ending with the corners. For a more authentic look on canapés and bergère chairs the French use silky brocades and jacquards in pretty sprigs and flowers

5 - For a country look, use the thin quilting fabric called boutis that was originally used for bed covers, particularly in the south. Mix these with cushions made from scraps of toile, gingham and stripes and find vintage pieces of linen and lace to make patchwork cushions

6 - One of the marvels of France is the abundance of lavender especially in the south. Lavender stuffed hearts are easy to make and they are a great way to use old embroidered linen napkins and sheets especially the cheaper ones that are damaged

7 - The French tend to make a different napkin for each member of the family; make them individual by using the same fabric with a different button on each one or different colourways in the same fabric

8 - The traditional French-style curtains are simple voiles, unlined linens and silks with very little in the way of floral designs or indeed of pattern except perhaps in the south where stripes are popular. A great use for old bed sheets with embroidery is to make them into curtains

9 - A French bed is a dream for many with its upholstered headboard or carved and painted decoration. Vintage ones tend to be only 4’6” wide so if you want a larger one, go for new. Choose French bedding including the large square shaped pillows or bolsters with frilled and simple lace. Find a vintage sheet in good condition and use it as a bedcover

10 - One of the prettiest lampshades is one that looks like a gathered skirt made from soft cotton or linen in a simple check or plain. Around the gathered waist is tied a simple loose-looking bow. This can be made on a normal shade but to make it well, you need a shade with a raised collar at the top

Annie Sloan
Director
Annie Sloan Interiors

Annie’s book, Creating the French Look is published by CICO Books at £16.99 and available from all good bookshops

Tel: 01865 768666