CONTEMPORARY FRENCH
These type of Interior Designs are generically bold, sophisticated and chic. It is often also pretty quirky in terms of its aesthetics. Having said that of course, it takes a serious amount of sophistication to pull this particular style off but trust the French, they have it in spades. The French style decor is about creating spaces with a truly original flair, extensive of whites, playing around with spaces and the occasional healthy dash of flamboyance – is key to the ideal sophistication of Contemporary French Interiors.
French style has evolved considerably since the unapologetic ornate décor of the regal era. After the French Revolution, people began to turn their backs on that over the top aesthetic and go for a simpler look with just a subtle nod here and there to the ornate design history. There is a lot of room for flexibility when it comes to colour. Let your personality dictate the palette you choose. If you want to create a calm feel, go for neutrals like white, off-white, taupe, mushroom, light grey, soft duck egg blue or a serene green. If you wish to punch up the mood, bold colours are the way to go. Peacock blue, teal, emerald green, shades of red – nothing is off limits in French interior design. However, for this particular project, we decided to go for a more spacious, pure white feel.
Look for at least one or two pieces of vintage furniture or antiques that will help you balance the classic with the more contemporary. Fabric choices also allow you a lot of flexibility. You could go simple with organic cottons and linens with subtle patterns for upholstery or take the opposite direction and choose luxurious fabrics like velvet, brocade, silk and lace. Again, it is your taste and personality that are in the driving seat.
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS:
The key is to under-decorate. ”Flamboyance’ and ‘flair’ doesn’t mean filling your home with loads of impressive, attention-grabbing things. After the excesses of the French royal court in the 18th century, French home decor took a route of (comparative) restraint and has more or less stuck to it ever since. – ‘Underdecorating‘ can take many forms, and you can show your French decorating savviness by using some of these neat tricks:
- Leave some walls completely bare – without pictures, ornaments or home decors.
- Use simple, natural fabrics: raw linen, cotton duck, cheesecloth.
- Go easy on the frills: stay away from ruffles, tasselled fringes or an overdose of floral fabrics.
- Pair baroque curves with straight lines.
- Overwhelming whites all around
- The use of marble, especially for table tops (since we’re in Singapore)
BOLDNESS:
This may sound like a contradiction to the earlier said characteristic but in fact, it isn’t. Only because while French home decor can be many things, being timid isn’t one of them! So bring just one oversized or otherwise spectacular item into your French style interiors. For example, a sensationally colourful, extravagantly large ceramic bowl on the coffee table or a piece of wall art that’s of size, on that can actually cover the entire vast expanse of the wall.
MIXING THE OLD AND NEW:
If you have a Louis XV chair, don’t surround it with more Louis XV chairs. An antique piece comes across with more weight and dignity when you contrast it with simple contemporary, modernist or even minimalist home decor.
RAW AND REFINED:
One of the things that strike me about French Interior Design is the playful attitude towards the past. There is so much gorgeous old stuff sitting around in people’s homes that it doesn’t need any ‘packaging’ to make it look even more special, gorgeous, or old. Include a little bit of antique, and somehow-somewhat frayed copperplate engraving will add to all the right vibes to achieving the French Design feel.
FRENCH DESIGN IN SINGAPORE?:
Just because you’re not in Paris doesn’t mean you can’t do things with flair. Also, just because you are residing in Singapore doesn’t mean you can’t have a living room or bedroom that is elegant and, well, regal. Acquiring an antique chair screams rustic-chic and it’s actually rather exquisite and fits perfectly if you really think about it – laying in the corner of your HDB home. Having all white interiors and marble tops paired with marble laminates to channel the true essence of French Design in your humble abode wouldn’t hurt anybody!
A BIT OF GOLD AND MARBLE NEVER HURT ANYONE:
Obviously, French interior decorating isn’t all about gold or marble. To be sure, contemporary French interior design doesn’t always have to be flamboyant, there’s another side of it whereby it’s more minimal – in the contemporary sense. However, if you’re into French home decor, something gilded in its grandeur-like style, or at least something polished to a high sheen, heed our advice and you will never go amiss. Having that said, French Interior Decorating is much more interesting than having just briefly graced living as a Parisian in an uber chic setting. It’s about the art of making everyday life really, really enjoyable and being realistic to the best of your spending ability. We at 9 Creation can assist you in that very aspect. Come, book your appointment with us today here.
