We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
Affiliate Disclosure
Create a cozy cooking space with a French farmhouse style kitchen. French farmhouse is the perfect blend of contrasting elements. It takes the modern and the traditional, as well as the minimal and the ornate, and places them together.
The result is a gorgeous farmhouse kitchen design that’s easy to adapt to your personal taste.
Hallmarks of French Country Style
If you’re interested in trying out this style, here are some of the basic hallmarks to keep in mind:
Small Ornate Details
Unlike modern trends, one part of this style is to focus on small, ornate details. You should absolutely include things like fluting, carved elements, and detailed patterns.
Incorporating this through smaller decorations is the easiest option. However, you can still apply this to larger elements in your kitchen as well.
Some good examples of this would be stylized cabinets, detailed cabinet pulls, or patterned tiles. Little touches like these are the perfect way to add in some French flair to your kitchen.
You can also change up some things on your larger fixtures as well. Options like country style farmhouse sinks are a great example. These have designs like floral scrolls or fluting on the front.
The key is just to keep these additions pared back. you don’t want to make them too overwhelming. Stick to just one or two decorative elements, and don’t pair very detailed things together.
If you’re uncertain, just follow the same rules you would with clothing. While you can absolutely put two subtle patterns together with clothes, do so sparingly. And don’t put two bold patterns together.
The point is to be thoughtful about your choices. That way you can incorporate a lot of details into your kitchen without having it look cluttered.
Open and Airy Space
In contrast to the high level of detail, the room itself should feel open and airy.
Typically, adding in a lot of ornate elements makes a room look more cluttered.
Victorian styles are a good example of this. Part of Victorian style was just the desire to fill the space. That’s why there’s so many visually heavy elements, like brocade, hand carved wood, and decorative furniture pieces.
French styles have a similar propensity for ornate detail, but with more balance. It pairs visually heavy things with light colors and as much natural lighting as possible. This is what allows the style to feel open, despite still having a lot of detail.
Pops of Color
Don’t be afraid of enjoying some color with this style. With this look, you don’t have to stick to the current trend of plain white color schemes.
Add in large jolts of color, with the cabinets, fixtures, or backsplash. Blue, pink, and yellow are all popular choices for this style.
Just remember to keep things light. You want the design to be as bright as possible, so stick to warm colors. You can also go with pastels for cool colors. As long as you’re not using anything too saturated it should be fine.
Embrace the Old
Don’t be afraid to go back to the classics with this style. Farmhouse designs tend to embrace traditional elements throughout. So you should absolutely favor those timeless designs and rustic elements.
Just make sure to keep them balanced. By adding in some modern touches as well, you can keep the space looking current.
Design Inspiration
If you’re looking for some ways to incorporate this style, here is some helpful inspiration:
Modern and Rustic
This room provides a good example of the potential for this style to blend modern and and traditional elements.
There’s obviously a lot of modern touches here, from the countertops, fixtures, and color scheme. But it’s paired with plenty of rustic elements as well. The unfinished look of the island, hood, and flooring are all provide excellent contrast to the otherwise simple space.
The cabinet pulls and light fixture also add a nice, antique touch. And the patterned backsplash provides that perfect hint of ornate detail.
Overall, this is a great example of how this style makes the most of contrasting elements.
Classic yet Contemporary
This kitchen provides a great example of a more contemporary way to adapt this style. It pairs traditional elements with modern touches to create an updated, but classic look.
The cabinets and flooring especially, add a rustic, country touch. White shaker is a popular look for any farmhouse design. But this house takes it further by paring them with ornate storage elements at the top. They also have traditional style cabinet pulls, for even more emphasis.
The floors also have that same country look. The color and detail on the flooring makes the wood grain stand out. This gives it an almost unvarnished, very rustic appeal. It’s the perfect way to dress down the stark white cabinets, and make the room feel cozier.
To keep the design updated, the kitchen includes plenty of modern fixtures as well. The clean, simple look of the fixtures and appliances helps keep the room simple. It prevents it from leaning too far into overly-ornate, Victorian territory.
Going too far with French country looks is easy to do, so add in some smaller, more modern touches where possible.
Colorful and Traditional
This kitchen is a great example of how you can incorporate color into this type of style.
The key is to focus on lighter colors and pastels with your color pallet. This is what helps to create that very open, airy feel that French designs are known for.
In this case, the light green of the cabinets is the main pop of color. There’s also a lot of detailing in the cabinet doors, with those vertical stripes. However, they don’t feel overly ornate, since the space is still very open.
The color itself is also very muted. It’s not an overpowering choice, despite the fact that it’s the main color in the design.
Getting the Look at Home
If you don’t want to do a full renovation, don’t worry. You can still incorporate elements of this look without draining your savings.
Here are some small ways to icorporate this look:
- Get ornate cabinet pulls
- Switch the shades of your light fixtures
- Add in some antiques and ceramics. (Things like spice containers and creamer jars are a cheap and functional way to decorate your counter.)
- Add pops of color with your kitchen towels and other decorative items.
- Display your wooden utensils and wooden cutting board, for a rustic touch.
Though these options are simple, they can make a huge difference in your kitchen. Start with just a few, and build on these small touches until your’re happy with the look. You’d be surprised how switching out just a few simple elements can change the overall design.
So try out some of these French farmhouse kitchen design ideas in your home!
