Decorate Like the French: Using Parisian-Style Elements in Your Home

classy home with chairs and sofas around the fireplace
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Do you dream of living in an apartment in Paris? You culd spend a fortune and take that trip, or you could look around your home and see the possibilities of an effortlessly chic French-style interior. With the right elements, focus, and colors, your Salt Lake City apartment’s interior design may resemble a relaxed but stylish home in Paris.

Understanding the French Aesthetic

Start by knowing the French aesthetic before purchasing home decors. This helps you identify the items you can use to achieve the Parisian look you want, from furniture to decorative elements.

A French-style interior uses a variety of fabrics, including velvet and brocade drapery paired with chiffon or organza. You will also notice that Parisian apartments include mirrors and art pieces (usually in carved frames with gilding) in their interior design.

Pastel tones are an ideal choice for the color scheme. Colors like emerald, gray-green, lilac, blue, and silver are also common in French style homes. These palettes suit the elegance of the French aesthetic.

But French-style interior design is effortless and not too curated. Interior design experts say you shouldn’t try too hard to achieve a French-style interior. As much as possible, keep it simple. Try mixing the old with the new to create visual impact.

Vive la France

French interiors are chic, but never sacrifice how you use the space over style. Functionality should still determine your final design. After all, Paris apartments are about the design as much as they are about the home owner’s lifestyle.

Here are four tricks to help you achieve a beautiful Parisian-inspired interior:

Offset vibrant colors with black, white, and gold

Parisian homes are rich in colors, including emerald, royal blue, and lilac, so pairing them with black, white, and gold will provide balance to the overall look. Black helps unite all the elements in a room and can serve as an accent color.

Choose luxurious fabrics

cream colored silk fabric

Traditional toile, velvet, silk, and brocade are ideal fabric options for a French-inspired home. You can pair toile with coordinating color-checked fabrics. For extra elegance, add tassels, fringes, cording, and other details you think suit the aesthetic.

Invest in vintage-looking furniture

Complete your Parisian apartment-inspired home with chairs, tables, and armoires in black or cream that complement wood floors. You also don’t need to get real antique pieces because distressed and crackled paint give furniture pieces an aged look. Make the pieces look as if they have been acquired a lifetime ago, yet they have maintained their elegance.

Select chic light fixtures

Parisian style apartments usually have crystal chandeliers, wall sconces, and table lamps with fringe lampshades. Consider dramatic floor lamps that are specific to an era or install recessed lighting for a bit of romantic glow.

Parisian apartments are chic and elegant, yet they retain that lived in look. You don’t have to live in the French capital to experience that kind of living. Just look around your home. Use the right elements, mix the right colors, and create the right vibe to create your Parisian home in Salt Lake City.

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