LAVENDER HILL INTERIORS

9 Steps to a French Provincial Home

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Step 1 Creating your own French boudoir

Step 2 French farmhouse dining table

Step 3 When the Hamptons meets French Provincial

Step 4 Relaxed elegance for your living room

Step 5 Why a bedhead will transform your bedroom

Step 6 How to style chic kids bedrooms

Step 7 Crisp linen slipcovers

Step 8 How to style a coffee table

Step 9 French inspired study

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CONTENTS

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A boudoir literally means a woman’s private bedroom, sitting room or dressing room.

The French word “bouder” means to sulk or to pout so you can imagine a woman living in an 18th Century castle retiring to her boudoir to sulk in private until her disposition improved!

Nowadays the word Boudoir has developed into a term used to describe a bedroom as a French inspired luxurious sanctuary.

French style decor is one of the world’s most enduring styles. I think it has universal appeal bringing together a mix of sophisticated European charm and understated elegance.

CHAPTER 1

Creating your own French Boudoir

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CHAPTER 1 Creating your own French Boudoir

.For a traditional French boudoir go for plush fabrics and colours - velvet, damask and toile for your cushions, curtains and bedding in rich tones of chocolate deep red, burgundy, royal blue and gold.

Alternatively a French Provincial boudoir is all about romance and elegance in muted neutral tones with splashes of duck egg blue, soft green and natural. Fabrics are all natural - pure linen and cotton in bedding, cushions, curtains and upholstery. Go for slightly distressed painted oak furniture.

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CHAPTER 2

French Farmhouse Dining Table

The farmhouse table is an essential in French country homes - rustic, time worn, and always large enough to accommodate family and friends. It is the perfect meeting point for hearty breakfasts, big family gatherings at home, and those many moments that in the future, will bring a nostalgic smile to your face.

Rule of thumb to follow in French farmhouse styling - it is centered on accepting the beauty of imperfect textures, the abundance of delicate details, and most importantly, the magnetic appeal of a truly comfortable home.

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CHAPTER 2 French Farmhouse Dining Table

1Use naturally distressed furniture - The ambiance of the French countryside is one of easy and practical living. Worn paint, carved wood details, and even small flaws that come with use are perfect accents for the farmhouse look.

2Add rusted metal or old ceramic accessories - Soft tones of lavender, rose, and sky blue are the colors of a French farmhouse-inspired home. Include home accessories made of rusted metals like old gardening pails, wire baskets or stone or ceramic urns.

3Organic textures will bring your French farmhouse full circle - Hand-weaved baskets, burlap furniture covers, and linen tablecloths will add that rustic charm to your interiors.

You can bring the warm and welcoming beauty of the French countryside to your very own space, by making sure to include these 3 elements in your home styling:

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Let me show you how to bring these two design themes together to produce a harmonious backdrop for your space. I have made some suggestions to infuse your home with a unique look of carefree elegance.

BRING A TOUCH OF SEASIDE TO YOUR SPACEThe Hamptons is well known as that beautiful stretch of stylish homes in the seaside “East End” of Long Island, New York. It’s all about mirroring the elegant, hip, and relatively relaxed life by the beach.

You can begin by combining the earthy hues of the French farmhouse with the refreshing shades of the beach like aqua or deep blues. This provides your space with a balanced palette, giving it that calm vibe while still keeping the look polished.

Life by the sea also allows you to maximize the range of textures you can include in styling your home. From the grooves of seashells to grainy sand-like surfaces, these elements can actually jive well with the smooth wooden panels of most farmhouse-inspired interiors.

CHAPTER 3

When the Hamptons meets French Provincial

How do you marry the laidback sophistication of the Hamptons with the rustic allure of a French farmhouse?

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BUTTON-ACCENTED LINEN FURNITURE SPELL HAMPTONS LUXURYThe idea behind French farmhouse interiors is to reflect the idyllic lifestyle of the countryside. This is often manifested through distressed wood surfaces and aged metal accents.

How then do you combine this shabby chic look with the laid-back sophistication of the Hamptons? Bring in the tufted or buttoned linen furniture. The linen gives the space a comfortable appeal while the tufts or button accents lend it that refined look.

USE WHITE OR LIGHT NEUTRAL AS THE DOMINANT SHADEOne of the things that these two styling themes have in common, is using white or a light neutral as a base or main color. This hue helps keep the interiors look light and breezy, as is the most remarkable aspect of homes in the Hamptons. You can balance the stark whiteness of the space with neutral shades like beige, timber tones, and even navy.

CHAPTER 3 When the Hamptons meets French Provincial

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CHAPTER 4

Relaxed Elegance for Your Living Room

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The living room is a home’s oasis, primary ‘conference room’, and centre of the home. What better living room environment to create than one that’s both comfortable and practical, yet chic and elegant?

An interior decorating favorite the world over is the French provincial style, which offers all this in spades.

The concept is inspired by beautiful provincial centers like Provence, and draws on the breathtaking landscapes and the relaxed lifestyle.

Read on and discover how you can make your central space at home echo the idyllic and effortlessly elegant beauty of provincial France.

NEUTRALS AND SOFT SHADES MAKE THE PERFECT PALETTEThe beautiful French countryside may be alive with the colors of nature, but the interior decorating concept it inspires tones down the rich hues and delves instead into calmer neutrals like whites, neutrals, creams, and light grays. These versatile tones should be the colours of choice for most of the room through furniture and fabric covers.

Accent colors are also in relatively muted shades of ochre, green, and grayish blues. Occasional splashes of pastels in pink and yellow are a great addition too, and can instantly give your living room a refreshing ambiance.

CHAPTER 4 Relaxed elegance for your living room

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WHITEWASHED AND TIMEWORN PIECES ARE A MUST The heart of French provin-cial decorating is the dis-tinct look of furniture used to create that laid-back country feel. White-washed surfaces with distressed textures deliver the ideal balance of shabby and chic in this interior styling theme.

French provincial decorating welcomes the look of deep wooden grooves, fading paint, and even a slight chip here and there on ceramic accents. Choose a center table and sofa that gives off that French country vibe effortlessly. Those with cab-riole legs or graceful scal-loped curves will enhance the quiet sophistication you are going for.

CHAPTER 4 Relaxed elegance for your living room

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Bedrooms are your very own slice of paradise where you can unwind, relax, get your much-needed rest and just chill. This is one of the main reasons why styling yours is paramount to creating a soothing sanctuary.

So, where exactly do you start with this monumental task?

Begin where styling matters most - the bed area.

High-end hotels, luxury resorts, and even the Pinterest-worthy bedrooms you see online will most likely have one thing in common in their bedrooms - an uphol-stered, eye-catching, stylish bedhead.

CHAPTER 5

Why a bedhead will transform your bedroom

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BEDHEADS OFFER AN UPGRADED SENSE OF COMFORTCalming coloured walls, cushioned seats for those days when you just want to flop, and a large comfortable bed to lie down in when you’re ready to snooze. Sounds like the perfect formula for a bedroom right?

Yes, but it would all be incomplete without one element - a bedhead.

Bedheads originally served a utilitarian purpose - to prevent drafts and cold from the walls from affecting the bed. While most rooms are now

better heated and insulated, bedheads can still easily serve this function. Most bedheads in earlier times were made of wood, but now there are plenty of other options like metal, timber, and upholstered bedheads.

Fabric bedheads, because of their very nature, offer you some extra softness to enjoy. Upholstered bedheads are perfect for those who like reading in bed or watching TV.

CHAPTER 5 Why a bedhead will transform your bedroom

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BEDHEADS ADD A DOSE OF EFFORTLESS STYLE TO YOUR ROOMThere are many decorating features in a space as personal as a bedroom, but if there’s one that matters the most, it would be the bed area. This serves as the focal point when you enter the bedroom.

Whether your styling theme is Hamptons or shabby-chic French farmhouse-inspired, a well-chosen bedhead brings the finishing touch to your bedroom.

Choose colors and styles that compliment the ambiance you are going for. Dark linen bedheads are perfect for sophisticated, larger spaces. Light-colored upholstered ones on the other hand are ideal for more space-limited bedrooms as the color helps visually open up the space.

Whether it be plain, curved or buttoned, a bedhead will give your bedroom a look of unassuming elegance and warmth.

CHAPTER 5 Why a bedhead will transform your bedroom

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Investing in a child’s bedroom need not break the bank but if you buy them high quality, well designed pieces when they are young you won’t need to change when they are older. Choose furniture that will grow with them and it will be a lot less expensive in the long run.

We believe children want and love beau-tiful things. Go for classic French style pieces for girl’s and classic furniture for boy’s bedrooms which will take your kids from toddler to teenager with simply a change of bedding and wall decor.

CHAPTER 6

How to style chic kid’s bedrooms

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1Give your kids a say in the style and general colour scheme of their room – girls are particularly interested in designing their own bedroom space.

2Start with the larger furniture pieces – the bed, bedside table, bookshelf, desk, etc - invest in classic pieces instead of character or childlike designs which are of short lived interest. Perhaps use a poster or cushion which can easily be replaced if they want a princess or superhero theme.

3Choose colourful accents in wall decals and pictures, bedding and decorative pieces, mixed with neutral colours so the room is bright and fun as well as relaxing.

CHAPTER 6 How to style chic kid’s bedrooms

3 HELPFUL HINTS FOR STYLING KIDS BEDROOMS

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Nothing says “French Provincial” quite like elegant smartly shaped linen slipcovers

We love the look of crisp linen tailored dining chair slipcovers - they work perfectly in both traditional and contemporary homes - adding sophistication and a real sense of chic.

And linen and slipcovers are the perfect marriage!

Slipcovers are the great camouflagers of the design world - they not only conceal worn fabrics but can change the dynamics of an entire room at a minimum of cost and fuss.

Slipcovers are both refined and casual and quintessentially French Provincial. They are also practical and can be easily removed for washing.

CHAPTER 7

Crisp Linen Slipcovers

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Knowing how to decorate a coffee table can add so much style to your space’s décor and overall feel. It is sometimes difficult to know where to start but with a little help, styling coffee tables is not difficult or shouldn’t be too much effort.

All you need to do is to read up on the tips we’re sharing below so that you can easily style your coffee table with a designer’s flair!

Consider heights and layersStyling coffee tables have come a long way from the time when the tables were simply meant to hold cups and saucers when entertaining guests. As much as

coffee tables still serve that function these days, they are now perceived as decorative pieces of furniture that work to anchor your living room.

Your coffee table should be around the same height as your couch or sofa for it to be able to blend in with the rest of your living room furniture. As for layers, a stack of books that is aesthetically arranged balanced with a vase of fresh flowers, beautiful piece of coral or potted succulents makes for a laid-back style that’s both sophisticated and traditional.

Making sure that your coffee table and the decorative items on it are the correct height for your main seating area makes them the focal point without obstructing anyone’s line of sight when seated.

CHAPTER 8

How to style a coffee table

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In a French-inspired office, the desk is the room’s focal point which can be ornate in design and reflect old world charm or simple French Provincial styled. The desks are often expansive and make it easy to envision yourself spreading out your work for the day.

A truly French home office tends to have eye-catching light fixtures, and perhaps even a chandelier. Colour palettes are simple and light, which is great not only from an aesthetic standpoint but also because it creates a calm, oasis-like work environment.

Some of the colours you might consider using in your French-style home office design include rich creams and shades of beige, white, or powder blues.

Beautiful natural woods pair with sumptuous fabrics and metal accessories and lighting, and there’s never the feeling of these rooms being overly formal.

CHAPTER 9

French inspired study

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CHAPTER 9 French inspired study

Also important in the design of a French-inspired home office are the accessories and details that really do make these rooms feel like a place you could comfortably settle in for the day, such as built-in shelves or armoires packed with well-worn books, fresh flowers or favourite pieces of art.

Finally, for the ideal French workspace, think about natural light. Let it pour into the space uninterrupted from heavy window coverings so that you can feel inspired and uplifted throughout the day.

Ultimately, the design concept of a French-style office or study should be focused on creating a sense of warmth, layered textures, and well-loved pieces of carefully crafted furniture. French-style offices should feel like they’re designed for longevity and evoke a sense of subtle sophistication and elegance that never goes out of style.

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THANK YOU FOR READING!

Thanks for taking the time to read our ebook and hope that you are inspired to create your own French Provincial oasis.

Check out our website www.lavenderhillinteriors.com.au to see our complete range of French and Hamptons style furniture and homewares, at highly reasonable prices.