3 Easy Old World French Elements To Add To Your Home Part 1
This beautiful farmhouse was newly constructed and sits between the sea and mountains of the south of Catalonia, Spain. The house is decorated in the French country style. Borrow the best looks from this house for your own home. Below we offer three suggestions that will give you the biggest impact for gaining the French country look in your home.
1. Old Plastered Walls
Old Plastered walls will give you an old world look automatically. Nothing will change the appearance of your home MORE than a faux wall finish. While there are so many finishes to choose from, it doesn’t have to be complicated. Today there are a large range of concrete/ plaster molds that are available to FAKE a stone wall in your home. ALSO, applying plaster that is mixed with paint can be an easy faux finish that any person can make. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Consider adding texture to your smooth walls to give a inexpensive–comparable look to stone walls.
Consider adding texture to the walls using joint compound. (It is important that you test this look on a sheet of wood before applying it to your walls to see of you like the appearance before adding plaster. Practice makes perfect) Simply apply a thin coat (1/4″ thick) of compound to the wall, using the flat edge of the joint knife. A thicker coat of plaster might crack and fall off, so working with thinner coats is ideal. Experiment with creating various surface textures. Use a broom to create a striated, or a paint brush to create texture in the plaster. Experiment with textures that look genuine. When the textured surface is complete, let the wall compound dry for about 24 hours. With a paintbrush, apply pale-pink semigloss paint to the wall. Apply two coats of paint to seal the drywall compound. After your wall has dried, apply a glaze onto the wall with a wide paintbrush. Your glaze should be a slightly darker color of the paint color on wall. A very light muted yellow mixed with glaze would also make a terrific glaze. Simply paint the glaze on, and wipe off the excess glaze with a cotton cloth. The glaze will collect in the crevices giving the appearance of an aged look.
A large amount of faux plaster stone molds are available. Plaster is pretty inexpensive, making this project very affordable. The only down side to these molds, is it will take you a long time to make enough to cover a wall.
To read more details about this beautiful home, visit Campagne Decoration.
3 Easy Old World French Elements To Add To Your Home Part 2
19th Century French Iron Metal Folding Daybed Berkshire Home & Antiques
2. The Use Of Metal
In French decor, metal is a very important element, especially iron. One very easy way to incorporate forged iron is with curtain rods and curtain hold-backs. Modern hardware can be traded out for iron hardware. This simple improvement can make all the difference in a home.
Take a good look at your lighting. Often times, you can quickly fix ceiling lighting simply with spray paint. Rust-oluem produces a wonderful spray called Oil- Rubbed which gives a wonderful metallic bronze finish that looks genuine. Rustoleum also produces a spray that simulates aged iron. For under 20 dollars you can make over much of the metal in your home with inexpensively. Adding a good primer can ensure that your finish lasts several years. After trying a dozen of primers, I have found when it comes to covering metal, that using an automobile primer has been what has worked the best for me in the past. Finding a primer in black is not an easy find. Although Rustoleum produces an auto primer that works quite well. Auto paints can be very very toxic to breath in. So it is best to do spray painting outside, as well it is imperitive to wear a proper safety mask to ensure that your lungs are protected. This is a great way of improving some of the little details around your home which will make a big impact.
Iron shelves can be put above doorways, or under kitchen cabinets for a very rustic appearance. Use iron shelving in your bathrooms for extra storage. The color and texture of the iron adds a touch of boldness that metals used nowadays don’t have.
-Cast Iron Bird Knocker $13
-Esschert Design Quarter Round Etagere Plant Rack $134
-Esschert Design Cast Iron Wall Shelf with Hooks $52
-Esschert Design Cast Iron Game Wall Hook $54
-Esschert Design XH61-AR Large French Urn $101
-Esschert DesignBird Large $13, Sitting Iron Bird, $13
-Esschert Design Boot Rack/Scraper for 2 pairs of boots $79
-Esschert Design DB56 Cast Iron Welcome Sign $19
-16″ Decorative Flowing Scroll Bathroom Towel Holder $60
-Elizabeth Narrow Towel Rack $49
-Set of 2 Vintage French Antique Silver Vanity Mirror Home Decor $64
-30.75″ Weathered Wooden and Iron Bistro Table with Scroll Accents $279
-27″ Black Iron Leaf & Scroll Lantern-Style Table Top Candle Holder $151
-Counterflory Recipe Book Holder $33
-Secrets du Potager Herb and Flower Dryer $18
-Secrets du Potager Harvest Baskets, Set of 3 $74
–Cast Iron Shoe Scraper with Brush $53
-Cast Iron Umbrella Stand $86
– Large Wasp Trap with Decorative Cast Iron Holder $35
-Cast Iron Wall Mount Hose Holder $46
-Half Round Cast Iron Wall Planter $41
Other Interesting Ideas :
– Iron Jardiniere Planters
-Ornate French Chateau Style Brown Iron Desk Clock $38
-Iron Wall Hook Home Decor $13
-Palazetto Fleur Cast Aluminum Bistro Set Color – Antique Wine $219
-Secrets du Potager Wire Mannequin Display Figure $181
-Esschert Design USA ZB16 Glass Cloche $54
-Esschert Design OZ13 Old Zinc Finish Round Table $133
-Esschert Design USA BR03 Bird Hook Bracket $15.48
-Set of Three White Metal Flower Pots In Metal Saucer $16
-Esschert Design USA White Metal Bucket with Wood Handle $16
-21″ Antique-Style Vanity Mirror with Two-Tier Tray $74
-Set of 3 Open Design Birdcage-Inspired Wire Urns with Finial Lids $140
-36″ Giant Wire Mesh Hanging Three-Tier Wall Shelf Rack $230
3 Easy Old World French Elements To Add To Your Home Part 3
3. The Use Of Clay
Another material we often see in French styled estates is the vast use of clay. Pottery brings an old look to our modern homes instantly. Consider buying over-sized clay potting containers and line them up out side in a row. These large scale pots look great at the outside of an entry way, or in the entrance to a garden. Use them as a focal point in the middle of your flower garden for an architectural look. Use metal forms to create manicured bushes. Adding plants in the house with clay pots is a sure way of bringing that old world touch into your home. Paint and stencil your clay pots to customize your decor inside and outside. Rocks are quite popular and are used instead of extensive lawns in the countryside of France. Adding iron patio furniture outside looks great and also weathers terrific over the years.
–Cortez Pedestal Bowls – Set of 3 $106
-Abydos Small Vase $34
-Rosemary Herb Pots Set of 3 – $43
-Roman Tall Vase $82
-Set of 3 Clay Green, Blue and Yellow Lidded Jar Canisters 16″ $139
-11″ Decorative Distressed Rustic Ceramic Pitcher Vase with Metal Handle $79
