A French country kitchen is a perfect blend of rustic and chic elements. It emphasizes neutral colors and natural materials like wood. The decorating aesthetic known as French country style is an homage to the charms of the French countryside, copied worldwide by architects, interior designers, and home decorators. Check out these French country kitchens to see how you can borrow French style to create a warm, charming, and effortlessly chic gathering space.
01of 28 – Use Gilded Finishes by Mindy Laven Home. This French farmhouse-inspired kitchen features elegant details like lantern-style pendant lights and scattered paintings with gilded frames on the walls, contrasting with the wood beams, cabinetry, and flooring.
07of 28 – Decorate with Vintage Tools. Design by Anne Rae Design / Photo by Jenny Siegwart. Decorating your kitchen with utilitarian accessories such as vintage or antique wood cutting boards and metal cooking utensils and molds is a simple way to add a sense of history and create a layered feel in a modern kitchen, like this space from Anne Rae Design. 08of 28 – Incorporate Patterned Tile. Design by Charlie Coull Design. Incorporating pretty patterned tile in soft shades of blue, bentwood bar stools, and vintage-style pendant lights adds a little bit of French country flair to this kitchen from Charlie Coull Design. 09of 28 – Choose Natural Materials. Design by Anne Rae Design / Photo by Jenny Siegwart. This kitchen from Anne Rae Design highlights natural materials like wood and stone, with a rustic oven surround and wooden bar stools that add French country finesse. 10of 28 – Use Mismatched Cabinets. Design by Leanne Ford Interiors / Photo by Alexandra Ribar. This kitchen from Leanne Ford Interiors channels French country spirit with its mismatched storage pieces. Stacked vintage cupboards with an aged painted patina hide clutter, while rustic stained wood shelving offers display and storage space. What do the French call it? In France, French country style is simply called ‘style campagne,’ or ‘country style.’ It is commonly branded ‘style campagne chic’ to indicate a more refined modern take on the country styles of the past. The French sometimes refer to ‘le style French country’ when explaining how it is interpreted by the English-speaking world. 11of 28 – Use Checkboard Flooring. Design by Marie Flanigan Interiors / Photo by Julie Soefer. This family-style kitchen from Marie Flanigan Interiors has checkerboard flooring with an aged patina that looks like it wasn’t installed yesterday, adding an aged patina to a new kitchen. The 6 Best Peel-And-Stick Tiles, Tested and Reviewed. 12of 28 – Highlight Original Features. Design by Jessica Nelson Interior Design / Photo by Carina Skrobecki Photography. You might not live in a French country farmhouse, but embracing original features in your home is one way to channel some timeless Gallic charm no matter where you live. Jessica Nelson Interior Design exposed the original brick chimney to add character to this kitchen and the dining room on the other side of the wall. 13of 28 – Keep It Rustic. Design by Marie Flanigan Interiors / Photo by Julie Soefer. Chunky wood ceiling beams, a stone-topped wood island, and a row of copper pots hung above the kitchen sink window add rustic charm to this kitchen from Marie Flanigan Interiors. 14of 28 – Try Bistro Bar Stools. Design by Marie Flanigan Interiors / Photo by Julie Soefer. A pair of classic French bistro bar stools sitting side-by-side at the end of a peninsula creates a cozy seating area in this kitchen from Marie Flanigan Interiors. 15of 28 – Use Industrial Lighting. Design by Rashida Banks for Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Keyanna Bowen. Simple industrial-style pendants, a framed painting leaning casually against the backsplash, and an oversized vase filled with flowering branches adds some refined rustic charm to this timeless modern kitchen designed by Rashida Banks for Emily Henderson Design.
16 of 28 – Add a Bistro Table Design by Marie Flanigan Interiors. Photo by Julie Soefer. This kitchen corner banquette introduces classic French style to a modern American kitchen with a marble and iron bistro table and industrial French metal Tolix-style chairs. 17 of 28 – Choose a Wooden Island Design by Jessica Nelson Interior Design. Photo by Carina Skrobecki Photography. A French-style wooden two-tiered work table with turned legs adds charm and function to the space. 18 of 28 – Add French Accents Design by Jessica Nelson Interior Design. Photo by Carina Skrobecki Photography. A white modern American kitchen serves as a neutral background for French-style details like cross-back wooden bar stools and a crystal chandelier. 19 of 28 – Layer in Natural Elements Design by Leanne Ford Interiors. Photo by Alexandra Ribar. Dark wood open shelving and vintage-style metal brackets in this kitchen provide a space for everyday items and bring the outdoors in. 20 of 28 – Mix Old and New Design by Jessica Nelson Interior Design. Photo by Carina Skrobecki Photography. Original brick walls and antique-style chandelier add character to the all-white kitchen. 21 of 28 – Use Rustic Baskets Design by Leanne Ford Interiors. Photo by Max Kim-bee. Rustic hardwood floors and woven baskets add French country flair to a Pittsburgh home. 22 of 28 – Try Herringbone Wood Floors Design by Kate Marker Interiors. Photo by Margaret Rajic. Rustic wood herringbone floors and white-washed brick walls preserve authenticity in a historic home renovation. 23 of 28 – Hang a Curtain Under the Sink Design by Leanne Ford Interiors. Photo by Reid Rolls. A curtain beneath the vintage farmhouse sink adds charm to a country cottage. 24 of 28 – Use Brick Flooring We Are True Home chose a thin brick floor tile for an old world European-style feel. 25 of 28 – Texturize the Walls Lobster and Swan. Create a time-worn feel by adding texture with layers of chalk paint and wax. Home Improvement: Product Reviews & Buying Guides
Install a French Range Design by Basic Projects / Photo by Kate Towill. Basic Projects transformed a dark and cluttered kitchen in Charleston, SC into a clean and classic oasis. They replaced wood tops with marble, added a farm sink, and installed a classic Lacanche range in dark green, bringing a classic Made in France feel. Mix Styles Design by Brexton Cole Interiors. This bright white kitchen has French touches like a farmhouse table with a matching bench and a midcentury modern chair on the end, along with French rattan bar stools that reflect the mix of styles and periods embodying the French country aesthetic. Embrace Imperfection Lobster and Swan. This rustic English country kitchen from Lobster and Swan would be at home in the French countryside. It has a mix of simple, natural materials, open shelving, mismatched tableware, industrial lighting, bentwood chairs, and lightly rumpled linen curtains with an effortlessly chic appeal. What should go in a French country kitchen? A French country kitchen should feature wood cabinetry, a good oven range for cooking family meals, and timeless, high-quality finishes like tile, brick, or stone. French country kitchens often include a long wooden farmhouse table with plenty of seating for gathering family and friends, as well as vintage lighting, a rack of copper pots, or even a fireplace. What are the best colors for a French country kitchen? French country kitchens are often neutral spaces with light, earthy colors ranging from shades of white, beige, gray, and brown, or colors such as yellow, red, and blue depending on whether the inspiration is a Provençal farmhouse, a rustic thatched cottage in Normandy, or a provincial chateau. What’s the difference between French country and farmhouse style? Much of what we think of as traditional or farmhouse-style interiors that are so ubiquitous today have roots in French country aesthetics. Both styles emphasize a rustic but refined sensibility that prioritizes natural materials such as wood, stone, brick, and metal, embraces timeless everyday objects, and favors warm and family-friendly interiors built for gathering and entertaining. 40 Warm and Homey Country Living Room Ideas