Tips to Say “Oui” to Parisian Decor

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The French have the utmost in tasteful interiors as is displayed by the Parisian style of decorating. From dramatic drapes to crystal chandeliers and gilded mirrors, you too can enjoy this style. You can achieve the Parisian style of decorating in your home with the addition of some items that are considered French and stylish. Parisian style is all about the utmost in taste and refinements.

Bring in Some Cubism

Cubism is a style of artwork and architecture that was first appearing in the early 20th century to announce a modern art style. This style of artwork was pioneered by Pablo Picasso in which natural forms were reduced to their geometrical shapes and the planes of an object may be independent of the natural representational form. Most people won't have a Picasso in their home due to the extreme cost, but you can find abstract artwork in cubism paintings and prints that work well in a formal living room or dining room.

Celebrate Your Home's Architecture

Parisian style homes celebrate the delightful architecture by accenting all of the style. They often paint the archways and ceiling molding with a gold colored paint so it draws the eye to the architecture. Using a different paint color to accent any items you have in a room will make those items pop as soon as someone enters the room. Other examples include patterned ceramic tile floors or reclaimed hardwood herringbone flooring. Embrace your home's beautiful bones by accenting what it already has. It will further the Parisian style to add a crystal chandelier to draw attention to a high ceiling in a room as the light plays off your architecture.

Allow Things to Age with Grace

The French have a distinct appreciation for antiques and for the beauty of aging. You can add a vintage mirror that is speckled with oxidation and small scratches to any room and you will find that this antique can give you more pleasure than any new, shiny mirror could possibly bring you. Other great vintage items to add to a room include side tables, desks or dining room tables with a vintage and faded look to the wood or perhaps even a water ring on them. These items have character and bring a real human element to a space. However, you don't want to overdo this aspect--maybe keep it to a maximum of one or two items per room on a small scale.

Go for the Gold

A Parisian interior is always filled with glamour and gold colors. You will often find a gilded picture frame or a gilded mirror on the wall hanging over the couch or fireplace in a living room. You can find antique furniture with elegant legs that are finished in an antique gold. As long as you have one gold colored item in each room--you have achieved the Parisian style of decor.

Bring in the European Antiques

Antiques are a great addition to your home to give it a feel of sophistication and they are a must in Parisian interiors. Louis XVI, Louis XV and Louis XIV chairs are a great addition to your home with their timeless beauty of the delicately curved legs to give your home a lot more class. These types of antiques also are a worthwhile investment you can use in any room of your home to add some Parisian style.

Parisian Style Color Palette

The Parisian style color palette is subdued to bring a quiet and peacefulness to your home. It doesn't contain any bold or bright colors in the least but its attraction is left to the shapely pieces and interesting patterns and finishes to steal the show. You can choose a monochrome scheme of layers of different shades of gray with touches of metallic. The walls look great in a chalky green or a warm linen hue with small moments of color in your artwork or accents in any room.

Add Fuss-Free Flowers

Most all French inspired homes have subtle flower arrangements placed in some of the rooms--most often in a formal living room and formal dining room. To create a Parisian chic room, choose several stems of just one type of flower and place them in a lovely crystal vase. You can choose roses, hydrangeas or whatever you fancy and make a great statement with a very full vase on a table. Crystal vases will go with a chandelier and gilded vases with go with a room that has a gilded mirror or picture frame on the wall. The freshness of flowers will tie in all the other elements of your room.

More Crystal Please

Crystal in any item is a great addition to a Parisian style home to add romance and glamour throughout your home. Laguiole steak knives are beautiful on a formal dinning table that has a large crystal chandelier over the center. In addition, you can find small crystal chandeliers to hang in a powder room or any other room in your home. A medium sized chandelier hung in the entryway is welcoming anyone who enters your front door and displays an immediate response to your beautifully decorated and chic home.

French Modernist Style

Most Parisian interiors include lovely antiques, but you don't have to stick to that style in your home. The French love modernism style and these pieces of furniture with sleek lines age beautifully to evolve into antiques. Any furniture that is edgy and streamlined will match architectural details in your home that are highlighted with gold colored paint and look fabulous.

Dramatic Drapes

No room ever looks complete without the additions of the right types of drapes for the decorating style to be a final touch in tying in all of the elements in each room. Parisian chic interiors need a captivatingly romantic and glorious drapery style. Many Parisians choose a silk fabric for its light and flowing style. Linen is another great choice especially if you choose the pinch pleat style for a finished and dramatic effect. If you want to add a bit of bold color in a room without overdoing the color--then this is the best place to do it, as you have literally thousands of choices of window treatments to choose from. These tips can help you to bring a bit of glamour from Paris into your home. You can add a few different items and decide if you want to go fully Parisian style or partially in this decorating style, that is classic and lasting.