1 A feast of flowers
Fine flowers in spring colours
lend both a rustic and homely
feel. Ideally pick flowers from
your own garden, such as sweet
peas, our flower of the month.
2 Neoclassical
Rusted vases add to the
neoclassic style, which draws
inspiration from ancient
cultures. Similar vases in
various forms are available at
Osiers and Wetherlys, while
Peppino Cement Ornaments
make cement replicas of
antique ornaments.
3 Mirrors
Invest in mirrors for a bit of
Versailles' sparkle and glory.
An old mirror, or one with a
decorative frame, adds extra
character to a room.
4 Floors
Begin with a solid basis such as
parquet, stone or cement floors.
Highlight it with a threadbare
Persian carpet.
5 Monochrome
Start with a monochrome palette
in your room and accent it with
splashes of soft colours. Shades
of grey, broken white and stone
colours will do the trick.
6 Lighting
A chandelier or a candelabra
adds to the romantic
atmosphere. Choose crystal
chandeliers, muted or
weathered metal or go for the
weathered effect in white.
7 Detail
Delicate ornaments, such as
the two metal birds under the
closh and the weathered old
books, reveal the personality
of this home's residents.
8 Decorative
furniture
Choose original or replicas of
French furniture with intricate
detail and fine lines and legs
– or you can simply paint your
old dark wood furniture with
the proper paint techniques.
9 Cotton
Faded cotton will render the
room relaxed and unadorned.
Choose warm greys, creams
and toile for the true French
look. Toile is white or offwhite
cloth with repeated
monochrome images of country
scenes, often of 18th Century
court scenes or Chinese
motifs. Don't even consider
scatter cushions.
