If you have a French door in your home, you have the opportunity to play it up and use it as inspiration for all sorts of fun yet sophisticated interior design styles.
Decorating your home like a Parisian apartment makes for a classic, elaborate, and tasteful look with a touch of whimsy.
Plus, your French door is already there to serve as a focal point of the design.
French design, including apartment décor, ranges across several time periods and styles including Baroque, Neoclassical, Rococo, Art Deco, Old World, Cabaret, and Mediterranean.
While you can choose one of these periods and decorate strictly according to that style, you can also be more flexible and choose to bring in the elements that are common to nearly all these styles.
Rich colors and fabrics are a signature of French interior design.
Try decorating with jewel tones such as emerald, sapphire, crimson, and royal blue; accent these bright tones with touches of black, white, and gold.
For example, you could paint furniture black or choose black lampshades, picture frames, fabric, or even black trim on your French door.
Fabrics should be lush and sophisticated.
Try incorporating silk, damask, weathered leather, textured linen, paisley, stripes, and toile.
The latter looks charming when paired with checked fabric.
These fabrics can be used for upholstery or for curtains on your windows or French door.
If you have larger windows or you really want to play up your French door, install long, flowing curtains with valances, ruffles, fringes, and tassels.
Of course, a vital part of any interior design scheme is the furniture.
Like the fabric, furniture should be rich and lush, made of dark wood and sporting carved legs, arms, or backs.
Furniture can be made of dark wood such as cherry, pear, or walnut or it can be painted in accent colors of black, ivory, or gold.
You can also do a shabby chic look with furniture that looks charmingly distressed and weathered.
For example, you could use paint that has a crackled finish, and you should choose pieces that go together but do not perfectly match.
Imagine that you have bought all your furniture at one of the outdoor antique markets for which Paris is so famous.
Certain pieces of furniture beg to be used in a French-inspired home.
After all, what is a French-style home without a vanity table, which can be dressed in ruffles, vintage accessories, and a luxurious mirror? An armoire or a bistro table also looks charming and very French.
If you already have a French door in your home, let it inspire you to choose a decorating scheme that transcends time and geographic boundaries.
Decorating your home to look like a French apartment will look tres chic!