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A French-Inspired Garden and Home by Judith Stringham

French Garden Shed Elements

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

What makes a garden shed a 
French style 
garden shed? 
Especially since it is not in France? 



French design elements... 
How do you achieve them? 

Step back, look at the overall design. 


The hip roofline is the strongest French design element. 



The pitch and symmetry of the roof 
are classical elements in a French roof. 

Another strong element that creates a French look 
is the symmetry in the building, not just the roof. 
The building is a square. 
The doors are centered. 
The deck step is centered. 



French doors are the next strongest 
French design in the garden shed. 

While the roof, doors, and overall shape 
establish the French design, 
details 
create even more French flair.

Levered door handles, 
instead of round doorknobs 
so usual in American buildings, 
add an authentic French touch. 



The deck step is eyebrow shaped, not a half-round, 
which adds to the French look. 
Eyebrow shaped windows are used much 
more often than half-round windows in 
vintage buildings in France. 

Variegated blue roof shingles, the pale blue walls, and 
the French bleu door on the deck 
are classical French colors. 
French bleu... well known as a color... 
is closer to red than to green on the color wheel. 



French gardens are much more structured and symmetrical than English gardens.  

The large pot with a French scroll design 
contains a dwarf yaupon being trained into a 
ball shape. 

Two triple-ball topiaries in matching clay pots 
standing on either side of the French doors  
are strong French garden design elements, 
both in shape and symmetrical position.  

For a look at more French-inspired topiaries,
see French Country Style Deck.


In the garden is an old wooden and scrolled-iron park bench, 
truly reminiscent of Parisian parks. 

Another matching Vintage Park Bench sits in
the shade of a pear tree in the back yard.



One more look at the French garden shed 
seen in the background of 
an "obedient plant" 
growing in a pot on the house deck. 

See Botanic Bleu Beginnings to read about 
how the French garden shed began. 
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