French Country is in the Details

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French Country style is in architectural structure, large furniture, and small details added as accents to a room. 

Do you have a she shed? One designed with your personal style and personality? My garden shed is my she shed and has evolved over several years from a utilitarian unfinished plywood structure to a beautiful white limestone French Country garden house. 

Welcome to my garden shed/house in the country filled with French Country style beginning with the style of the building. Take a look at the details from earlier this spring that lend French Country design to this special space where I dream, create, and share with others. 

F R E N C H   C O U N T R Y   

is in the 

D E T A I L S   

Whatever style you prefer, you can learn what details make the style unique, different from other decorating styles, by studying the details for which your preferred style is known. If you love French Country style, then this post will help you identify specific details you can incorporate to achieve this style in your own space. 

A R C H I T E C T U R E 

Begin with looking at a structure's overall architectural design. Just as there are several different designs called farmhouse, there are several different designs known as French Country structures. 

Symmetry is often found in French Country home design. My garden house is square with a hipped roof made popular in the rural Normandy region of France. The slope of a French hipped roof is steep which balances the size of the roof and the body of the building.  

Texas white limestone, similar to large white stones commonly used in French Country homes in France, surrounds all sides of the garden house. 

Large double French doors open out onto a deck that runs the length of the garden house. The doors open outward to save space inside the small garden house. 

Since I also use the garden shed for my annual French Country Christmas Event, the outwardly opening doors follow a code for commercial buildings to open outward so patrons are not trapped inside a building pressing against doors that open inward. 

A popular style for French windows is an eyebrow arch. Throughout France, eyebrow arch windows are used in small and large homes. Often the windows are miniature French door styled with two windows opening out. 

Chandeliers are one of the most common styles for French ceiling lights. A separate post explains how we converted a hardwired chandelier to a plug-in light by using a new lamp cord. 

Wood bead boards are on the walls and ceiling. Solid wood allows me to hang shelves, mirrors, prints, etc... securely any place on the walls. 

F U R N I T U R E 

  

Demilune means half moon in French and is a popular style for a console table. An elegant white demilune buffet has its style roots in French console tables. 

A cane-back armchair with hand-carved details on the frame is a classic French style chair. The chair can be used at a desk, in the living room, or at the head of a dining table. 

A rustic white-washed wood panel holds a double sconce wall lamp. Together the chair, lamp, and demilune buffet fill this side of the garden house with French Country style. 

A C C E N T S  

Shelves with hooks come in many styles and offer a farmhouse element to rooms. In this case, the look is French Country farmhouse. The scroll design with a medallion on the back of the hook fixture is what gives these hooks their French Country look. 

Black garden snips hanging from a blue and white ribbon are handy for trimming flowers for a fresh floral arrangement. 

A black and white clock with French script keeps track of the time. Losing track of time is easy when working in a space you love. 

Small preserved boxwood wreaths are ready to use as candle rings or to crown the heads of French statues. 

Magnifying glasses with French design metal handles offer close up views to flowers, dragonflies, butterflies, or bees. Or close up views to small French script. 

My all-time favorite wire basket design is the French wire basket holding blue ceramic bird's eggs, a small box of soap, and more preserved boxwood wreaths. 

What would a garden shed/house be without French lavender in a white ceramic flower vase with a French medallion design? The lavender is faux which means it lasts all year round! 

The creamy colored window basket has a French pattern with its curved wires . . . reminiscent of balcony railings in Paris. 

Please PIN ⥣ to your Decor Pinterest Boards. 

Architectural design and large pieces of furniture are not the only ways for a room to have French Country style. You may not find similar accent items all at one time, but little by little you can add French Country accents. Details, even small ones, make French Country style. 

Each year my garden house changes; your spaces can, too. Soon your space can have the French Country style you love. 


S O U R C E S 

New Wood Chandelier for the Garden Shed 

Garden Shed Fresh Paint shows the garden shed exterior fresh paint from a few years ago. 

All of the French Country Accents shown are available at the French Country Sale Events held in my garden shed. Check the Botanic Bleu Facebook  page for dates of upcoming sale events.