How To Create A Beautifully French Country Christmas
French country Christmas has been making a renaissance appearance as of late, and I’ve been seeing and feeling it more in the softer side of decorating. Today I’m sharing the beginnings of my French country style Christmas that I’ve started in the dining room. It’s doesn’t have to be just about mustard yellow and farm animals and definitely isn’t for me!
Some of the most inspiring homes in France that I’ve had the pleasure of spending time in have a similar palette to what I embrace and I can’t wait to go back again soon.
While I love rustic furniture, some of the heavy French country style pieces that I find (both new and old) are just not for me. I’m still in love with the plank table that we built several years ago and whitewashing the top made a world of difference in softening up the look.
Rustic carved French country style Christmas candleholders that I painted with a copper finish by hand while mixing several layers of regular acrylic craft paint. The pale blue swirled candles add that pale elegant aura. It’s amazing how in a tablescape simple touches like colored candles instead of white can change the entire look and feel. Envision if I had used white candles instead of these how different the scene would have looked!
With the weather just slightly cooler here I have throws scattered all around the house. This one from Birch Lane has that soft French farmhouse look and feels just great wrapped around the shoulders.
Blush roses, pink peonies (yes…they are back!) and seeded eucalyptus in my favorite copper bucket that reflects the twinkle lights on the Christmas tree. I decided to keep this flocked Christmas tree bare, but that could change as the season goes on.
A vintage and modern mix with my contemporary white butler’s tray cart holding vintage French enamelware and an antique French scale in blue.
On the vintage dresser turned buffet I’ve dressed it simply for the season with faux magnolia garland, gold antlers and something else…
This is an old French beaded dome ceiling light fixture turned bowl that’s holding a variety of softly tinted blush Christmas ornaments for the season. It’s sitting on a vintage pink milkglass cake pedestal because it gives some height to the vignette. Look for flush mount ceiling fixtures in thrift shops and yard sales and think of repurposing to do something different. The beaded light fixtures are hard to find these days but you could also do this with glass!
One more touch to talk for this French country Christmas are the “napkin rings” which are copper cookie cutters from my husband’s childhood in Switzerland and they hold sentimental value…so why not!
Please be sure to visit all the wonderful posts in this series by clicking on the links below:
