This inspiring collection of eclectic images reflects what is possible when you ignore trends and celebrate tradition with modern amenities. Timeless tranquility and relaxed elegance are favorites on this site, and European influenced designs seem to honor it best in country houses, English country cottages, French farmhouses, and villas with sleepy rustic charm. These modern European Country style rooms tell a story. Something romantic emerges in the mood of a room when the saturation of colors is turned down and a spare mix of antiques and modern amenities is thoughtfully curated. Let’s see the fruits of what is possible.
Modern European Country: Learn the Look!
European Country Vs. American Country
How is modern European Country different from American or farmhouse style? Oh, the world of country decorating and all of the different labels we slap on beautiful country styled rooms!
What I’m calling modern European Country style here is influenced by country homes in France, cottages in the English countryside, Swedish farmhouses, rustic Italian villas, and Belgian minimal style.
American farmhouse style may also draw from traditional style, but the mix of design elements is typically less eclectic.
Country houses in Europe tend to have antiques in the mix and feel evolved because they HAVE evolved.
We Americans are often in a hurry to get a look done in a day which has ramifications.
A slower process though it be, collecting a mix of ingredients and layering them thoughtfully (with an emphasis on purposeful objects, not “decorations), results in a more sophisticated simplicity.
Modern European Country Color Palettes
Another distinctive quality of European country decorating is the use of pale colors and natural neutrals.
American country interiors are often bright and layered with prints and pattern, while European-inspired spaces have calmer color stories.
There are plenty of interesting color stories beyond beige on beige though! Charlotte’s French farmhouse kitchen with its Green Smoke cabinets sings with personality.
I think a preference for neutrals is a natural response to a design approach which favors creating timeless rooms that won’t need to be changed any time soon.
There is always a new palette or paint color marketed on social media, and those trending products often reflect a particular consciousness in the culture.
However, a timeless approach is not tied to a particular chapter in history or cultural milieu (such as post-pandemic anxiety mode).
Cozy white kitchens are not going to feel silly in a few years because they have already proven to be inviting, pleasing, and great for resale.
Antiques, Patina & Repurposed Materials
There’s a more conservative sensibility that goes along with timeless approaches to design.
Things don’t need to be shiny and new or require polishing.
A more European approach is to buy high quality and then allow it to age gracefully.
In America, homeowners are quick to replace objects with signs of wear and are less tolerant of imperfections as materials change.
Modern European country interiors celebrate signs of age and all that is tumbledown lovely.
So many design elements get better as they age and develop patina.
Wood and metal and stone change in their appearance with time, and the look feels rich and comforting because it has served its caretakers so well for so long.
You can learn to appreciate the look of such modern country spaces in European country houses by studying design books and actually reading the commentary rather than skimming through the photos.
The point is never to copy a room you see but to learn the look enough to apply the guiding principles to your own project.
Quietude, Living With Less & Understated Interiors
I see a greater use of restraint and thoughtful curation in European country decorating, whether it is modern or more traditional.
In part, this is a natural consequence of smaller homes in Europe versus the United States.
A more spare look is often a more spacious look.
But there’s also a real sense of not showing off, of humility.
Let’s face it. A country house is often about being outdoors in the beauty of nature and relaxing in shelters that revere what is just outside the windows rather than inside them.
Fine things and beautiful collections of art and sculpture belong, yet they should relate and elevate the overall design.
Understated elegance is never easily defined!
Don’t you agree? When you see it, you can recognize it.
But reducing it to a few sentences? Well, that’s tricky.
Collections & Vignettes
Displaying a treasured collection can be such a joy in decorating.
The display of a collection can read modern even if the objects are very old.
And if your collection is antique furniture, well then, it is easy to enjoy in its usefulness and ability to set a tone.
Pieces can be modernized with new upholstery or used for a new purpose.
For example, Old cupboards can become new bath vanities.
Another way to add modernity to a country interior that is otherwise traditional in style?
Modern lighting and modern art. I paint meditative abstract seascapes which blend nicely in Old World environments.
What distinguishes modern European country farmhouse sensibilities from American country decorating?
I think a more American approach to decorating is to be centered in the present or dreaming about the future.
While a more European approach is more informed by history and what endures.
We love innovation and the NEW and the NOW and the possibilities in modern America.
But there’s a romance, a design intelligence and even a soulfulness about keeping goodness from the past under our noses too.
Our country may still be too young to fully appreciate the significance of wisdom from the past.
With the rapid technological advances in recent years and a sense that to stay relevant, you must keep with it, wouldn’t you think spaces at home could be exempt from so much frenzy?
An Evolved Look & Mastering the Mix
Take your time in layering your room with furniture, decor, and colors that feel comforting to you.
Once you have a particular mood and color story in mind, try not to fill your space quickly in a few shopping trips.
Rather, make a list of characteristics you admire and objects you may wish to collect and live with. As budget allows, let the design unfold without rushing it.
Modern Euro Country Farmhouse Favorites
There are so many beautiful ways to interpret European country style style! Some of these decorating ingredients seem to often show up in lovely rooms:
Harvest tables
Antique chairs
Painted furniture
Natural wood finishes
Rugged stone and marble
Farm Sinks
Solid wood doors
Iron lanterns
Organic materials
Handcrafted objects
Plaster walls
Rustic freestanding cupboards
Exposed rafters and beams
Reading Nooks
Butcher’s Block
Exposed Ceiling Beams
Patina-ed everything
Weathered Wood and Metals
Fresh Flowers
Handpainted objects
Glazed tiles
Vintage Linens and Quilts
Clawfoot Tubs
Canopy Beds
Matte finishes (non-shiny metals)
Steel windows
An absence of plastic/vinyl/disposable
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If you missed THIS BREATHTAKING TOUR of exceptional European inspired designs with exquisite finishes…you’ll thank me!
Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
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