French Farmhouse Fantasy shares a few favorite sources of inspiration in case you love a rustic elegant, unfussy look. Is French farmhouse aesthetic different from French country? We’ll discuss. Photos of gorgeous examples of interiors, gardens, and exteriors awaits from Patina Home & Garden/Velvet and Linen, My Petite Maison, Vivi et Margot, and Chateau Domingue.
4 Sources of French Farmhouse Fantasy
Each of these talented designers/stylists/entrepreneurs has a small business you will want to visit.
Charlotte Reiss of Vivi et Margot offers French homewares, Tracie of My Petite Maison curates French Nordic vintage and antiques, Chateau Domingue imports amazing architectural finds from Europe, and Patina Home & Garden can dress you and your home in natural timeless elegance.
Not long ago, one would have to travel to Europe or spend years hunting down the perfect piece. Online shopping and accessibility changed all that.
Get a peek at the goodness offered by each of these tastemakers…you’re sure to find much to admire.
1. Brooke Giannetti’s California Casual Elegance
No time to read this whole post? Watch this video I made especially for you about a favorite design book!
What’s unique about the style of Brooke and Steve Giannetti is how a cool, natural, organic, pared-down effortless look is married with Old World style.
French limestone, aged pots, Swedish antiques, unlacquered brass, and liberal doses of velvet and linen are frequent design ingredients for this team.
You’ll love their books!
As if there were not enough to admire about PATINA FARM (Brooke and Steve Giannetti), wait til you see Brooke’s orangery/glass hallway at Patina Farm…watch and be inspired:
Charming Patina Farm French Farmhouse Interior Design Ideas
Brooke’s chicken coops are always memorable and charming:
Swedish Antiques & Rustic Elegance Throughout Patina Farm
Even though the antiques we see repurposed in their projects are out of reach for my pocketbook…
I find them inspiring since there are plenty of less pricey alternatives where this ideas may be applied.
Brooke has been skirting sinks like this for a long time, and it’s a look I loved enough to bring to my own home.
I love how the couple will often rotate antiques in their home, showing us how versatile beautiful pieces can be throughout the home.
If I’m not mistaken, I think I saw this mirror (maybe Italian?) below in person at their Leiper’s Fork store when I was there! It’s so gorgeous.
On my “someday” list is to build plaster shelves like the ones below for a modern French farmhouse look that feels so understated and lovely.
French farmhouse is a bit more rustic and spare than what I think of as country French. No fancy ruffles, but rather simple skirts and linen panels as an alternative to clunky doors is so brilliant.
I love how Brooke is mindful that nothing becomes too precious or frou frou.
Isn’t the color story gorgeous with its pale neutrals?
I had begun to collect all things Belgian linen before ever following Brooke’s blog, and her way with it just took my breath away.
Effortless French Farmhouse Charm
Beyond Patina Home, Patina Meadow and Patina Farm, the Giannettis have created amazing designs for properties across the country. This kitchen in a Normany style home in California was a standout:
Coastal French Inspired Style Bath
Do you remember when Brooke and Steve were building their dream house and living temporarily in a home where they made some small renovations? I learned so much from their choices.
I had never seen anyone (back in the 2010s) use pool plaster in a bath for modern Old World style!
Understated Cozy Opulence in a Modern French Inspired Bathroom
You will also find beautiful wares with European country charm from their online shop and brick and mortar, Patina Home & Garden near Franklin, TN.
2. Chateau Domingue’s Authentic Ethereal Aesthetic
Here’s an enterprise devoted to bringing Old World style into the present.
Chateau Domingue is a wonderland of curated architectural antiques as well as building materials of European heritage.
Notice how reclaimed materials can be weaved into amazing homes built to last lifetimes.
How can these fantasy examples from proprietor Ruth Gay’s own home inspire our own more humble attempts?
First, I love the idea of creating something new with reclaimed materials.
Even with a limited budget, there are ways to incorporate old things into new construction or renovations.
We have been able to find ways to customize our own interiors and design plans with old instead of opting for new.
Old windows, sinks, and flooring with history can add customization and bespoke character and personality to an otherwise builder-grade dwelling.
Second, Ruth Gay’s own Texas home is a study in texture.
While you and I may not possess the budget for stone that hails from a chateau in France, we can learn from the look.
Because if you too love a French farmhouse pale palette, then you will likely have to devote some thought to adding layers of texture to your schemes.
(Now how am I going to convince my husband we probably need stone or plaster steps down to the basement?)
3. My Petite Maison’s Quiet White Cottage
Her charming Swedish immigrant’s cottage with its pale loveliness would be inspiring enough.
Yet My Petite Maison is also an Etsy shop into which ethereal French Nordic pieces rotated in Traci’s home sometimes make their way.
It’s a humble tonal Scandinavian look, but the impact is dazzling, yes?
In fact, every time I browse inspiration from this cottage, I immediately think I need to grab my paintbrush and paint anything or everything white.
Liberal Doses of White in a Timeless Cottage
White floors may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I could easily live with them.
In fact, I did for a short time back in 2015 when we were just getting started on our whole house DIY renovation in that woodsy cottage.
In one of the main floor bedrooms (which was quite spacious), the existing flooring was an engineered wood that had been scraped and battered by a previous owners dogs who were kept in the room.
Before I decided on flooring for that room, I decided to simply roll on porch paint.
I absolutely loved that ethereal look and lived with it until it was time to repaint…
at which time we installed new flooring. But I truly missed my temporary white floors!
4. Vivi et Margot’s Real Life Renovations
Feast upon the yummy-ness of her former French farmhouse near Bordeaux then rush to her online store (or pop-up!) for curated French wares including the most charming market baskets!
Even though Charlotte has moved on from this sweet retreat she and her husband renovated for their family as a vacation home, it will also be a favorite.
What I love about Charlotte’s way with French farmhouse is it is always authentically done, personal, and never contrived.
Even with immense success as a brand and social media mogul, her style and process remain pure.
That is so very rare in today’s insta-world.
Visit this post where I interviewed the creative dynamo and entrepreneur.
For more beautiful French inspired beautiful inspiration for interiors, also see THIS and THIS.
Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
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I am very interested in your comment about using pool plaster for the shower walls. I thought I read somewhere Steve used Bond Kote. I searched for a tutorial on how to do this because I want to remodel my bath shower. Instead of pool Bond Kote, I found this tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9s7_ebHTsI
If you or anyone has information on how to do this or has experience in using this for shower walls please let me know.
Author
I’m thinking you could start your research with a local pool builder/contractor. I remember researching it before we remodeled our primary bath last year, but we chickened out, preferring to try it first maybe for a guest bath. Do you know about Leanne Ford’s grout washing for existing ceramic tiled walls and showers? That interested us as well, but we have yet to try it. I’ll keep my ears open for you.
Thank you for telling me about Leanne Ford’s technique. I Googled it and found the article on how she did it. I think it would be perfect for people who hate cleaning grout in their shower.
Author
Yes – and I just remembered Lone Fox recently covered his tiled bath with waterproof plaster: https://www.instagram.com/p/C15JDjtyqJ5/ That may be closer to what you’re looking for.
Thank you. I watched Drew’s YouTube video showing how he used the Moeded Concretta FS. I would like to see it in white. Looks like it was created for showers not swimming pools. It was a product I had never heard of before so very glad you and Drew share this information. Always trying to figure out the best product to use on projects.
Author
Would also love to see it in white!