Our quest to discover lovely Sophisticated European Colors and Ideas for Farrow & Ball Paints continues in this, part two. Part one began HERE, and you don’t want to miss it! We’re after timeless, effortless, casual yet elegant, European charm and color stories. What you won’t find here? Trendy, overworked, contrived, bling-tastic interiors with glam. Some of these examples are quiet, others are less so. A timeless look is worth all of the thoughtfulness you can muster.
Sophisticated European Colors + Farrow & Ball Paints
Farrow & Ball Green Smoke 47
We certainly will not neglect green from our discussion of lovely Farrow & Ball offerings! It is a timeless way to bring nature, life, and vitality to a variety of different spaces.
I personally find this rich green appetizing and thus perfect for a kitchen!
Why do you suppose greens drift in and out favor as far as trends go? Do psychological and cultural shifts, economic conditions and patterns in wellness contribute?
Design freaks like me always get curious about such underpinnings. Indoors or out, Green Smoke has has an organic, timeless, and classic feel.
Here it is on outdoor furniture. Who is ready to experiment with it?
Ball Green No. 75
Here’s another green to consider if you’re after a restful one:
Try Ball Green if you like yellow.
Although iIn this setting with an entirely different lighting condition, the same green color appears sage:
Just another reminder to not become attached to a single color even if it once worked well for you – always sample it for a new project with other contenders.
If you’re not a fan of yellow and are after a happier, cheerful green…
It comes alive in this layered wallpaper look, and notice the green is used on the lower wall and then trim:
I spy a Darlana Visual Cofort fixture in the hall (I have these same lantern pendants in our kitchen).
How to Bring More Character to Euro-Country Designs?
Decorating with European country sensibilities in mind works particularly well when you enjoy juxtaposition, patina, aged finishes, and natural materials.
A mix of imperfect vintage pieces, antiques, family heirlooms, and collections can sometimes meld if you take time to edit and train your eye for scale, balance, whimsy, and composition.
Function obviously matters too and European influenced designs often begin with function.
Antiques and vintage pieces need not be hands off and strictly for show as a strong sense of practicality and livability permeate the design style.
Objects old and handed down are honored, and a collected, timeless look looks away from trends, inferior quality, and the disposable.
This is not a look for those who despair over scratches to wood floors, stains to white marble, and fading of fabrics!
Signs of time, use, weathering and patina development are joyfully welcomed. No wonder legions of young American parents with a passion for modern country interiors find it refreshing! Young children are lovely natural distress-makers to finishes!
How to build a European country look?
Home decor and furniture suggestions are often shared here to promote timeless and tranquil European country style.
An added bonus to decorating with refined rusticity and barefoot elegance? Your bank account may thank you.
As long as you don’t intend to fill your shopping cart with collected, rare, and imported European antiques and handmade bespoke finds, it can be an attainable look!.
In my own home (above), bargains find their way into the mix all of the time. I bring home pieces for which I’m certain I won’t tire. If boredom arrives, I rotate pieces. The small round table above has lived in a number of places in various homes. A breakfast nook, guest bedroom, and an office. European country interiors need not be primarily rustic.
In fact, in our prior home, too-rustic pieces just don’t seem to work in our current Georgian home with its fussier bones.
Here’s an elegant French country kitchen sans rustic touches:
So pretty yet no rustic bread board, crusty farm stool pulled up to the farm sink, or peely paint in sight.
What qualities distinguish European country from American country?
An evolved look over time is an important distinction. The reason so many beautiful European country interiors have an effortlessly layered look as if they evolved over time? Because THEY DID not happen in a day.
The good stuff takes time. We frequently do not want to face this. So anxious to create the dream now, we delude ourselves. How could we ever expect beautiful things appearing to be timeless to not take their own sweet time?
If you need it this very second, an interior designer may be your best resource.
Taste also comes into play when you’re after a more European refined look. Plaques with pigs declaring ‘bless Le MESS’ in an American country entry will always miss the mark. *I’m lookin’ at you, Hobby Lobby. 🙂 Better to leave that open space open then layer on a ridiculous filler.
Try these elements: natural woven baskets, fresh flowers, ancient earthenware pottery, recycled glass bottles, branches from the garden, and beautiful linens growing better with use and age.
Also collect antiques, unusual vintage, personal mementos, painted furniture pieces in varying conditions and layered rugs (or none at all!).
More authentic Euro country rooms reflect an absence of manmade and plastic. Think furniture arrangements encouraging intimacy that don’t feel rigidly appointed.
Recipe for a Masterful Euro Mix?
The thing is, this mix is always best when it is personal and tells your story. It should evolve over time as a result of interests, collecting, travel, and experiences.
Euro-Country Ingredients to Consider
I scribbled down a list of European inspired ingredients that influence my own journey.
Harvest tables
Antique chairs
Painted furniture
Natural, scrubbed, and raw wood finishes
Rugged stone and marble
Farm Sinks
Solid wood doors
Iron lanterns
Handcrafted objects
Plaster walls
Rustic freestanding cupboards
Exposed rafters and beams
Reading Nooks
Butcher’s Block
Wood Ceiling Beams
Unlacquered brass
Weathered Wood
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
I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.
If you missed THIS story about European Cottages, give it a whirl!
Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.
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