How to Create a French Country Dining Room

Sooo….I’ve written about French country gardens, & most recently, about great French country paint colors.  This relaxed, yet formal style seems to be having a “Comeback Moment.”  In its more relaxed mode, it’s a cousin to modern farmhouse style ~ which is all the rage, having been popularized by Chip & Joanna Gaines.  But here, we’re specifically talking about how to create a French country dining room…no matter what kind of budget you’re working with.

This white-washed room is a bright take on French country dining.

French Chairs

Things to Consider for Your French Dining Room

This dining room by My Texas House incorporates many elements of French style: rounded chairs, a muted rug, beautiful chandelier, & a rustic wood hutch.

• Using plenty of wood or other natural materials;
• Using softly-patterned fabrics or slipcovers, in mainly pastel colors;
• For a more relaxed, rustic French feel: add distressed, vintage, or antique furnishings to the room;
• Favorite colors in a French country color scheme are blues, all kinds of blues: from light & happy hues to more mysterious greyish-blues (the paint color “Provence Blue” is one example).  Even dark navy can work if you want to make the look more masculine.  Other popular French country colors include creams, whites, light pinks, all types of greys, sunny yellows, & even greens: from lime to a more “garden green” ~ that work especially well in sunrooms & “She Sheds.”
• To make the French style more masculine: simply add a dark accent wall, or add in black accents ~ which will help keep the look from being *too* feminine.

For more on great French country paint colors, & specific examples: read this article.

More Ideas….

• If you want to use prints for your dining room, or are considering adding slipcovers: consider using toile (which uses repeating patterns of pastoral scenes), stripes (blue & white is most popular), or soft floral prints.  In a more rustic room, consider using slipcovers or pillows with fun, antiqued writing.
• And remember: unless you’re going super-formal, there’s no need to match everything perfectly here.  In my opinion, the best French styles have a slightly “undone,” loose quality to them. 
• For a more casual French look: include some quirky elements, such as favorite antiques, a burlap sack, or metal tin filled with flowers.  At a casual French dining table: you’ll definitely find mis-matched chairs!  You can have a casual wood bench on one side, then an assortment of chairs ~ some that match, & some that don’t. This is an important part of a more “thrown-together” French feel.
• If you have wood floors, consider adding a more muted rug under the dining table, in easy-to-match cream & blue tones, to bring in that subtle French color palette.
• For a more formal French look, do the opposite ~ use furnishings & chairs that match, as in the dining room pictured below.  Also have at least one French-styled chandelier.  Use less knick-knacks with formal style: keep the look more elegant & spare.
• Furniture in a French country home has more curves than in a traditional or modern home.  French-styled dining rooms will use classically rounded dining chairs, like those pictured below.  Placing chairs around a lightly-distressed, round wood dining table is the height of simple French appeal.

Using chairs that match creates a more formal feel. Photo: Wayfair.

Photos of French Country Dining Rooms

This dining room manages to be casual & formal at the same time ~ with rustic additions like the wall piece. Photo: Digs Digs.

Sunny yellow is less-used, but lovely French choice for this dining area. Photo: Stylish Cottage Chic.

The “French Country Cottage” book is an amazing resource for gathering French-inspiration. Photo: French Country Cottage.

I love the eclectic scene here: from decorative plates in a hutch, to beautifully elegant place settings. Photo: Hello Lovely.

This is a Joanna Gaines creation: her take on a more formal French country dining room. Photo: HGTV.

A more rustic & relaxed take: with a distressed table, & rounded chairs with floral fabric. Photo: Jaimee Itagaki.

A beautiful, more formal space ~ but the chairs add a touch of casual. Photo: Petite Haus.

Lavender bursts from a tin, the table is lightly distressed, & a beautiful white hutch all create a relaxed, French feel. Photo: Karen B. Wold.

I love the antiqued writing on these pretty French chairs! Photo: Edith & Evelyn Vintage.

Examples of More “Masculine” French Dining Rooms

The biggest critique I’ve heard of the French country style is that it can be “too feminine.”  And that is an understandable complaint.  To make your dining room or living space more masculine: simply add in darker colors ~ like accent walls, dark tables & hutches, or dark floors & chairs. 

The photos below should provide some good ideas….

A dark green accent wall & dark wood table add just the right *masculine* touch to this dining room. Photo: James+James.

I LOVE this scene: all the wood elements, dark chairs, & a sunny window seat help to create a more rustic French dining room. Photo: Houzz.

To me, this is a great blend of masculine & feminine: a fun sign & soft chairs are more feminine ~ while the dark table & hutch add gravitas. Photo: Restoration Hardware.

Black & white floors & a flatscreen TV definitely *masculinizes* this dining area!

Shop for French Country Pieces on Amazon

If you’re working on a budget, but still want to create a beautiful dining room: know that Amazon actually carries a lot of amazing French-inspired pieces.  I’ve furnished my entire dining area with the following: this rectangular dining table is simple & straightforward ~ & works with many styles.  These dining chairs, with their lightly-distressed wood, reflect the relaxed, yet formal French ethos. 

And these high bar stools are by far my favorite purchase: they’re extremely comfortable, & their elegant look elevates the entire room. 

French Pillows

xoxo Noelia

Read Next:  What are the Best French Country Paint Colors?

Pin It