If you’ve heard of the clean girl aesthetic in makeup, imagine it in decor—vintage French decor. The French are known for keeping things clean, chic, and simple but never boring. They have channeled this energy into their decor, which is why it’s no surprise that people are looking to usher in some délicatesse.
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As you embark on this journey of vintage-Frenchifying your living area, I’ll serve as your guide and let you in on some juicy details to help you live out your best vintage French dreams.
So without wasting time, let’s dive into these 18 must-have products for vintage French decorating.
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Source: Manonandrose on Etsy
Vintage French decor is never complete without gilded antique mirrors. You can literally have as many as you want, placed in different parts of your home.
Gilded ornate mirrors (for example Baroque-style) certainly enhance the Frenchness of every home they grace. You can get a floor-length gilded mirror for your bedroom and maybe a medium-sized one for your living area.
Where there is antique French decor, there are flowers. They are the simplest, most inexpensive, and prettiest items to add to your home.
Source: Maison de Pax
If you want to do it like the French, consider getting roses, lilies, lilacs, and lavender, to name a few. You don’t even need fresh flowers all the time; dried or high-quality faux flowers can also be part of French decor.
Yes, baskets are a must-have product, specifically raffia/straw baskets. These baskets are the best because they are multipurpose.
Source: Heather Bullard
Need to carry your groceries? Just use the basket. Oh, a place to keep freshly plucked flowers? Use the basket.
Vintage French decor is hardly complete without chandeliers, especially candle chandeliers or candelabras.
Although French vintage chandeliers can be a little pricey and even hard to find, they make a great addition to any vintage French-themed home. They embody French opulence and are a great source of low light.
However, nowadays real candles are rarely used on chandeliers anymore, so you can opt for a faux-candle chandelier – it’s a lot more affordable and practical.
The French had—and still have—a great love for brass structures, and wall sconces are one of them. These would go perfectly with candelabras, but if you can’t find candelabras, wall sconces are a great substitute.
These alone add the perfect amount of vintage French charm to any home.
Linen fabrics in calm colors like white, lilac, gray, beige, or even florals are very chic and a big part of vintage French decor. When carefully incorporated into your home, linen fabrics have a great way of enhancing the entire decor aesthetic.
Source: Cloth House
Linen fabrics and flax farming have been practiced by the French for centuries, so it would be nearly disingenuous to exclude them.
Vintage French style is very grand and opulent. You know what else is grand and opulent? An antique upholstered bed (tufted is great also). These beds are exquisite, and if you’re looking to indulge in a little financial debauchery, they’re the way to go.
Source: Marianne Tiegen
Finding a thrifted antique upholstered bed may be difficult depending on your location, so you may have to consider custom-making one or ordering one online.
Nothing says French decor quite like a little mix and match, especially in the kitchen. Traditional French homes often use a curtain for the kitchen window, specifically a cute petite striped curtain.
Source: TheoGabiStudio on Etsy
These striped curtains are very aesthetically pleasing. You can get them in white and blue, red, or even yellow. To make them extra cutesy, consider pleating them.
These curtains are easy to find online, or if you’re feeling adventurous, you could DIY them. One thing to remember here is that they must be made from natural fabrics, ideally linen.
Copper cookware is a big part of vintage French decor. In old French cinema, it’s not uncommon to see lots of copper pans and pots hanging on the kitchen wall.
Source: French Country Cottage
Because non-stick cookware is all the buzz right now, you can get copper non-stick pots. This way, you get to enjoy the comfort of modernity while keeping things vintage.
Who doesn’t immediately think French when they hear the word cheese? The two are practically inseparable, and so to create a vintage French abode, you need vintage or antique cheese servers.
These types of cheese servers will get you ooh’s and aah’s at your next dinner party and make hosting feel extra fancy.
Source: Georgian Antiques
In antique French decor, Bergère chairs are a staple. You don’t have to replace your current sofa with Bergère chairs. You only need one or two.
Bergère chairs serve as great accent furniture. They tie together the vintage French decor aesthetic without taking attention away from other striking pieces.
There are two major types of drapes: the extravagant ones with a drape panel and the simple ones made from fabric alone.
Drapes are quite different from curtains; they are usually thicker and longer. You can finesse your drapes by adding some big woven tiebacks. And for vintage French decor, ticking stripe drapes are the way to go.
Similarly to the cafe curtains I mentioned earlier, it’s important to keep in mind that these drapes are made from 100% natural materials (linen!).
Some may argue that busts are not a must-have, but I beg to differ. Vintage French decor is built on grandeur and spellbinding items, and busts are the physical embodiment of these two words.
Source: Pinterest
Busts are made from a variety of materials, so you can choose based on your budget. White, off-white, or gold-colored busts are quite a spectacle in vintage French decor. You can choose the material for your bust and paint it afterward if desired.
Vintage French decor without candlesticks is just French decor. Candles were a primary source of light in ancient times, so it’s only right they feature in every vintage-themed home.
Source: AntiqueTreasureByBae on Etsy
Candelabras come in some of the most flawless designs, so even if you don’t actually use them, their presence alone is enough.
There isn’t a specific type of art called “French art,” but art with French origins and characters can be referred to as such. Gilded frames are also recommended when buying art or DIYing.
Source: Haneen’s Haven
The French like classical drawings, paintings, or 19th century posters. You can opt for a mix of all three by curating a gallery wall, and to stay on the affordable side, go for high-quality French giclee prints.
In any type of home decor, bistro shelves are a hit, so it should come as no surprise to see them on this list. Glass and brass bistro shelves in kitchens, bars, or bathrooms are the pinnacle of vintage French decor.
Source: Soil and Oak on Etsy
Vintage French-style home accessories are almost always brass or gold. From knobs, handles, and faucets to pulls for doors, cabinets, and sinks, you can swap the ones you currently have for brass or gold alternatives.
Source: House of Rohl
The good thing is that brass and gold hardware are actually quite easy to find. You can get them at antique stores or online.
Like other light sources in antique French decor, bouillotte lamps will make an exquisite addition to your home.
Source: @paigekontrafouris (Instagram)
A lovely vintage-style bouillotte lamp paired with an antique tufted bed or placed on an antique desk is *chef’s kiss*—truly vintage French.
Let’s answer some of the most frequently asked questions regarding vintage French home decor.
Vintage French decor involves using vintage or antique French pieces to infuse an old fashioned French personality into one’s space. It focuses on incorporating timeless antique pieces with just the right amount of vintage or retro charm.
The best products for vintage French decor include antique mirrors, brass candelabras, wall sconces, ticking stripe drapes, copper kitchenware, bouillotte lamps, French cafe curtains, and Bergère chairs.
Vintage French decor can be done in two ways: either creating a fully vintage space with little to no traces of modernity or mixing vintage and modern elements.
If you choose the latter, which is the popular option, you’ll need to become somewhat of a collector of antique pieces. Also, keep in mind that the color theme for vintage French decor typically involves natural, soft, and neutral colors.
Your home’s colors can range from different shades of blue, red, pink, yellow, white, lavender, to light green.
When picking out furniture, select pieces that look old (but not in bad condition), rustic, gilded, and historical—just like the items mentioned above.
Vintage French decor is one of the most enthralling types of decor. The French are known for their elegant and chic homes that exude a quiet, luxurious aura. The best part of decorating a home in the vintage French theme is that just a few important pieces are necessary to tie the theme together.
I hope this article helps make your decoration process as smooth and easy as possible.
