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Saturday, April 14, 2012

How to Give Your Home a Parisian Makeover

Parisian homes are very elegant and are comfortable from the first look and to recreate the same appeal, you will have to think like a Parisian. You will have to learn how to match colors and most importantly, learn how to experiment with different textures.

Use warm colors on your walls and curtains.

Parisian homes tend to use warm colors such as red, orange and yellow on walls and curtains. but you may also experiment with adding cool colors into the mix to create a bit of an accent. Red and orange are both the colors of choice for most homes because they tend to make rooms feel more comfortable. If you want to experiment with different hues of red, orange, and yellow, play with colors like rose, light yellow, or red-orange. You may also use dark blue, black, beige, and white on your walls but these colors can seem a bit industrial and do not exude that old Parisian charm. If you do use any of these colors, make sure to compensate for the lack of warm colors on the walls by using wall decals and decorations that look old and elegant.

As seen here, the Louvre - Palais Royal apartment has white clean walls but makes use of red sofas and chairs to compensate for the lack of warm colors. The curtains are also yellow, a warm color.

Use wooden furniture.

If possible, use a lot of wooden furniture and if even more possible, use your old grandmother’s hand-me-down furniture and fixtures. Wooden furniture made pre-1950‘s are very elegant and although they do not capture the kind of elegance that authentic old-French furniture tend to bring, vintage furniture do stand out in a room. Wooden furniture also looks better and more-French than furniture made of steel, which look very modern and industrial.

If you are fond of playing with different designs, you could use modern-looking furniture but use old-style decor on your walls like black and white framed posters of Audrey Hepburn or Edith Piaf.

Use elegant decor.

Use porcelain statuettes, bronze vases, black and white photos and perhaps, landscape paintings on your walls to give off that elegant charm. If you are willing to go the extra mile, you could install a non-working well-designed fireplace in the middle of your living room or redesign your old fireplace and add an intricate golden frame like the ones you see in old homes.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with different furniture, colors, and themes. If you’re lost in the middle of your project, browse through stunning Paris apartments and get inspired.

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