Who doesn’t love a stroll through a French antiques market or wish they could “Escape to the Chateau”? There’s a certain “je ne sais quoi?” to the Vintage French style that has a timeless quality which can work well in both a period and a contemporary setting. Also, described as “chateau chic”, “shabby chic”, “country chic” and “vintage chic”, rest assured that whatever the phrase used to describe this style, if it’s French-inspired, it will be tres chic!
French Vintage is an eclectic style that mixes antique furniture with chalky muted pastel colours, distressed wood and beautiful layered fabrics such as linen, lace and crochet. The style is soft and dreamy, working particularly well in bedrooms, particularly with some lavender or fresh flowers incorporated.
We were lucky enough to be asked to help create a Vintage French feel at a home in Berkshire. In this bedroom, we used beautiful white John England 100% washed natural linen curtains with a vintage lace trim and ties to create maximum dreaminess. The bespoke linen curtains were puddled to create a blowsy, relaxed atmosphere. These were hung over black iron poles by Cameron Fuller and layered over some fabulously unassuming taupe-coloured made-to-measure curtains made from Blendworth’s Hacienda fabric and lined with blackout material to ensure a good night’s sleep for all. These same fabrics were used to create texture throughout the bedroom, not least on the cushions which were layered over the delicate floral print of the bedding to enhance the overall look. The finished room felt wonderfully light and tranquil but was also practical in fitting its brief to be "a good place to sleep”.
