Looking to refine your home with a French provincial kitchen? You have made a great choice. Our team at Harrington Kitchens have the basic styling tips you need to achieve this look.

French provincial kitchens exude a whole lot of class and are inspired by a time from the mid to late 1700’s. Provinces within France those days housed chateau’s and homes that were adorned with lavish furnishings and decorative pieces. French provincial style in homes nowadays reflects an open, warm, and welcoming vibe and has become quite popular throughout many modern homes.

How to achieve French provincial kitchen styling

French provincial style reflects ornate trims with subtle tones that combine to create a refined feeling of sophistication and gentle elegance. Airy spaces, plenty of charisma and chic warmth. Here is how to master this stunning look for your kitchen.

Features of a French provincial kitchen

Features of French provincial kitchens generally include some of the following elements.

• carved timber
• marble or stone
• wrought iron and other distressed metals
• tactile fabrics and plenty of texture

Colours

Colour palettes of a French provincial kitchen are generally muted and more feminine than masculine. Restrained colours are favoured, such as;

• taupe (brownish grey)
• ivory or beige
• sage-green
• grey hues
• black – which is commonly used throughout French provincial kitchens for benchtops, handles and appliances

Base colours kept minimal allow for the lavish elements of French provincial kitchens to play the real starring role, not the paint colour that is splashed about on the walls.

French provincial kitchen features

Kitchens of this design space are generally finished with beautiful trimmings that beckon attention. Features perfectly matched with a French provincial kitchen include:

• stunning feature lighting like chandeliers and oversized pendants – don’t be afraid to make use of timber or iron as elements that tie in with this look perfectly
• luxe lever taps with impressively-sized water outlets
• vintage-look cooking appliances including stoves, ovens, kettles and toasters
• kitchen splashbacks that feature diamond laid tiles or plain tiles with textured patterns
• chunky cornices and built up plasterboard features with plenty of curves and character

French provincial kitchen cabinetry

The inclusion of elaborate moulded cabinet designs is almost an unwritten rule in achieving the French provincial look for a kitchen. Sleek and shiny is out, whilst textured and highlights are most definitely in.

Handles

When it comes to matching handles for French provincial cabinetry – big and bold will do the trick nicely.

Decorative extras

A few splashes of French provincial charm added here and there will frame your look especially well.

• No French provincial kitchen is complete without the inclusion of some striped linen tea towels
• A neatly presented stash of wooden cooking utensils in a stone or ceramic holder is a favourable must-have
• Enamel cookware
• An oversized Parisian clock on display will also add to the French provincial look and feel
• And, it would be remiss not to mention that a French provincial kitchen is never complete without a fresh trimming of flowers to show off

Spaciousness

French provincial kitchens are refined and luxurious, spaciously planned and crafted to be chef-ready. Plenty of bench space, an abundance of cabinetry, and tapware that you could almost shower under.

French provincial kitchens can work just as well in modern and contemporary home designs as they can in heritage homes which have seen their day.

Although not the official 10 tips we mentioned – we have provided a whole lot more!

If you prefer croissants over muffins, and a crème brulee over a baked cheesecake, then your taste for all things French might just see you headed for a French provincial kitchen next time you are in the market.

With the help from our Harrington Kitchens experts, French provincial kitchen styling is also easily achieved for renovations, or if you simply want to refresh your kitchen look. For further detail on how we can help, and to discuss any of our styling tips further, say bonjour to our team today.