you enjoy French and Parisian inspiration, feel free to follow me there for more). Not that I’m currently renovating my apartment here in Amsterdam (although, truth be told, that would be one of my dreams) but I recently realized that many of the images I had saved seemed to gravitate toward the same aesthetic: French country style, sometimes also called French cottage style.
And without quite realizing it at first, this is also the direction my own Amsterdam home has slowly been evolving toward over the past few months. An aesthetic that feels rustic yet chic. Simple and unpretentious. Filled with natural materials: wood, linen, glass, ceramics, copper, and brass. A touch of vintage, but never kitsch. The kind of interior that creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere and that, to me, often evokes the charm of grandmother’s houses, countryside homes where everything feels convivial and where one immediately feels at ease.
Amsterdam, and the Netherlands more broadly, have influenced this shift more than I expected. Kitchens here often feel more rustic than Parisian ones, and because winters can be long and sometimes harsh, homes and apartments tend to have a naturally cozy and comforting quality that I’ve come to appreciate more and more.
This article is therefore a blend of different European influences which I hope will inspire you and perhaps give you a few ideas for bringing the charm of a French country home into your own space, wherever you may live. My inspirations draw from several places: the interior of Claude Monet’s house in Giverny, the Parisian atelier of Astier de Villatte in the 5th arrondissement near Place Maubert, the architecture and interiors typical of Amsterdam houses, as well as the timeless charm of traditional British cottages.
Together, these influences create a rather particular universe, one that I hope will inspire you as much as it inspires me. Below, I’ve gathered some of the elements that, in my eyes, capture the spirit of a timeless French country home, room by room.
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The Kitchen
I wanted to begin with the kitchen, which is probably my second favorite room after the bedroom. Below are a few rustic-chic elements that I particularly love, and that you can easily incorporate into your own kitchen to create a French country atmosphere.
- A beautiful Delft tile backsplash
- Wooden kitchen utensils
- Wicker baskets to store kitchen linens
- Ceramic pitchers and rustic pottery
- Copper cookware displayed on the wall or hanging above the stove
- Linen kitchen towels
- Wooden cutting boards
- A soap dish with authentic Savon de Marseille (or e’s Verbna soap, my favorite!)
- Retro-style kitchen faucets and a ceramic farmhouse sink
- Terracotta floor tiles or a classic black-and-white tiled floor
- A traditional range cooker
These simple elements are often what give French country kitchens their timeless and welcoming charm.
Flamingo Estate rosemary soap brick
Netherton Foundry copper stockpot & steamer baskets
The Living & Dining Room
Below are a few elements that, to me, help create the warm and timeless atmosphere of a French country living and dining room.
- Small table lamps with vintage fabric lampshades
- Sheer linen curtains to softly filter the light
- Old books or beautiful new books displayed on a coffee table or bookshelf
- Antique or flea-market furniture pieces
- A linen slipcovered sofa
- An antique wooden coffee table
- A classic Thonet bentwood chair
- Simple white ceramic plates (in the spirit of Astier de Villatte) or vintage tableware found at flea markets and brocantes
- Antique silver cutlery or silverware
- Fresh flowers (tulips or daffodils, for example) arranged in simple ceramic vases
- Still-life paintings inspired by the Dutch masters
- A vintage brass chamber candlestick with a handle