Inject your apartment with chic Parisian style

Chloe Hines Chloe Hines
homify Quartos ecléticos
Loading admin actions …

Parisian style and interior design are defined by an acute sense of sensual perception. Delicate, intricate, complex and lively, Parisian style differentiates itself from any other region or type of design because of the willingness and confidence of its interesting inhabitants. Personal taste is preferred over sticking to one individual look or design scheme and every piece – whether it be the antique sofa, or large-format artwork – is carefully chosen by the homeowner to create an environment representative of their personality.

In Paris, where apartment living is predominant, large statements are made in small spaces and attention to every detail is never lost in translation. Flea markets, antique markets and small, artisanal markets dominate the weekend in this thriving city, making it a great inspiration and reference point to design your home with careful consideration. Below we have listed several ways in which to instill a sense of Parisian-chic into your apartment. All of these options are fun, personal and interesting – concepts that should always define any home!

Include antique and vintage twists

homify Salas de estar clássicas Sofás e divãs

Antique and vintage pieces are a design staple in Parisian life and are also easily found at the various outdoor markets. Try mixing a retro sofa, or Baroque-style chair with the rest of your modern or minimalist furnishings and we promise you won't be disappointed! At first glance the combination might seem too eclectic, if not rustic, but the key to keeping uniformity in your home is to stick according to one colour scheme.

As seen in this living room, the colour scheme is that of light pastels and gold – a Parisian favourite. Select two or three key colours and choose pieces with attributes that properly and whimsically play with this scheme. This living room incorporates gold in nearly every piece, and the light blues and pinks work perfectly with the oriental-style rug.  What a mix!

Paint walls white with a pastel feature wall

No matter how large or small your apartment is, for a fresh, Parisian look go for stark white walls. For a fun mix, add a pastel feature wall as an addition. This pastel colour can be anything from a light grey to baby blue or fresh pink and when kept light enough it will hardly interfere with the rest of the decor and accessories you have chosen.

The light grey colour in this living room works as a perfect feature to offset the darker neutral couch and eclectic mix of wall art.  However, it should be noted that the key to Parisian style is in the details – the accent table and coffee table look great together, the addition of organized books and magazines (every Parisian apartment is accompanied by interesting and informed reading material!) and a fresh bouquet of flowers pulls this room together nicely.  

Parisian-style tip: Keep furnishings and larger items neutral – bring various colours in through pillows, throws, art – oh, and don't forget flowers, flowers and more flowers!

Check out the rest of this Paris Apartment in the link provided here!

Chandeliers

Chandeliers and high ceilings are dominant in Paris. The old apartment buildings are famous for their high ceilings and beautiful antique light fixtures. Usually accompanied by a herringbone or parquet floor, the chandelier encapsulates the luxurious spirit of French interior design.

Typically when one moves into an apartment (if you're lucky and the previous owners didn't take it!) you leave the chandelier and decorate accordingly with chic, fresh and eclectic items.

If your apartment or home doesn't have chandeliers, don't worry! Chandeliers are readily available to purchase new from a range of light and lamp specialists, and can easily be found at flea markets, antique markets and second-hand stores for a fraction of the original cost. 

Take eclectic inspiration from Phillipe Starck

Paris-born designer, Philippe Starck, defined his career in the 1980s in Paris and his interior design and architectural influences have persevered through decades of stylistic change.  His interior design, architectural design, industrial design and products are based on the much-loved Parisian concepts of inventiveness and structural soundness. 

His style and works can be seen in various residential and commercial venues and are defined by both an eclectic and intricate combination of various time periods, products and design elements. 

In order to bring the designs and concepts of Starck into your home, consider the details first. The combination of a modern lamp with an abstract artwork combined with an antique gold-leaf frame, or a vintage flower vase settled amongst an über-modern interior are two ways in which you can easily accomplish this look. As seen here, the three decorative details on this bedside table are placed amongst a modern, darker neutral room and offer an eclectic look that perhaps no other decorative items could!

Check out these eclectic design details for more Starck-inspired pieces!

Buy neutral furniture

Neutral furniture will be the key element to designing your first Parisian-chic space!  When you start with a bare or neutral canvas, it allows for decor and accessories to be easily matched and strategically selected!

Choose sofas, chairs and even bedding that are neutral and in typical Parisian fashion, inject colour into the details – pillows, cushions, art, flowers and random accessories and table decor that define you as an individual.

For the best results head to boutique shops and antique markets to find oddities and eclectic pieces that will bring a liveliness to your space and hold a function as well.  Unlike a lot of other design schemes and regions, not everything has to be so functional and sometimes this is a breath of fresh air. Intricate and complex beauty are most important to the Parisian-chic style.

Mix & match historical periods

A design tip that you should use in your home regardless of how Parisian you want it to be is to mix and match items from various historical periods. In your office, mix a Bauhaus-style lamp with a rustic, raw wood desk. In your bedroom, mix a vintage canopy-style bed with a minimalist bedside table. The options are truly endless here and allows you, as a homeowner, to incorporate all the pieces you might love but worry won't fit together.

The key to Parisian chic interiors is having an acute sense of self and an awareness of strategic placement – an eye for design, as they say! We choose a table setting as a perfect example of mixing various pieces – think about mixing not only in historical periods, but colours, textures, styles and patterns, as seen here! If you want to see how mixing and matching materials can give a perfect French-country look, check out this example!

Parisian-style tip: What goes great with every historical time period? Fresh flowers from the weekend markets!

Hang large prints and fun artworks in black frames

An appreciation for art and culture are part of the French way of life.  And no, don't expect these pieces to just hang and be pretty – Parisians will enjoy quaint dinner parties with great wine and great conversations about the items included in your home, particularly art. 

The first key to including art in your home is to be an informed purchaser.  Do your research, know your artists and their styles – maybe even a few facts about their life – and we promise that your appreciation for the artworks you carry will grow an immense amount.  With that being said, keep the matting and framing simple and allow the pieces to speak volumes for themselves.  As seen here, mix and match pieces from various artists, styles, genres and colour palettes – but keep them all in minimal, black frames as a neutralizing element!

Go for gold gilt & gold leaf

Gold leafing and gold gilt have perhaps never been used in a more grandiose and intricate way as they were during the French Baroque period in the 17th century.  From beautiful residential homes to the Palace of Versailles, gold leafing and gilt was once a sign of royalty and status. Now it's forever admired by those that call France home, and often for an affordable price, found at your local antique markets.

If you're concerned about how and where to include gold leafing and gilt in your home, look for the smaller objects and details. Maybe brush over your sofa or couch legs with gold leafing appliqué for a fun DIY project, or find a wonderful and unique mirror framed in gold gilt at a local flea market for an affordable price.

The simplicity and elegance of the single gold-framed mirror in this living room is a perfect example of how one small item can transform your entire space!

Mix & match textures

homify Quartos ecléticos

As you've realized by now, the Parisians are the best at mixing and matching various materials, genres and styles in order to create one-of-a-kind spaces.  Mixing textures is no exception! This beautiful, chic and rustic bedroom eludes to a sense of cosiness, individuality and romance all in one sweep. The wrought iron vintage bed, reclaimed wood double-doors and quirky mix of furnishings have all been strategically combined to create an eclectic room where attention has been paid to every last detail.

Have harsh furnishings and harder textiles on your sofa and chairs? Mix it up with a plush, high-pile rug!  Mixing textures, most times, can bring just as much drama to a room as mixing colours!

Put oriental rugs in your living room and bedroom

homify Salas de estar clássicas Sofás e divãs

Lastly, include an oriental rug in either the living room or the bedroom. We suggest you head to a local retailer or shop that sells high-quality, original oriental rugs and pay close attention to the design details.  Stick to a colour scheme so your room and rug will match and use your rug as a statement piece that will pull the entire room together, from corner to corner. 

The gold detailing in this rug perfectly matches the gold accent features on the accent table, chair and decorative art-deco style mirrors!

If you want to see more amazing French interiors, check out this luxurious villa!

Precisa de ajuda para projetar a sua casa?
Entre em contato!

Destaques da nossa revista