20 Beautiful Examples of French Country Kitchens

When most people think of French country, they envision a beautiful design that beautifully melds a sense of elegance with warmth and comfort. The timeless look of French country gets all its warmth from the use of a neutral color palette that brings a a soft and understated earthiness to the room. Like in most homes, your kitchen is probably the main hub of the house where everyone gathers for preparing and eating meals, plus much, much more. It’s a room that operates as a highly functional space in the home, but you don’t want to overlook your kitchen’s potential to also be a beautiful showcase of beauty and style. Designing a gorgeous French country kitchen is not difficult since there are so many variations to work with, including classic French Country and rustic variations. If you’re looking for a few ideas to help get you started, we have some tips that can help you plan the perfect look of a stunning French country kitchen.

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Colors and hues

French country design draws its color palette from the natural beauty of the magnificent rustic countryside. If you can imagine the colors you’d find in a gorgeous rural landscape, then you already have a lot of your French country design in motion. According to “bhg.com,” (https://www.bhg.com/kitchen/styles/country/french-country-kitchen/), muted, earthy tones like creamy whites and beige, hues of brown and gray, soft blues and warm shades of green, and stunning rustic reds are all common color choices for a French country design.

Cabinetry

Cabinets are one of the biggest elements of any kitchen. They consume a lot of space and are visually the main focal point, which means that you will want to take extra care in choosing the right style of cabinets so that your kitchen exhibits the look and feel of a French country kitchen. Think warm and welcoming when picking out your cabinets. When it comes to color choices, choose a neutral tone for your cabinets, says “homedit” (https://www.homedit.com/french-country-kitchen/). Neutral color cabinets are one of the most important elements to keep inline with when designing a true French country kitchen, along with choosing cabinets with a furniture-style appeal to them. Antiquing, distressing, or whitewashing wood cabinetry adds a timeless element of age and years gone-by for a more welcoming appeal. Intricate details, like glass pane doors, beautifully detailed arches, and molding among other details, can really add an elegant touch to the decor theme.

Kitchen islands

Kitchen islands are a common element in a French country kitchen. They are not only a functional piece of the kitchen ensemble, but they are a design element that really pulls the kitchen together. Granite topped counters and islands add an element of elegance to your kitchen. According to “hgtv.com,” (https://www.hgtv.com/remodel/kitchen-remodel/french-kitchen-islands), one of the most notable looks for a French country island is white granite or a butcher block top paired with a rustic or barn red stain, and depending on your needs, you can choose an island that has all the design options you need for making your kitchen a more functional space, like shelves, cabinets, or drawers. Since many islands are used for food preparation, you may want to consider an island designed with a sink.

Lighting

Lighting is another one of those big elements that can make or break a decor idea or theme. When choosing lighting for your French country kitchen, consider lighting that draws its look based off the timeless lantern or chandelier. Pendant lighting over an island is a great option, or depending on the size of the island, a single chandelier style light designed with intricate details can be a great way to add a focal point lighting element to the kitchen. Black, browns and creams are typical colors found in lighting features, and with so many ways to go with French country lighting, you won’t be lacking in options for your kitchen.

Added elements and details

Even kitchens need small decor details to make it complete. When choosing decor pieces for your French country kitchen, consider items that have an aged or antique appeal. Bronze and copper are two metals that can add the look and feel of yesteryear, and both are commonly seen in French country kitchens. From lighting ideas to cabinet handles, even sink faucets. Speaking about sinks, what better way to give your kitchen a more country appeal than to add a beautiful farmhouse style sink, although there are plenty of other options for kitchen sinks that work well for a French country look. For the rustic French country, nothing is more breathtaking than to step into a kitchen that boasts beautiful wood beams across the ceiling. Wood beams are a timeless rustic look and will instantly warm the room.

For more ideas, take a look at the following 20 beautiful examples of French country kitchens and start planning your kitchen’s French country makeover.