French Country Kitchen Design Ideas

If you’ve ever dreamed of having a kitchen that looks like it came straight from the French countryside, you’re not alone. The French country kitchen design is an appealing style because it is elegant and rustic at the same time, giving you a warm, welcoming kitchen that everyone will love. Achieve the French country kitchen look by following a few design tips that will quickly transform your kitchen into a charming, idyllic space.

Cabinet and Drawer Design

Cabinets and drawers painted in neutrals like white, French vanilla or pale yellow lend themselves to the French country aesthetic with an understated grace. Add some vintage style handles, knobs, hinges or latches made of bronze, wrought iron, pewter, or with an antique brass finish to give the cabinets and drawers a subtle old fashioned flair while making them easier to use while opening and closing.

A large cabinet with French doors is also a perfect idea for a French country kitchen design, especially when you add feminine details like lace curtains inside the doors covering the glass panels. If you decide to leave glass panels bare, you can take advantage of the visibility of cabinet contents to display fine china or dry goods quaintly stored in glass jars. An island with doors and cabinets painted a different color from wall cabinets, like apple green or pale blue, can provide a subtle color contrast to the rest of the kitchen. You can also create this color contrast by using that same color for your kitchen walls.

Flooring and Floor Accessories

Some flooring ideas that can add a simple and rustic elegance to your French country kitchen decor include stone tile, laminate tile or hardwood flooring. Choose wood that has a natural and textured look to add to the coziness of the space. A textured stone look for your flooring will make the space feel rural and communal, and a classic black and white checkered tile floor may pair well with other features in your French country kitchen.

You can add coziness and color contrast to your kitchen floor with a large rug under your kitchen table or a small rug in front of your sink in a simple floral pattern, or a pattern featuring roosters, sunflowers or other patterns reminiscent of French country living.

Countertops, Surfaces, Lighting and Windows

Consider granite, marble or limestone materials for your countertops, island surfaces and kitchen table in your French country kitchen. Choose a shade that will complement the color scheme present in the rest of your kitchen for a polished, unified look.

Enhance the aesthetics of your French country kitchen by choosing appropriate lighting like elegant wall sconces, chandeliers or other hanging lights that are made with darker colored metal to match your drawer and cabinet hardware. Large French windows above the kitchen sink or French doors leading out to your backyard let in plenty of natural light, and can be decorated with curtains complementing the theme of your kitchen, whether you choose roosters, sunflowers or rustic floral.

Seating and Other Accessories

Chairs, benches or stools in a French country kitchen can be painted to match the neutral color of your cabinets and drawers or to match the complementary color featured in the walls, kitchen island or kitchen table. If you have hardwood flooring, you may want to go with wooden chairs to match.

Continue with the rooster, sunflower or floral theme with other kitchen accessories like dishes, placemats, napkins, seat cushions, wall art, centerpieces, and more. Don’t overdo it with whichever theme you choose, though—a French country kitchen is characterized by effortless charm, so just a few pieces that feature your theme around the kitchen will make a statement.