Hi! My name is Mary Madeleine and I have been living almost my entire life in the french countryside. I was right outside of Paris my entire childhood, surrounded by chickens, pigs, gardening etc. Now I live in the mountains near Switzerland, with a bunch of cows in my backyard, and nothing but nature and gorgeous blue skies. My grandparents lived on a farm with every animal you can think of, and had a huge home, that screamed French Country. So Here is what I have taken that I love from my experience, to put it in my new home.
If you love natural dye, ladies linen dresses, eco friendly shopping make sure to check out our other posts.
Me in my current home, in my kitchen, that is not quite finished yet.
For starters, You need to work on the bones of your kitchen. You have to favour wood, stone or tiles, rather than granite and marble counters that are very American. You want your pieces of furniture, to not necessarily be perfect and be matchy-matchy. In a way you are telling a story of time, and each piece you bring into your home, has a past and a purpose.
Color wise, you'll see old home have that signature yellow paint that has not aged very well, but you can freshen that up with any off-white, cream and light green color.
For your sink you'll want to get a farm type sink like this. And a gorgeous copper or silver Mitigeur like this one
Now Let’s Accessorise !
You got your farm sink, now you need a Dish Rack. every French home has one, and the more vintage looking he better. Check out this one on our website!
Next you Need a soap holder. One thing to know about old french homes, is that plastic bottle dispensers were not a thing, and still today, many homes favour a block of Savon de Marseille. It is more sustainable, eco friendly and made in France! Check these out :
French Linens for a beautiful table
In a French kitchen, you will find curtains, tea towels, table napkins and table cloths.
You want to favour rustic looking curtains, that can hide the area below your sink, or hide a water boiler or a pantry. You can never go wrong with gingham fabric. It's a very easy DIY sewing project as well.
For a table cloth, find a rustic, thick white cotton cloth that can easily be washed. You can order this one on Etsy with custom dimensions .
A traditional french home will provide a napkin for each person to keep during the week, with a custom napkin ring to know whose is whose. I grew up with the wooden kind, (see below) whereas my husband grew up with vintage silver ones passed down from generations.
As for tea towels, I recommend checking mine out that are made of 100% linen and are naturally dyed here in France! You can custom order them to have different dye patterns and colors.
Copper Everything !
Finding and investing in quality copper pots and pieces can be time consuming and expensive. Go to flea markets and negotiate your way through getting several pots at a good price and you will come back with memories from that day. Know that you are investing in pieces that will last for generations to come if taken care of. You children or nieces will thank you later.
Enamel is your friend!
When I think french kitchen I always think to an enamel carafe that was at my grandparent's home. It is just such a cute touch to keep on your table. You can choose to put flowers in it if you don't want to drink out of it! Get it here !
Herbs for days
Herbs are so important in french culture. A classic one to own is Herbes de Provence that you can season on literally anything. These herbs of Provence mixed in France contain thyme, rosemary, basil, savoury and marjoram.
Next you will want to get a jar to hold you various herbs you picked from your garden or farmers market.
Eggs
The french love their eggs ! My personal favourite is oeuf à la coque, which consists of half boiling the egg, about 6 min and running it under cold water after. Then place it in an egg holder and tap the top off. Butter some bread and cut strips that you then dip in the yolk. It is sooo good !
I just bought the Ceramics Egg Holder that is made in France and I recommend it to everyone! Get your now here
Bread is Life !
When you think France i am sure you think baguette. You would be correct yet we have so many amazing varieties of bread that are great for different occasions. Personally I prefer the multi graine, especially toasted with some goat's cheese and herbes de provence on it.
To accessorise your kitchen you will need a bread basket and bread cloth. These are beautiful !
That's my two cents on French home decor. Let me know what you thought and if you have anything in your typical french home you want to share.
Try to keep your home plastic free, with reusable jars full of gorgeous whole grain flowers, seeds, herbs, dried fruit etc. Living simply with simple ingredients is also key to delicious french cuisine. A more sustainable mindset creates a more beautiful home, with warm, earth and rich tones. Spring is here and you can now start to grow an herb garden and make your own herbe de provence mix ;)
Love always,
Mary M
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