Modern French Interior Design: Tips, Inspiration And Decor Accessories To Help You Nail The Look

Bonjour, mon ami! It’s time for a Parisian adventure. French interiors are effortlessly chic, as one might expect from one of the most stylish cultures in the world. So, how can we tap into this delightful aesthetic in other parts of the globe? The French interior design style focuses on timeless elegance rather than transient trends. It’s a meld of upmarket style, intricate detail, and breezy effortlessness. We’ve put together a collection of four luxury designs that demonstrate the high-end principles of posh Parisian abodes, where clean modern lines meet decorative slices of elegant regality. Stick with us through this plethora of modern french interior design tips, inspiration and decor accessories that will help you nail the look.

Visualizer: Mirna A.Emad

The French have an affinity for chic white interiors. Team a fresh white backdrop with warmer white, cream and beige furnishings to create an interestingly tonal affair.

Notice here how the wall art and living room area rug pull together with thin contour patterns. The two pieces cleverly coordinate without being overly matched to fit the effortless yet put-together French aesthetic.

Bridge the gap between the old and the new with smart wainscotting and vintage accessories. This elegant vintage fireplace screen adds an antique brass flourish across the black finish of an original fireplace. Modern lounge chairs wing the traditional ensemble.

Complement original architectural features with contemporary furniture. This curved sofa complements the arched window frames with its gracefully rounded shape. One arched window perfectly frames the Eiffel tower and the city of Paris. See more inspiration for using arches creatively in interior design.

Lightweight drapes hang from recesses along the ceiling line.

In a city renowned for its art and culture, use art to your advantage. On a short wall between the lounge and dining areas, abstract art draws attention to a stylish console table with a unique table lamp.

The designer table lamp is joined by a neat stack of coffee table books, whilst the rest of the console table remains peacefully bare.

Bird figurines decorate the wooden dining table and a tall shelving unit behind. Decorative vases throw a blush pink accent hue into the mix, whilst a linear pendant light is coloured with bright turquoise arches. The colourful interludes joyfully reflect the carefree French attitude.

Natural wicker chairs warmly coordinate with the wooden dining table.

Achieve a modern French farmhouse kitchen look with framed wooden base units, a chunky apron sink, and a retro-style fridge-freezer.

This modern French farmhouse kitchen is brought to life with cherry red accessories, including a set of Thonet chairs at the kitchen table.

A modern tap arches over the farmhouse sink, creating a beautiful balance of traditional and contemporary shapes.

Visualizer: Apostolis Christou

Our second inspirational French home design is a classic-modern 19th-century Parisian apartment. Focus is placed on the intense natural lighting and a selection of simple but elegant furnishings. A square coffee table commands the centre of the lounge, beneath a complex modern chandelier.

17th, 18th, and 19th-century buildings are typical of Paris. Their history and charm must be respected, whilst introducing new elegance and practicality. In this apartment, an arresting arch is given space to breathe with minimal decor replaced around it.

White tongue and groove wall panelling cleanly hems the room.

A fabulous French fireplace nails the Parisian aesthetic with little need for anything more.

Use wall art to provide modern juxtaposition with the traditional flourishes of a French fireplace to maintain an effortlessly eclectic air.

Fashion a nonchalant reading nook with a comfortable chair, small side table, magazine rack, and a swing arm wall lamp.

In this French kitchen design, we see 50s retro-inspired dining chairs surround a racetrack shaped dining table. A contemporary black dining chandelier cuts darkly through the white decor scheme.

Open kitchen shelving is stacked high with a plethora of pretty pastel ceramic kitchenware. The display is as useful as it is beautiful.

If colours are muted in the main living areas, don’t be afraid to switch things up with a palette of brights in the bedroom. In Paris, anything goes.

This mustard yellow upholstered bed sings against the contrast of green bedside tables. The quirky black lamps are the Flowerpot VP4 bedside table lamps designed by Verner Panton for &Tradition.

The wood floor beneath the bed is laid bare to maintain a relaxed feel. The only bedroom rug comes in the form of a small runner by the door.

Designer: Huge Studio Visualizer: Ursa Studio

White walls continue to rule inside our third Parisian home. Large indoor plants add an intense burst of deep emerald green. In this open concept living space, a large area rug acts as a holding device for matching grey lounge furniture.

Serge Mouille floor lamps provide elegant task lighting at either end of the couch.

Lounge furniture layouts should encourage deep conversation, so the small sofa is positioned to face two coordinating lounge chairs.

White marble coffee tables thread a little luxury without ostentatious fanfare.

Two smaller lounge chairs round out this U-shaped furniture arrangement, and also loosen up the colour scheme.

Behind the larger armchairs, dual aspect windows flood a dining area with natural light.

As in our previous Parisian apartments, this home is blessed with a superb fireplace. Its ornate flourishes are echoed by an antique mirror in the dining room.

Balance bold traditional features with colour coordinated modern pieces, like this sharp, contemporary black bookcase design that draws from the fireplace finish.

Whether you’re an active artist or merely an enthusiast, place a piece of art on an easel to create an inspirational art studio aesthetic. This decor tip works particularly well in peaceful home libraries and stylish workspaces.

The black finish of the fireplace also influences a black marble dining table, and black-framed windows and doors.

An Oluce Atollo table lamp shines upon a black console table.

The French style art easel stands beside a modern home office desk.

An eye-catching Snoopy table lamp provides practical task light.

At the opposite end of this French living room, the elegant dining area grabs attention with bold green upholstered dining chairs.

A stunning globe pendant light fixture bubbles with reflections and drips in gold.

Paris is about passion. Red accent decor brings heat to this bedroom design. Gold swing arm wall lamps add luxe above curvaceous bedside tables. A set of glass vases await a red rose.

A soft mood lighting scheme spells romance.

An end of bed bench adds a chic finishing touch to the layout.

Indoor plants freshly contrast the red bedroom area rug.

Fashion-forward French culture demands an organised closet. Glass wardrobes and internal LED illumination show off a treasured collection. A modern sputnik chandelier provides light to the rest of the room.

With the sputnik light switched off, the wardrobe LEDs become atmospheric bedroom lighting.

A dressing table is pulled up to the bedroom window so that natural light can assist the application of minimal makeup in the flawless French way.

A light-permeable rattan screen prevents makeup items from falling off the back of the vanity table.

The rattan vanity chair makes up a tasteful set with the matching table.

Create tasteful vignettes in unexpected places. A plume of Gypsophila makes a pretty duo with a small vanity mirror.

Visualizer: Biljana Turanjanin Puj

Finally, our fourth French home tour begins in a white living room with a welcoming curved sofa design, rounded armchairs, and arched pendant lights.

Wainscot panels help to visually zone the compact room, creating a framed feature behind the dining area and doubling as a handsome TV mount.

A gilded decorative mirror adds a taste of the traditional into the modern white room. French doors let in copious amounts of sunlight from a living room balcony, which illuminates the lustrous golden mirror frame.

You don’t need to have a working chimney to enjoy an exquisite fireplace or the warm flicker of living flame. Simply secure your chosen authentic fireplace to the wall and fill abundantly with ivory pillar candles of varying heights.

Delightful things come in small packages, like this gem of a powder room. A racetrack-shaped mirror and open bathroom shelves dip inside of a decorative archway. The modern vanity storage unit is set deep into the microcement wall to achieve a slimline appearance.

The shallow archway is finished in the French way with a decorative corbel, which scrolls elegantly into the colour-matched microcement wall. A curved shelf smooths into the tight corner of the space, creating just enough space for a modern bathroom sink, soap dispensers, and a few toiletries.