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Six easy steps to creating the perfect French inspired nursery

Six easy steps to creating the perfect French inspired nursery

1. Start with grey 

The perfect French inspired palette starts with a soft warm grey and adds subtle hues of cream, blush or french blue.

grey french nursery

Grey French inspired nursery.

colors for French inspired nursery

French nursery color pallette

French nursery color pallette

2. Create a feature wall with French toile wallpaper

The Eiffel tower, a french baguette, a black beret are all immediate statements of French.  As is toile - shortened from Toile de Jouy - literally meaning 'linen from Jouy-en-Jousas' (a small in the southwet suburbs of Paris).  These lovely pastoral scenes emerged in France in the 1700s and have been a home decor staple ever since. 

pink french toile

 

french inspired nursery

french inspired nursery

french inspired nursery

french inspired nursery

A sweet twist on a feature wall is to decoupage toile wallpaper on a featured piece of furniture.

3. Choose one piece of vintage styled furniture as a statement piece.

One of the reasons we all admire French women's style is their ability to master the perfect understatement.  From the perfect white shirt, to the emulated shade of red lipstick and their inimitable twist of the scarf, understatement is the hallmark of French style.  Don't overdo it with an entire matching nursery of vintage inspired pieces.  Instead pick one piece for your statement.

french inspired nursery

Rocking chair:  An inviting and practical addition to every nursery.

french inspired nursery

Chest of drawers:  As stylish as it is practical.  The top can even be used as a change table and later this piece can grow into a child, teen and adult decor.

french inspired nursery

Chaise Lounge:  Even the name is French.  'Nap while the baby naps' is still some of the best advice out there.

french inspired nursery

Chandelier: We love, love, love the juxtaposition of this vintage chandelier in a nursery.  Oui.  Oui.

french inspired nursery

The velvet couch:  Even the court of Louis XIV had a stylish place to nap and nurse.

french inspired nursery

Door stopper:  When it's the perfect piece sometimes something small is all you need.

4. French inspired wall art

A picture speaks a thousand words.  People keep repeating this statement because it's true.  A perfectly chosen French inspired art print is all you need to speak more French words than you might remember from your high school French class.  Toujours!


french inspired nursery
Few things are more quintessentially French childhood than our heroine - Madeline.


french inspired nursery

Edith Piaf still said it best.

french inspired nursery

The Eiffel Tower:  Always appropriate.  Always perfect.  In any light.  On any day.

french inspired nursery

Love you.  Love you.  Yes we do.

french inspired nursery

Every day.  In every way.

french inspired nursery

Bonjour little fox.  We love your jaunty red scarf.  So reminiscent of the sailors of Marseille. 

french inspired nursery

Pastels.  Eiffel Tour.  Lovers holding hands.  Yes.  This print has it all.

french inspired nursery

Petit Lapin.  We are in love with you (and your perfect French beret!)

french inspired nursery

Good night.  Tonight and every night.

french inspired nursery

Someone please, tell us the storybook about this sweet little jeune fille.

french inspired nursery

We loved the French feel of this hand drawn illustration before the subject matter was even Paris.

5. Put a French book (or two) on the shelf

In an old house in Paris, all covered in vines, lived 12 little girls in two straight lines.

Definitely the most famous lines of children's French literature, but certainly not the only ones.  While Madeline holds a special place in our hearts, Babar is who we reach for time and time again.

french inspired nursery

Didn't we all want our appendix out too?

french inspired nursery

Babar and his wife Celeste the king and the queen of the elephants with their dapper trio of children.

The little prince

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly.  What is essential is invisible to the eye.

french inspired nursery

From Frère Jâques to Sur la Pont.

6. If in doubt, take it out

This timeless design and fashion maxim should have been written in French!  If it feels too much, take it out.  'That one perfect piece, item, book etc. should be your mantra.

French inspired nursery

All images were taken from our favorite French inspired Pinterest board.