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 inspired nursery.

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. 

 

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.

Rocking chair:  An inviting and practical addition to every 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.

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

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

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

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!

Edith Piaf still said it best.

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

Love you.  Love you.  Yes we do.

Every day.  In every way.

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

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

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

Good night.  Tonight and every night.

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

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.

Didn't we all want our appendix out too?

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

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

From Frère Jâques to Sur la Pont.

6. If in doubt, take it out

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