This provincial style of home has been popular since the 1600s. These regional areas began designing and building country homes in an aristocratic style in popular French provinces such as Normandy, Brittany, and Provence.
Traditional elements such as brick and stone facades, steeply pitched roofs, and arched windows were popular, but the Australian French Provincial style evolved, taking the best features and creating wonderful streetscapes. Interior design is equally important in completing the style.
The 12 most important design elements in a French provincial home.
Rendered Walls: Typically in grey tones, rendered (plastered) exterior walls provide clean textures that allow architectural features to stand out even more.
Pendant lighting: Black or gold pendant lighting in the centre of living rooms or above the kitchen island benchtop adds to the French Provincial flavour and serves both an aesthetic and functional purpose. Downlights are still used throughout the home, and pendant light fittings are a focal point.
Doors and Windows: French provincial doors are a must and are frequently used both internally and externally with 8 or 10 panels of glass. External window glazing bars can be fully timber or stuck-on aluminium.
Corbels and Mouldings - Corbels and mouldings, which are frequently found under the eaves line skirting the entire home and surrounding windows and door frames, become design highlights.
Roof Gables: It is common for brick gables to extend above the eaves line, either in a square or curved pattern, making an entry portico look even grander and more inviting. Gables frequently lend a country feel to the design.
Dark Roof Tiles: Dark roof tiles cap each home, often with flat profiles that complement a minimalist roof line. The dark tiles are a nice contrast to the light grey render and white corbel architecture.
Wrought Iron: Ranging from plain square styles to ornate curved balustrades on Juliete balconies, black wrought iron balustrades are commonly included on the facade (though not always), but almost always internally on the stairwell and void areas with a capped timber handrail.
Natural Colour Tone: The most popular colour schemes tend to be simple contrasts without any unnecessary pops of colour. Clean styles are made up of whites, greys, and blacks, but creams can also be used instead of grey. The gold highlights on picture frames, mirrors, and decorative art complement the earthy tones throughout the home.
Stone Flooring: A common feature is a section of stone flooring in the kitchen area, which replaces the timber floors. This can serve as a design framework for the kitchen zone and will frequently match the colour and texture of the stone benchtops.
Rustic Wood: Timber flooring in the main living room zones adds to the French provincial flavour. Typically in warmer tones, with straight, wider boards or a parquetry design. Wooden rustic and antique furniture is frequently used to complement the flooring throughout the home.
Carved Kitchen Cabinets - Because the kitchen is often the focal point of the home, it's important to incorporate a French Provincial interior design style here as well. Most will have carved cabinet doors, stone benchtops, and an island bench on legs or with corner columns. Don't be afraid to incorporate timber elements, such as a timber benchtop on the island bench.
2PAC Paint - If your budget isn't a constraint, a 2PAC (two pack) paint finish on the French provincial kitchen cabinets and doors provides a premium finish that stands out from vinyl or laminate. This is a popular option for both French provincial and Hamptons-style homes.
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