Is your kitchen feeling a little too sleek and shiny lately? I’ve been daydreaming about French country kitchen ideas for months now. You know the kind of kitchen I mean, with copper pots hanging overhead, a big wood table in the middle, and a jug of garden flowers on the counter!
What I love most about a French country kitchen is that it feels lived in. Nothing is too perfect or too matchy, and honestly, that’s the whole charm of it.
The best part? You don’t need a farmhouse in Provence to pull it off. A few vintage finds, warm wood, and soft colors go such a long way. So I rounded up 20 of my favorite French country kitchen ideas from some gorgeous designer kitchens, plus a few pieces under each one to help you get the look!
The French Country Kitchen Look
French country style comes from the old farmhouses and manor homes of the French countryside, especially Provence and Normandy. These kitchens were made for real cooking and long family dinners, so they’re practical first. Somehow, though, they always end up looking so charming!
However, today’s version is lighter and a lot less fussy than the ’90s look with roosters on everything (thank goodness). Think terracotta and stone floors, painted cabinets in soft colors, rustic wood, copper, and plenty of flea market treasures. It’s actually really close to what I love about a French country bedroom, just with more pots and pans!
Above all, the goal is a kitchen that looks like it came together slowly over the years. Veranda has a dreamy roundup of French country kitchens too, if you want even more inspo after this!
1. Lay a Checkerboard Floor
A black and white checkerboard floor is one of the easiest ways to make a kitchen feel French right away! Plus, it’s classic, a little bit bistro, and it looks just as good with blue cabinets as it does with cream ones.
Marble is the dream, of course. But if a new floor isn’t happening, a checkered runner gives you the same look for way less (and it’s renter friendly too)!
2. Go Old-World With Brick and Terracotta
Old brick and terracotta floors are what make so many French farmhouse kitchens feel like they’ve been there for centuries. I especially love how warm and earthy they look next to dark cabinets.
If you can’t rip out your floors, no worries! A terracotta or rust runner brings in that same cozy warmth. Bonus: these colors hide crumbs like a champ.
3. Show Off Wood Beams
Wood ceiling beams add instant character, and they make even a newer kitchen feel like it has a story. This one pairs them with terracotta tile and a whole wall of woven baskets, which I’m obsessed with!
No beams? Faux wood beams are surprisingly easy to put up. Plus, they’re lightweight, so it’s a weekend project instead of a renovation.
4. Make the Range Hood the Star
In a French country kitchen, the range hood is basically the fireplace of the room. Just look at this creamy plaster hood with that soft curved edge! Isn’t it gorgeous?! It makes the whole stove wall feel like a little French bistro.
Even a simple plaster hood with a little ledge feels very French, though. Then hang a brass rail underneath for your copper pots, and leave a pretty red Dutch oven on the stovetop so it looks loved and used!
5. Hang Your Copper Pots
Of all the French country kitchen ideas out there, copper pots hanging overhead might be the most iconic! After all, they’re practical (hello, free cabinet space), and they add the prettiest warm glow.
A ceiling pot rack works great over an island or table. I especially love this small kitchen that mixes copper with a chandelier and a cozy red banquette. So cute!
6. Show Off Your Ironstone
French country kitchens don’t hide their dishes. Instead, they show them off! White pitchers, platters, and teapots stacked on open shelves look so classic, especially against a sunny yellow wall like this one.
Also, it’s the best excuse to hit up antique shops and flea markets. Personally, I’m a sucker for blue and white plates too, so I’d sneak a few of those in with the white ones!
7. Put Open Shelves Over Pretty Tile
Open shelves over a pretty tile backsplash is one of my favorite kitchen combos ever! The tile does all the work, while the shelves give you a spot for pottery, cutting boards, and your favorite jars.
Also, keep the shelves a little imperfect. A few pieces you actually use every day always look better than a perfectly styled shelf, so mix in canisters and copper with the decor.
8. Try a Cabinet Skirt
Cabinet skirts are one of the sweetest French country kitchen ideas! Swapping a few lower cabinet doors for gathered fabric softens the whole room and adds a fun pop of pattern.
It’s also a budget-friendly way to update old cabinets. All you really need is a tension rod and a pretty cafe curtain. Who knew cabinets could be this cute?!
9. Create a Bistro Breakfast Nook
A little round table with rattan bistro chairs makes any corner feel like a Paris cafe. I also love that this one keeps it simple with a white pedestal table and a few fresh flowers.
Plus, it’s the perfect spot for morning coffee! I’ve talked about my love for these chairs before in my post on French bistro chairs, and I still think they’re worth every penny.
10. Use a Farm Table as Your Island
Instead of a big built-in island, try an old farm table! It feels so much more relaxed and collected, and it’s honestly one of my favorite French country kitchen ideas.
Then tuck a few baskets underneath for storage and hang some copper pots above. Soon it’ll be the spot where everyone ends up hanging out (and snacking).
11. Paint Cabinets a Soft French Blue
Soft blue cabinets are a French country classic, and I’m swooning over this one! The pale blue looks so fresh next to the marble checkerboard floor and the wood work table.
When you’re picking a paint color, look for blues with a little gray in them. That way they feel calm and cozy instead of too bright.
12. Or Go Sage Green
If blue isn’t your thing, sage green is just as dreamy! It feels earthy and fresh, and it looks so happy with white counter stools and a fun piece of art like this.
Sage also plays really nicely with wood, brass, and copper. As a result, it’s an easy color to build a whole kitchen around.
13. Hang a Crystal Chandelier
Who says chandeliers are only for dining rooms?! A crystal chandelier in the kitchen is such a fun French touch, especially with rustic beams and red check cafe curtains.
It’s that mix of fancy and farmhouse that makes this style so charming. If your kitchen is small, a mini chandelier over the sink or table works beautifully too.
14. Roll Out a Vintage Rug
For example, a vintage rug makes a kitchen feel so cozy and lived in! I especially love the pop of red under the wood table in this green kitchen.
In fact, this might be the easiest idea on the whole list. Washable rugs are a lifesaver here, especially if you have kids or pets (no judgment on the spaghetti sauce).
15. Add Arches
Arches feel so old-world, and they pop up in so many French country kitchens. This arched ceiling wrapped in blue toile is pure magic to me!
Of course, most of us aren’t building a vaulted ceiling anytime soon. Still, an arched mirror on the wall or over a console brings in a little bit of that same charm.
16. Hang Some Art
Hanging art is one of my favorite French country kitchen ideas! A few framed paintings make the kitchen feel like part of the home and not just a place to cook.
First, look for vintage oil paintings at flea markets and estate sales. They don’t need to be fancy, they just need character! Meanwhile, framed vintage-style prints are an easy way to start.
17. Warm Up a Cream Kitchen With a Wood Island
If your kitchen is mostly cream or white, a wood island is an instant upgrade! It adds warmth and also makes the space feel a bit more traditional.
Don’t worry about every wood tone matching, either. After all, that mix is what makes it feel collected!
18. Bring In Buckets of Fresh Flowers
A French country kitchen always has something fresh from the garden! I love how this manor kitchen has whole buckets of flowers right on the floor. It’s so romantic.
Even without a garden, a jug of grocery store hydrangeas or a few herbs on the windowsill gives you the same feeling. Fresh flowers just make every kitchen happier!
19. Hang a Lantern Pendant
Of course, iron lanterns look so pretty hanging over a wood island, and this one feels both rustic and elegant at the same time.
If you have a long island, hang two or three in a row for a little drama! For more ideas on styling the counters underneath, check out my post on how to decorate kitchen countertops.
20. Set the Table With a Vintage Tablecloth
A set table in the middle of the kitchen is the most French country thing ever! Then add a blue block print or embroidered linen tablecloth and it instantly feels like Sunday lunch in the countryside.
It’s also one of the most budget-friendly French country kitchen ideas. Simply swap in a pretty vintage-style tablecloth and you’re there!
Start Small and Make It Yours
I hope these French country kitchen ideas gave you lots of inspo! Remember, this style is all about warmth and character, so you definitely don’t have to do it all at once.
Instead, pick one or two favorites to start. Maybe it’s a gingham tablecloth, a vintage rug, or a few copper pots. Then keep adding pieces you love over time, and your kitchen will feel more collected every year.
If you’re looking for more charming kitchen ideas, my vintage kitchen decor post has lots of fun retro finds too. Happy decorating!
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