genevieve.malarkey I will be starting a subcategory on this blog called “My French Inspired Home,” because I have a lot I can share about how I try to bring the French aesthetic into my space. I am hyper-passionante about design, and due to some very unforeseen circumstances in life the last couple of years, I have had the chance to completely remodel my home and a lot of my décor.
So, first thing’s first: a little backstory on that.
In 2018 my town was hit by Category 5 hurricane Michael (thankfully, we had evacuated to safety with our very small children and did not have to endure the storm). The 150+ miles per hour winds stripped the shingles off of our roof, down to the plywood, causing catastrophic rainfall to enter the house, soak the drywall ceilings, and in many places, collapse into the home. Then there was no power for several weeks, and it being Florida, mold quickly set into the damp, unairconditioned house. Long story short, we had to gut the home and rebuild. The only things that were kept in the home were one toilet, one shower, and one soaking bathtub. Literally every other surface was to be replaced.
The effect this had on my family and me personally is a topic for another time, being that I don’t plan to go into the trauma that following year caused us. The bright side is that we are back in our home, our insurance company was kind to us (when many, many were not), and though I still detest living in Florida, our home is quite beautiful now. I like to think of it as my Maison Parisienne, because I was able to emulate many of the attributes of French/Parisian aesthetic that I love: light, bright neutrals with elegant moldings, warm wood floors with beautiful texture, accents of hard medals to accompany the soft and plush interior, and soft accents of rose, turquoise, and grays.
So, enter the French elements I chose to include in the design of our home. Warm, honey colored floors against the lightest gray walls lined with stark white moldings. A white filigreed wrought iron chandelier set against simple straight lines. Detailed, accented Persian-style rugs with colorful infusions of rose, gray, and blue to offset the large white sectional and nine foot white painted ceilings and neutral walls. Just talking about it gives me a sense of calm.
My style has developed an incredible amount in the last decade. When I was first married, I simply mimicked my mother’s style, which, while lovely, is not reflective of myself. While she loves deep, tonal jewel colors of sapphire, emerald, and topaz, I am in love with light, airy, and bright interiors that make me feel immediately at peace in my surroundings. And after the year it took to get us back into our home, I was obsessed with evoking that sentiment into the new house; we had been through much and needed a respite.
In subsequent posts I will share these elements in more detail- like how I used subway tile to add charm to my kitchens and bathrooms, and how I found my perfect grey wall color. I have learned in the past decade, this being our second home that we purchased and designed from the studs (albeit unintentionally the second time), that I have a sensitive eye for interiors, and can be very emotional about my surroundings. Based off this I have created a home that truly reflects my personality and style, and I can’t wait to share the details with you!
How do you incorporate French aesthetic in your home? Please leave a comment below!
À la prochaine-
geneviève
