How To Turn Your Home Office French

Home offices and studies can be neglected when it comes to style, leaving them drab and uninviting, and preventing you from using them to their full potential. The answer is to treat a home office or study exactly the same as you'd treat a living room, and to give it as much attention to design. This handy guide is intended to help you to use the classic elegance of French-influenced design and craftsmanship to create a welcoming and inspiring home office.

The best way to get the look of a chic Parisian apartment in your study or office is to start with a classic French colour for the walls and woodwork, and then pick a few carefully chosen pieces of furniture that will meet all your more practical needs while still allowing you to focus on a luxurious feeling of space and elegance.

This room has all the simplicity and
classic elegance of French design

The classic French look calls for a chalky white paint for both the walls and woodwork, although if this feels a little cold to you, you could try going for a celadon blue for the walls, matched to a deeper blue for window frames and skirting boards.

When it comes to picking furniture, think classic wooden pieces with elegant curves and expansive surfaces. White painted wooden furniture is especially effective, and can be complemented by dark-stained lacquered wood pieces. Try pairing a painted desk with a dark lacquered chair for a refreshing, eclectic look.

This miniature home office favours
Parisian simplicity over any hints of opulence

Accessorising a French-style office is a breeze - invest in some simple narrow black picture frames and frame either French film posters or black and white photographs. Choose a black and white patterned fabric for cushions, and, if you can afford to, replace your curtains with wooden shutters, and you'll really feel like an intellectual on the left bank of the Seine.

Ideal Home Magazine have a brilliant feature on French-style home offices, while styleroom.co.uk have a report on a simple, affordable approach to turning your whole house French, so if you love the idea, but are a bit short on inspiration, why not head over and check out their stunning images?