French Country Flooring Ideas for Your Dream Home

Do you ever find yourself at home, looking out the window, daydreaming of being whisked off to the idyllic French countryside? For those looking to bring a certain “je ne sais quoi” to their home, the French country aesthetic combines the perfect amount of freshness with a healthy sprinkling of timeless vintage.

French country interiors elevate a home with warmth, natural materials and timeless sophistication. The foundation of every room's interior is a stylish, solid and durable floor, and French country interiors are no different.

Uncover everything you need to know about French country flooring, including finding the perfect style for each room and how to use different materials for an authentically French finish.

What Is French Country Style?

Inspired by the lived-in luxury of traditional French countryside homes, French country interior design is a style that adopts the timeless combination of rustic and refined decoration. The balance between seamless design and vintage, characterful finishes helps homes feel simultaneously polished and lived-in.

Elements of a French country interior include:

• Neutral color schemes
• Earthy accent tones
• Patterned tiles
• Deep, farmhouse-style sinks
• Upcycled furniture
• Vintage features
• Exposed wooden beams
• Ornate mirrors
• Vintage silverware
• Natural materials
• Floral features
• Hand-painted wall decor
• Crystal ornaments
• Weathered finishes
• Rustic patterns

What Is the Difference Between French Country and Farmhouse Style?

It's easy to confuse the farmhouse and French country home styles. Both interior design approaches use neutral color schemes, natural materials and vintage details to bring a touch of sophistication into the home. However, each style has a distinct set of characteristics that sets it apart from the other.

Casual vs. Elegant

While both styles balance elegance with a sense of relaxation, farmhouse interiors tend to be far more casual in appearance than French country homes. Farmhouse interiors often verge on the side of shabby chic, whereas French country style eliminates the shabby and opts solely for the chic.

Patterns

Patterns are used across both design styles, but each one is renowned for a slightly different approach. In farmhouse homes, you'll find simple, bold patterns, such as gingham, plaid and buffalo check. The patterns commonly incorporated in French country rooms are more intricate, often featuring toile, landscapes, flowers and animals.

Airy vs. Cozy

One of the classic features of the French country style is the light, airy spaces it creates. Think of Parisian high ceilings, natural light and minimal clutter. The farmhouse style leans slightly toward coziness over crispness. For example, it often features more accessories on display, thanks to features like open cabinetry and doorless shelving.

Color Palettes

The colors you choose can make or break the overall look of a French country or farmhouse-style home. While both styles rely on neutral foundations, they diverge in their accent choices.

Farmhouse palettes often feature bright whites, gentle creams and soft grays, sometimes punctuated by bolder blacks or navy blues for a crisp contrast.

French country interiors, however, embrace a warmer spectrum. Think of sun-faded yellows, gentle blues reminiscent of the sky, calming lavenders, soft sage greens and the occasional touch of rustic red. These hues evoke the feeling of a sun-drenched countryside, adding to the style's signature warmth and lived-in elegance.

Best Options for French Country Flooring

When designing or decorating a room, one of the most important elements is the room's floor. Spreading throughout the entire space and acting as a canvas for the rest of your style choices, the floor is what brings — and holds — a room together.

To achieve the quintessential look of French country flooring, there are a few different materials you can choose from.

French Country Wood Floors

There's nothing more timeless than hardwood flooring. The natural material grounds a French country-style home, emanates warmth and achieves the elegant look of a classic home in the French countryside. 

In particular, neutral woods without too much color or saturation lend themselves as the perfect backdrop for the rest of your room's design. Whether you choose real hardwood flooring or laminate with authentic hardwood patterns, the wooden look adds an unmatched elegance to any room.

French Country Tile Flooring

Tiled flooring is as pretty as it is practical. With countless elegant options, ranging from intricately patterned tiles to simple stone slabs, you can achieve the exact look you're after with tiled floors.

Some favorite French-inspired tile styles include:

• Black and white checkerboard
• Light-colored marble
• Herringbone marble
• Natural stone
• Light porcelain 

French Country Kitchen Flooring Ideas

If you want to design a kitchen that transports those who step in it to provincial France, start by finding the perfect flooring. To achieve an idyllic look, use French country wood flooring in your kitchen.

• Traditional aesthetic: Light wood floors provide the perfect aesthetic and are reminiscent of traditional French houses.
• Practicality: Hardwood floors are durable enough to handle the heavy foot traffic of your house's busiest room and are easy to clean.
• Softness and warmth: Wooden floors are softer and warmer than stone or tiles, making hardwood floors feel more homey and comfortable to walk on. 

French Country Flooring for Other Rooms

To keep the rustic French country look going throughout your home, consider using hardwood in other rooms:

• Living room: The natural material, warmth and earthy look add a level of sophisticated coziness to your relaxing spaces.
• Bedrooms: Hardwood floors in the bedroom are quintessentially French and perfectly complemented by neutral rugs.
• Hallways: You can use the same wood throughout the walkways in your home to add a sense of continuity and tranquility.

Since areas like bathrooms and laundry rooms are prone to humidity and high moisture levels, wood flooring typically isn't the best option. The moisture-proof nature of tiles makes them perfect for preventing water damage and keeping these rooms easy to clean and visually appealing.

Create Your Dream French Country Home with Carpet & Tile Mart

With over 50 years of experience in providing customers with high-quality flooring options, our family-owned business is built on excellent customer experiences, durable solutions, and reliable services across several locations.

By buying all our flooring materials direct from manufacturers and mills, we deliver superior product quality at unbeatable prices. If you need support in creating your dream French-country-inspired home, we can guide you from purchase to install for a truly seamless experience.

To find out more about our range of flooring options and convenient flooring installation process, contact us at Carpet & Tile Mart today.