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Elite French Finishes For Grand Entrances And Hallways

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#homeimprovement #hallwaydesgin #homedesign #renovations
Published
05/08/2024

When it comes to interiors, nobody does opulence better than the French. The cultural streak emerged during the ancien regime, a period in the country’s history where the nobility fought for absolute power and won. Since then, the French have come to dominate the scene, offering designs that simply don’t emerge elsewhere. 

These innovations are particularly present in grand entrances and hallways. While bedrooms and side rooms are about comfort, these communal spaces are meant to set the tone. Visitors should be struck by the glory of their surroundings. 

This post describes some specific French finishes you might want to include in your interiors. These help to elevate your spaces and embody them with chic, natural luxury that creates the ambience for your entire home. 

Wall Sconces

The French are famous for their sconces – little lights that protrude from the walls and provide a gentle atmosphere. Most of these are now electric, but they used to hold candles, allowing people to see their way down dark corridors at night. 

Choose sconces that flicker in the limelight if you want to go 100% French. These recreate the effect of burning fire, bringing naturalness to your surroundings.

Fresh Flowers

The French are also big fans of fresh flowers, particularly in hallways and grand entrances. These help to bring the outside in and emit an air of abundance.

Flowers should spill regally from their vases and seem outsized on their pedestals. Owners should also use rare varieties that spark interest and curiosity from visitors. 

Crystal Chandeliers

Of course, an interior hallway or entrance room wouldn’t be French without a grand crystal chandelier. Members of the ancien regime used to put these in their chateaux to dazzle their guests and communicate their status. 

The best chandeliers offer multiple sockets for bulbs. These penetrate the crystal from more angles, helping to create light that reflects and refracts throughout the room, elevating the space further. 

European Doors

Rooms should also feature European doors. These stunning additions add solidity and concreteness to interior spaces, allowing pass-through areas, like hallways, to bloom into life. 

Doors take various forms, shapes and sizes. However, in France, they tend to be solid wood and have ornate textures and patterns. Some use iron stud reinforcements to make them more robust and repel intruders. 

Silk Wallpaper

Silk wallpaper is another addition you might want to make to a grand entrance. The French used the material imported from the Far East for centuries to adorn their interiors. 

Many were imprinted with a faint damask pattern. This feature brings the silk alive and prevents it from seeming monolithic.

Silk wallpaper can also take on an iridescent property that adds visual interest. Colours appear to change depending on the angle of the lighting and time of day. 

Parquet Flooring

Finally, the grandest of French entrance halls leverage parquet. Craftsmen arrange pieces of hardwood in patterns, adding beauty and helping to bring out the grain in the wood. 

Various forms of parquet are available, with some having large centre square blocks with oblongs arranged around them.

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