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French Decor: 10 Ways to Stay on Budget by Mixing Real and Faux

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In this post: If you love decorating with French decor but don’t love the expense of high end antiques, here are 10 ways to stay on budget by mixing real and faux.⇒

French decor real and faux - designthusiasm.com

You can’t beat the authenticity that antiques bring to a home.

But you can come close.

Without a doubt the single most effective way to bring French Country style to your home is by decorating with real French furniture from days gone by. But that can cost you a pretty penny.

Instead, the approach I like to take to stay on budget is to balance my more expensive purchases with less costly reproductions. I splurge on a few key pieces in each room to lend a genuine feel, but temper the outlay with good quality newer pieces.

Only you can decide how to proportion your purchases, as we each work within our own budgets. But even if you just punctuate a DIY painted table with an antique silver bowl, you will have added a sense of pedigree to your decor.

Dining Room Accessories | 3 Updates That Make a Huge Difference - designthusiasm.com

Since this is exactly how I decorate my own home, I’ve compiled 10 ways to use French decor and stay on budget by mixing real and faux. In fact, I’ve broken it into 10 categories where I’ll show you how I use both options in my home.

(In order to keep the post from getting too long, I’ve broken it into two parts, and this first post, Part 1, will be looking at 5 of those categories. You can click over to Part 2 at the bottom of this post.)

1. Chandeliers – I’m crazy about crystal and brass chandeliers. They add the ultimate dose of tasteful bling to a room and if I had my choice, I’d have one in every room. I love the look of antique lighting, but while this is one category where you can get a good deal on an antique, by the time you rewire it and get it to work in your updated home, you could be adding a lot to the cost. Still, I love to carefully look for deals. In our dining room, above, I bought a vintage piece that was already rewired. The dining room is an important space where most of my pieces were on the newer side, so I felt this was a good place to spring for vintage.

French decor real and faux - designthusiasm.com

In our kitchen, however, above the island, I used 3 new mini chandeliers. Because I needed three in this spot, price was important. It also was unlikely I would find three of the same vintage pieces, so this was a good spot to choose to buy new. 

French decor real and faux - designthusiasm.com

In the breakfast room, I felt vintage was important, because again, the furniture here was all bought new. I wanted an aged piece to add gravitas to the room. The reproduction table and chairs are where I saved money in this case.

Dining Room Accessories | 3 Updates That Make a Huge Difference - designthusiasm.com

2. French style chairs – This is one of the easiest areas to save money by buying reproduction pieces. From the tufted side chair, seen below to the cane back chairs in the image below that, you can get a great French look without breaking the bank.

By contrast, the gilded end chairs above bring that vintage flourish to a space dominated by a new table and side chairs.

Transforming the Breakfast Room with The Perfect Dining Table | Designthusiasm.com

The mix of the chairs in this breakfast space is always a fan favorite, and a favorite of mine, too. They’re all new, but if you choose to do the same with vintage chairs, mixed but similar styles is a great way to go. It’s far easier to find one or two chairs in a vintage shop at a good price, than to find a full set.

Transforming the Breakfast Room with The Perfect Dining Table | Designthusiasm.com

3. Gilded clocks – A wonderful way to bring the flavor of French decor into your house is with gilded clocks. You have to be careful here, when using reproductions, to find items that don’t look cheap and cheesy.

French decor real and faux - designthusiasm.com

The clock on my mantel is a new piece, but the gold is subtle enough to avoid that mass produced look. I actually painted it a bit with a dry brush technique, to bring out the highs and lows and give it a more antiqued look.

This is a prime example of how I mix old and new, as the mirror is vintage while the clock and urns are new.

French decor real and faux - designthusiasm.com

My newest acquisition is the wonderful clock above. This one is a true French antique, but I was lucky enough to find one that actually works. It sits upon a vintage wood chest, but much else in the room is on the newer side. 

(I’ll show more of this space in Part 2 of this post.)

Another old piece is the smaller clock below and I’ll admit collecting clocks is becoming a new obsession of mine. This one doesn’t work, so it wasn’t very expensive, but I just love the lines and what it lends to the space. It’s just a tiny grace note that adds a touch of old world style to a guest room that doesn’t have very many vintage pieces in it.

French decor real and faux - designthusiasm.com

4. Garden statues – This wonderful chippy cherub was found in a garden center that carries vintage items as well as new. It’s chipping is the real thing and it’s quite heavy, but I wish I could find more old pieces like this. Cherubs and angels read French Country to me, but vintage garden pieces are hard to find.

French decor real and faux - designthusiasm.com

The piece below is a lightweight resin piece and the distressing is not as genuine as the piece above, but it was much less costly and the addition of the crown gives it that authentic look. The chest it sits upon is also a reproduction, while the mirror behind it was found at an antique market. 

French decor real and faux - designthusiasm.com

5. Sconces – As much as I love mirrors, that’s how much I also favor sconces, with many of my mirrors flanked by a pair. The ones below are brand new but I love the aged vibe they bring to the space.

French decor real and faux - designthusiasm.com

By contrast, the sconces in my entryway below, were brought back from Sorrento, which is my favorite way to find antique pieces (although hubby was not so thrilled to be carrying them all throughout Italy!) These were wired to work with bulbs, but had European wiring that did not match our own, so I chose to slip in candles and leave it at that.

(They sit next to a reproduction mirror, that is featured in Part 2 of this post.)

These 5 categories I’ve highlighted offer some of the best options for adding French style, through antiques, to your home. But as you can see, each of these categories also offers wonderful new options to mix in with your older pieces.

Click HERE to see Part 2 of this post, including 5 more decor categories that work well in both vintage and new. When mixed properly in your various rooms, they can help you stay on budget while decorating your home with that French decor look.

French decor real and faux - designthusiasm.com

French Decor Source List – To get the look, click on the items below for direct links to the products. Where actual items were no longer available, I’ve provided similar options.

(This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.)

french decor mixing real and faux
IF YOU LIKED THIS POST, YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN:

  • The Ultimate Guide to French Country Decor Essentials
  • Transforming a Modern Townhouse into a French Country Home
  • 5 Affordable Room Makeovers: How to Modernize French Country Decor
  • The 6 Defining French-Inspired Style Elements I Use In Every Room

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12 Comments Filed Under: Evergreen Decor, Homestyle   Tagged With: French Decor

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Comments

  1. Wanda says

    Tuesday, April 24, 2018 at 11:45 am

    Enjoyed your post today. Also share your love of chandeliers. Love the one in your dining room, especially the black socket covers. Are those original? Can you offer suggestions on where I can obtain replacement socket covers?

    Reply
    • Lory at Designthusiasm says

      Tuesday, April 24, 2018 at 2:17 pm

      Thank you so much, Wanda! Yes, I believe they are original, or at least they were there when I bought it. I did a quick search and you can try maybe these: https://www.antiquelampsupply.com/candelabra-size-flat-black-polyresin-candle-cover.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwq_vWBRACEiwAEReprHBYZ14RmH0qC8ChTqwkfIrpvihUqyrP8fL3ish1Fwuu07Be2EeCBRoCRyYQAvD_BwE

      Reply
  2. Sheila says

    Friday, April 27, 2018 at 10:20 am

    I love this post Lory! As you know, I’m a big fan of mixing the antique and the new, and you’ve done a great job of sharing how to achieve that! Both your dining rooms are so pretty, and such a great mix, too!

    Happy weekend!

    Sheila
    xo

    Reply
  3. Courtney says

    Friday, April 27, 2018 at 10:32 am

    Love love your tips Lory!

    Reply
  4. Deb G says

    Saturday, April 28, 2018 at 12:46 am

    Love the garden angel statue. I have one just like yours that I happened upon a few years ago but I don’t think it is really old. A great reproduction though. I love using statuary inside.

    Reply
  5. Patti says

    Saturday, April 28, 2018 at 5:15 pm

    Hi. Love your style and love the reproduction mantle clock. Can you share where you got this?

    Reply
    • Lory at Designthusiasm says

      Sunday, April 29, 2018 at 11:46 am

      Thank you so much! I bought it online a while ago but there’s a very similar one linked in the shopping section of the post above… 🙂

      Reply
  6. Cathy says

    Wednesday, May 8, 2019 at 10:23 am

    Great info!

    Reply
    • Lory at Designthusiasm says

      Thursday, May 9, 2019 at 1:20 am

      Thank you!!

      Reply
  7. Maree Lallensack says

    Wednesday, May 8, 2019 at 6:32 pm

    Truly enjoy your suggestions, just love the chandeliers, I have my grandmothers hanging in my bathroom.
    I have forwarded your site to my sister and niece in Australia.
    Just love reading about your giveaways.
    That floral candlestick is just divine again reminds me of my grandmother.
    Thank you fir sharing so much.
    Maree

    Reply
    • Lory at Designthusiasm says

      Thursday, May 9, 2019 at 1:20 am

      Thanks for the kind words! I’m so glad you shared my website too!!

      Reply
  8. Maree Lallensack says

    Wednesday, May 8, 2019 at 6:34 pm

    Lori sorry I posted incorrect email
    Maree Lallensack
    [email protected]
    Many thanks
    Maree

    Reply

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I enjoy seasonal, even thematic decor, but I'm not I enjoy seasonal, even thematic decor, but I'm not a fan of kitsch. ⁣
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So when I set a table for an occasion, I like to infuse it with a certain amount of elegance, no matter how relaxed the holiday tradition is.⁣
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If you enjoy celebrating St. Patrick's Day, you might appreciate this pretty spring tablescape with emerald greens that would work perfectly for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration!⁣
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Check it out at the LINK IN BIO.
There's just something about vintage style that I' There's just something about vintage style that I'm so drawn to and when someone has that certain knack for putting things together, magic happens.⁣
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Such is the case with my friend Deb @bvintagestyle who lives in an enchanting historic home that in her creative hands is utterly gorgeous!!⁣
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Deborah's a talented DIYer with wonderful taste and you simply must check out her page for yourself!  I know you will love it!
Have you ever heard the story of my gold chenille Have you ever heard the story of my gold chenille couch that I hated from the moment they delivered it? What about the one about the turquoise southwestern wall unit?⁣
⁣
Oh yeah, I've made some pretty big decorating mistakes over the years! ⁣
⁣
Today on the blog I'm talking all about the biggest and most common mistakes people make, how to avoid them and what to do if you find you've made one yourself!⁣
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Details at my LINK IN BIO!
There's no need to sacrifice style in the family r There's no need to sacrifice style in the family room in exchange for practicality.  You can have both!⁣
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I've always found it so strange when people decorate the living room to be beautiful and never use it and then treat the family room like a junk room and spend all their time there.⁣
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The room in the house that's most used deserves to be treated as such and given the most attention. ⁣
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Check my LINK IN BIO for ideas to keep your family room beautiful and practical, too!
One of my favorite ways to cover our windows is wi One of my favorite ways to cover our windows is with plantation shutters. ⁣
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I love the way they let in the light but allow for privacy, too, are convenient to use and add a note of polish to any room.⁣
⁣
Affordable plantation shutters are great for lightening up your home and can be used seamlessly on both door and windows.⁣
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Check my LINK IIN BIO for details on ours!
Here's the most fascinating thing about my friend Here's the most fascinating thing about my friend KariAnne @thistlewood.  She's full of energy and personality and tons of smarts!  She wears red lipstick and is one of the most encouraging people I know.  If you're feeling sluggish, go get a does of inspiration from KariAnne because she's always more awake than anyone else.⁣
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And yet, when it comes to her home, it's as peaceful and calming as you can possibly image. Yes, it oozes signs of her talent and creativity, but it's ever so serene in the best possible way! I just love this dichotomy because I find both sides of KariAnne to work perfectly together.  Be sure to check out her page to see what I mean.  You won't be disappointed... 🙌😀
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5 Secrets to Updating Your Style Without Spending a Fortune!
If your lifestyle has changed but your home style hasn't followed, maybe now is the time?
SUBSCRIBE and receive my FREE guide "How to Update Your Style"