A French country dining room is warm, inviting and intimate. This is where you close the door on a micro-waved meal; where glasses are raised in a toast to good fortune or in celebration of a happy event; where friends and family take their time over a good meal to share their stories. Since French country tends to mix old with new; painted furniture with washes and wood furniture with low-sheen finishes; and wood furnishings with ones fashioned from metal, stone, terra-cotta or cane, this style is perfect for anyone on a budget. The timeless feel of French country style is created by layering all of the main elements in the room – the color scheme, the furnishings and window and floor treatments – in such way that is elegant and sophisticated but contains a rustic touch that keeps it “honest.”

Typical colors used in decorating a French country dining room have their roots in nature. Wall shades are sunflower yellows, soft autumn leaf golds, rust reds and oranges, forest greens and lighter shades of leaf and sky. In French country interior design, terra-cotta, marble, slate and ceramic tiles are popular materials for tabletops and decorative accents for case goods such as buffets and china cabinets so it makes perfect sense that the color scheme reflects these natural elements used in the making of dining room furniture.

To give the space an authentic French country look, use faux painting techniques or choose a textured paint product to make the walls look like stucco or weathered plaster.

Another way to create a casual, French country look for your dining room is to use half paint (top half) and half bead board (bottom half). If bead board doesn’t appeal to you, use wallpaper instead, separated from the painted section with a chair rail (a type of molding). You could also opt for painting three walls and using wallpaper on the fourth wall. Choose wallpaper with smaller patterns, especially floral ones.

Think curves; even straight lines have rounded corners or are softened in some way. Wood is a good place to start. However, as mentioned above, other materials like stone, wrought iron, ceramics and cane or wicker are integrated into the designs of furniture pieces, revealing their rustic nature while imbuing them with an inherent sophistication. The trick to creating a room that will have an ageless, old world charm and appeal is to mix oversized furnishings like an armoire or a china cabinet with a whimsical cast iron tea cart.

The Hillsdale Wilshire 5 Piece Dining Table Set in Rubbed Black displays classic woodworking elements like a pedestal table with scrolled feet and barley twist posts. The dining chairs have a wheat sheaf splat that gives the dining table set a studied elegance, but the motif is pure country living.

For something that is still essentially elegant, but with a carefree casualness and air of a French country antique, choose the Stanley Furniture Portofino Ivory 7 Piece Dining Table Set. The dining table is typical of this style, with its antiqued metal base, scrolled metalwork legs and wood tabletop with a distressed finish. Ladder-back chairs are a popular choice when decorating a French country dining area.

The Stanley Furniture Portofino Ivory Buffet paired with the Stanley Furniture Portofino Ivory Tasting Server perfectly qualifies as an oversized piece. The server has a bead board panel, fluted finials and metalwork accents.

While the Ultimate Accents Italian Wine Center doesn’t have curves it displays plenty of other French country attributes such hand painted decoration and harvest-related themes like grapes.

Because of its beautiful hand painted designs, antiqued metal door and drawer pulls, floral motif, fluid lines and framed door fronts, the Pulaski Accents Credenza in Sedona has the appearance of a much-prized heirloom.

Think that just because you live in an apartment or condominium that you can’t have a French country dining room? Try substituting a standard dining table for a gathering table (also known as a counter-height dining table. Because it stands approximately six inches higher than regular height dining tables, it allows you to utilize space vertically rather than horizontally. With its clotted cream color, lattice back chairs, and vine motif, the Standard Valencia Garden Counter Height Table Set has an enchanting French country flair.

When there is not enough room for an oversized buffet with hutch, choose a smaller furniture piece such as a sideboard or serving table. The Hillsdale Wilshire Sideboard Table has a paint washed appearance that is typical of French country dining room furniture.

A French country dining room is ideal for someone with more eclectic tastes. French country décor can be as laid-back, inviting and comfortable as you want. It’s also true for the flipside; French country can be beautifully formal when it needs to be. By following the three basic French country decorating principles – mix and match second-hand store finds with antiques (or reproductions for those of us on a budget); use colors taken from the French countryside; and include classic motifs like the rooster, orchard fruits, wildflowers, etc. – you’ll have dining room that you’ll be proud to share with family and friends.