Timeless and Elegant Ambience: Stunning Paris Apartment Inspired Decor Ideas

Paris is synonymous with all things elegant and sophisticated, faded glamour and European charm! Even if you don’t happen to live in an elegant Parisian apartment, you can still decorate your home with the same charm and whimsy. A few well chosen decor pieces can go a long way to creating the right ambience. Luckily, with this decor inspiration, less is really more - you could call this a type of vintage inspired minimalism!

Instead of rushing to buy a ton of new items, spend your time carefully and selectively choosing things with patina, history and quality. Scour your local thrift stories and online marketplaces, and make or up-cycle whatever you can.

Read on for our top 6 ideas to create the perfect Paris-inspired home.

Gauzy Curtains

A Paris apartment is characterised by airy-ness and light - no heavy, dark furnishings or upholstery. An easy to bring texture and movement to your rooms is to eschew traditional lined curtains or blinds in favour of transparent, gauzy curtains that will let the light pour in and bring a delicate and feminine touch to your room.

You could up-cycle old fabric or curtains by adding ruffles or pleats. Ribbons and bows are very popular this year, so why not make your own silk bow tie backs?

Gold Accents

If you haven’t noticed already, Paris decor is all about light - either letting glorious day-time light filter in through sheer, gauzy curtains, or creating the perfect night-time ambient light through well-placed candles and lamps and using different reflective materials to make the room glitter come evening-time.

Gold accents are a beautiful way to bring sparkle and warmth in a room, especially if your color palette is otherwise quite white or neutral. While it shines most brightly this time of year with holiday decor, it is timeless and will look elegant and rich all year round.

If a gilded mirror is a little out of your budget, why not recycle mirrors or frames you already have with gold paint? You can also buy inexpensive imitation gold leaf with has terrific vibrancy and reflectiveness of real gilding.

White Walls

Simplicity is key when decorating with a Parisian theme. Try not to go overboard with the choices, otherwise it might start to look more like the Ratatouille ride at Disney than your home. One way to reign in your stylistic choices is to commit to white walls. While white walls have been replaced in the last year with maximalist color and patterns, the humble white wall will serve as the perfect, neutral canvas for your art and your furniture. And, as already mentioned, you will not regret the light it will bring to your rooms.

If you still find your white walls are more draining than inspiring, add warmth and softness in other ways - a colorful rug, large comfortable sofa cushions and other cozy elements that will soften the harshness of white walls.

Unique Art

Paris Carousel in Black & White Photographic Print, Shop Here

With your white walls serving as the blank space, fill it with whatever art makes you happy and inspires you. Special points for seeking out vintage paintings and original prints by your favourite artists. Whether you have plans for a gallery wall or prefer to let one or two big pieces stand out, art will bring your home to life and fill your space with personality.

If you really want to let your artwork do the talking, make it the centre piece and choose the rest of your room decor around it. Use it to influence your colour palette. Study the shapes within your art, and seek out several other furniture or decor pieces to mimic that shape or design.

Mood Lighting

If you don’t get it by now, this decor trend is all about light, light, light! And night-time is now different. With dreary rainy days and long nights, we need light sources that bring a comforting, warm glow to your rooms. It will bring magic that can change the whole mood of a space.

The key is many different small light sources - small lamps scattered around, candles and fairy lights. This will distribute the light evenly so there are no cold, uninviting pockets. Think about the places you are going to spend time when you’re in the room. If its the sofa in your living room, make sure you have a decent light source so you can read and do other things without struggling to much to see.

There are ways to make the light work for you in the day time, too! Mirrors reflect the light and make rooms look bigger and brighter. Place mirror balls, crystal chandeliers or crystal prisms in strategic places where they will catch the light at certain points in the days to create a beautiful glittering effect.

Feminine Touches

Pink Peony Photographic Print. Shop Here

Paris is known as the city of love, and that goes hand in hand with all things feminine. Think Ladurée macarons, strolls down the Jardin de Tuileries, sipping champagne on a wrought iron balcony…bring this French fantasy to life in your home with a few simple touches, you don’t have to go overboard. A vase of fresh flowers or light your favourite candle, Pink is still very much the interior colour of choice, especially pale rose pink or blush pink. If you love everything vintage, bring in some more feminine style with chintzy floral fabrics or luxurious sofa throws in cozy fabrics.

If you love clothes, they can be decor too. If you own a beautiful vintage dress or silk kimono, don’t let it languish in your closet. You can hang on the back of your bedroom door as a piece of wearable art, or source an antique dress maker’s dummy.

What are your favourite things about Paris? Comment Below!