The French chateau has one of the most exquisite architectural styles in the world and this is why it’s so worth owning one. If you want to find a French chateau for sale, you can do online research. The first thing you might think about when designing or decorating a french chateau is all of the hard work that goes into building it. But if you want to make your dream design come true, then there are some smaller things that are worth considering as well.
There are many details that you need to know about the style and how it can be applied in your home. In the first part of this post, we will concentrate on the design of the building and its exterior, while in the second part we’ll go into more details about the interior and decoration of the place, so you can build your own dreamy French chateau!
What is the traditional French chateau style?
The French Château Style developed from 17th century France. It was based on the Italian Baroque and Louis XIV’s Palace of Versailles, which reflected a new age where monarchs were powerful. In this case, less was more – not overt or luxurious but restrained elegance.
The traditional French chateau has a formal and symmetrical design, with a style that is characterized by the use of stone, slate roofs and turrets. It usually also has lots of windows with pointed arches. A lot of history and culture has been built into the architecture, including intricate carvings, gold leaf details, gilded ceilings, and grand staircases that add up to the majestic looks of those types of buildings.
Different architectural styles to choose from for your chateau remodel
You have a few options in terms of architectural styles when designing your chateau. You can choose to go with gothic, renaissance or baroque style – the choice is ultimately up to you! We’ll give you a bit more information about each style, so you can make the best decision for your new chateau.
Gothic – Choosing a more basic and simplistic style for your chateau is the best way to go. These buildings are fairly simple in design, but still have some intricate details such as arched windows and doors that create an overall filigree appearance.
Renaissance – If you want a more ornate style for your chateau, then renaissance architecture is what you should choose. It makes use of columns and arches in its design to give it an overall grand appearance, while still maintaining some simplicity with small details such as natural stone carvings on windowsills.
Baroque – The Baroque architectural style usually has very simple foundations but extravagant features that are crafted from gold or other precious materials. This type often has large domes over entrances, backsplash panels made out of marble, intricately designed decorations around doorways, and stained-glass windows throughout the structure to create a warm ambiance inside the building.
All of those architectural styles are amazing and timeless, so whichever one you choose, you just can’t go wrong!
One more thing you’ll need to do is think about how to make your home’s exterior inviting
A French chateau is a grand estate with an unapproachable exterior, so in order for your home to look lovely, you can’t just ignore its gardens, woods, and meadows. You can do plenty to spruce up your front door, add more lighting for visitors and create an aesthetically pleasing walkway. For example, if there are trees near your chateau’s entrance, it’d be wise to have them trimmed, so they don’t block light from coming into the home. Also, ensure there is adequate lighting along the pathway leading up to your house. Front porches can look pretty bare without anything but some chairs sitting out in front of them at night time, so adding potted plants with flowers or decorative stones lining either side of this entryway can give it a more inviting feel.
Gardens are so important to the overall look of the property. Not only do they create green space for enjoyment, but well-maintained gardens can make an enormous difference in how others perceive your home’s value. Make sure that shears are maintained and pruned, hedges trimmed, if necessary, lawns mowed. Consider hiring a gardener to do this work for you.
Keep the windows clean, inside and out
Chateaus usually have big, beautiful windows, which add up to their magnificent look. It’s easy to let them get dirty if you don’t keep up with it. You can hire someone to completely refinish or replace a window that needs attention, but sometimes all it takes is an afternoon of cleaning for dulled panes to come back into view again. Use glass cleaner on both sides of each pane by giving your windows a long reach when wiping off dirt and grime. Because trust us, those big windows play a huge role in the beautiful looks of the chateau, so in order for the place to look amazing from top to bottom, you surely have to take care of the windows as well.
If you’re feeling brave enough to go full-on French Chateau style, then don’t forget about crown molding
Crown moldings are not only attractive but also functional – helping to frame the area above the walls and doorways. It’s one way to really show off your love for this type of architecture!
It’s important when adding crown molding that you measure correctly so it fits perfectly around window sills or other obstacles in the room. If done improperly, gaps will appear between each piece of wood which is something no one wants.
Crown molding can add a lot of character to your French Chateau. If you’re going for the traditional look, there are several different types and styles you can choose from. It’s important to stay true to the original style while also bringing in some modern tweaks here and there. For example, if your room is painted a dark color like navy or maroon, opt for light crown moldings, like elegant white, so it pops against the backdrop – this will make it stand out rather than blend in.
