This post shows you the best small French country kitchen ideas.
If there’s one design trend that never goes out of style in kitchen decor, it’s the timeless charm of French-style kitchens.
With rustic elegance and cozy vibes, French-inspired kitchens blend old-world charm with modern functionality, making them perfect for small apartments.
It’s like living in real-time in a romantic French movie (kind of), except with easy access to your daily essentials.
From charming decor accents to clever storage hacks, I’ve rounded up 25 ideas on how to make your kitchen feel like it’s in the French countryside.
Without further ado, with a croissant in hand, let’s dive into the world of small French style kitchens, proving that you don’t need a sprawling space to achieve that coveted chic look.
Small French Country Kitchen Ideas
1. Soft Blue With Blooms
This idea captures the quintessential French kitchen style.
The pale blue cabinets are soft and subtle, combined with cool-toned gold hardware, setting the room with a soothing ambiance.
A miniature painting of French impressionism is on the pale quartz countertop.
Place a blooming pot of flowers by the window for additional vibrancy.
2. Layer in Natural Elements
A lovely corner curated of natural elements is essential to any French country rustic kitchen.
Whitewood open shelving with silver-toned metal brackets creates a space for the everyday items in your kitchen.
Place a vase of fresh flowers on top of the quartz countertop. It feels just like a ray of sunshine.
If you’re into similar minimalist aesthetics for kitchen decor, check out my post here for 32 Minimalist Kitchen Counter Ideas.
3. Cool-toned Modern Country French Kitchen
This idea perfectly blends modern minimalism and a whimsical country vibe from the French provincial kitchen.
The pale blue cabinet and the light quartz countertop set the foundation neutral, just the perfect complement to natural wood and brushed golden brass for an elegant country kitchen.
A noticeable characteristic of this kitchen is the patterned tile backsplash, which is a lovely touch with hint notes of blue.
4. A Modern Kitchen With A Touch of Old World
Chunky brick walls with a rustic wood island and checkered flooring tiles are just the perfect old-world recipe to add to a modern kitchen.
The contrast between the warm burgundy tones and the creamy beige undertones makes this idea unique.
Place fresh bowls of produce in the corner of the countertop for some extra color of this cottage kitchen.
5. Moody Blue Kitchen With Maximize Functionality
Sometimes, it’s great to experiment with the coloring of the kitchen space, a quick escape into the world of gourmet home-cooked deliciousness.
I love this medium blue color theme as it is moody and tranquil. The dark countertop and wood flooring help balance out the look.
Install open shelves and hooks behind the door to maximize your small kitchen’s functionality.
6. Copper Pots And Pans
Cookware has to be made of copper to qualify the kitchen as French enough, as we’ve been told.
Hanging from a ceiling pot rack, having all the culinary floating around almost feels like magic.
The cabinets and chairs in light blue tones help create a balancing contrast from the metal pots and pans.
7. Open Shelf With An Exposed Wood Beam
French kitchen has a reputation for being eclectic and maximalist. Therefore, shelving space needs to be ready to add more storage.
This idea includes an organic wood beam long enough to hold culinary essentials.
The exposed nature of an open shelf adds the space with warmth and a touch of personality for something so practical.
8. Countertop With Cookbooks and Ceramics
It wouldn’t be a French country kitchen decor if you didn’t have a kitchen countertop corner space filled with cookbooks and herbs.
Throw an aesthetic tablecloth on the counter to place the ceramic bowls, mortar, and pestle.
The treatment of the raw wall adds an organic vibe to the space with a touch of rustic French country style. Pile up all your cutting and serving boards to lean against the wall neatly.
9. Integrate Vintage French Country Kitchen
Antiques and vintage pieces are other essential French rustic kitchen style elements.
Combining traditional items into a modernly designed kitchen is not easy, so reusing old doors is a brilliant idea to achieve just that.
The slightly worn wood adds warmth to the space with the compelling historical character.
10. A Skirt Under French Country Farmhouse Sinks
Over the years, I’ve grown to love the sink skirt for L-shaped kitchen decor: it hides the not-so-pleasant area with beautiful fabric, adds character, and is absurdly functional and convenient.
If you’re looking for additional inspiration for a small L-shaped kitchen organization, here are 15 unique ideas to maximize the space for you to check out.
It is cute and quirky, with an unexpected twist to the space, an excellent addition to the country French kitchen curtains.
I’ve also fallen in love with the adorable window frame in vibrant green, which is just a perfect combo with the lovely greenery next to it.
11. Farmhouse Sink to Combine Function with Style
A farmhouse sink is a single-basin deep sink that offers plenty of space for washing the vast number of cookware shared by all French country kitchen designs.
The neutral-colored cabinet with a hint of pink undertone sets the room with a shabby chic vibe.
The antique lamp by the window is a highlight to style this rustic kitchen.
12. Modern French Country Kitchen With Built-in Spice Shelf
I love the simplicity of this white French rustic kitchen. This could be a fantastic answer if you ever wonder how to decorate a white farmhouse kitchen.
The sleek countertop and white French kitchen cabinets convey a modern character, while the wood trim hood balances the ambiance with warmth and rusticity.
The built-in spice rack beneath the hood is another highlight with functionality and minimalist aesthetics.
13. Fresh Blooms and Fruits
Fill your dream French kitchen with loads of color this Spring.
The farmhouse kitchen is perfect for temporarily storing a bouquet while you cleanse the fresh lemons on a serving board waiting to be juiced.
The rustic lifestyle does not end there. Place your kitchen necessities in glass jars and put them away on the organic wood beam.
Add hanging rack and hooks for additional storage of smaller objects.
14. Layer It Up With Patterns
Layering is an art to create your version of the best French country kitchen.
Specifically, the art of layering within a space by cumulating different textures and patterns cohesively.
This idea sets the lead with blue-and-white plaid seat cushions, patterned wallpaper, and the geometric tile backsplash.
15. Play With Height On Your Kitchen Counter
Add variety to the minimalist kitchen countertop with simple touches.
A brilliant idea here is to add extra height with a tiny table underneath the pot of flowers.
The narrow countertop will instantly feel more spacious now that it looks more dynamic visually.
16. Wallpaper It Spring For Small French Country Kitchen
This idea gives me a vintage cottage vibe with European cottage interiors.
Store your frequently used appliances on the kitchen counter, creating a brilliant contrast from the lovely wallpaper.
Install wooden shelves with hanging racks for added functionality.
17. A Breakfast Corner Nook For a Farmhouse Kitchen
However small a kitchen is, there needs to be an eat-in option available, especially for a European farmhouse kitchen.
Leverage the corner space to create a corner banquette, such a cozy feeling to grab a bite before the start of a long day.
There’s under-seat storage available to create more room for organization in a limited space, which is essential for modern French kitchen design.
18. Area Rug For The Rustic Wood Floors
The dark hardwood flooring helps polish against the French country kitchens with white cabinets.
Add an area rug by the sink for additional durability.
The room will instantly feel warmer, too, with a rug by the French country kitchen cupboards adding definitions to the kitchen space.
Paint the kitchen entrance door with whale blue as it perfectly fits the farmhouse kitchen color.
19. A Rustic Cake Pedestal For The Whole Fam
I am not trying to add to the pile of stereotypes, but hey, isn’t it very on-brand to have a dedicated pastry stand for a French kitchen?
The wood cake pedestal comes with a rather dramatic glass dome. It’s the perfect place to display delicious cupcakes for the entire family.
Set up the dessert corner with beautiful coffee table books and tablecloths.
20. Sage Green French Country Kitchen Small With Wall-to-Wall Shelving
Green and wood have always been one of my favorite color combinations.
The kitchen cabinet in a pleasant sage green exudes a soothing vibe in all aspects.
Leverage vertical space with wall-to-wall floating shelves in a darker green shade, creating contrast with the organic hardwood flooring.
21. Golden Accents For A French Country Blue Kitchen
A pale blue kitchen cabinet goes perfectly with gold hardware and a dark wooden countertop. I love the delicate elegance mixed with a modern and bold sensation.
Store up your favorite dishware and China in the display screen cabinet for a modern French style kitchen
Finish the look with a ceramic vase and a beautiful selection of gypsophila bouquets.
22. DIY Peg Shelf For Optimized Storage
Optimizing vertical space is critical when designing a space with rustic cabinets for the kitchen.
You don’t have to overpay for organization furniture; I’d recommend gathering a wooden board and some pegs.
Then, drill holes in the board and insert the pegs. Mount it on the wall for a handy DIY peg rack shelf to store miscellaneous kitchen necessities.
Paint the shelf white to meet French rustic aesthetics with functionality.
23. Artistic Pieces In A Green Kitchen
Typically, the kitchen is not the first choice for having a huge mirror and displaying framed artwork in front of it.
This idea gives a whole new perspective to a possibility I’ve never seen.
The jade-colored countertop works wonders with the warm-toned wood from the picture frame, the natural raffia fans, and the serving board.
Place more significant art pieces on the floating shelf for artistic cohesiveness, hovering over the kitchen space.
24. A Mug Tree In A White Kitchen
Any mug lover will be jealous of the pristine white mug collection at the corner of this kitchen counter.
The rustic mug stand is prominent in visual weights and rotates for easy selection to pick out the mug of the day.
I also love that it connects the organization of the top of the fridge space with an elongating exposed beam shelf. If you’re interested in finding out more about decorating the above fridge area, check out my previous post here.
25. Hang Crystal Chandeliers For Small French Country Kitchen
A chandelier is a popular element for a classic French kitchen, just the perfect companion to a slightly worn-out French country kitchen table.
The rusticity of the French country-inspired kitchen, mixing with the refined, sophisticated characteristics of a chandelier, leads to the birth of an ambiance so harmonious and exhilarating.
The light fixtures are also perfect for the limited space in the kitchen, helping to create an illusion of a bigger space.
Final Thoughts On Small French Country Kitchen Ideas
Voilà! In the charming world of small French country kitchens, I hope it’s clear that even the tiniest of spaces can radiate timeless chic and the chic country kitchen you shall have.
Let your creativity flow, and don’t be afraid to add your personal touches along the way.
After all, the heart of any French country kitchen lies in its beauty and the joy it brings to those who gather within its walls.
This post showed you the best small French country kitchen ideas.
