The Look I’m Loving Lately: Textural, Neutral, & Sort of French

Good morning, my sweets! Do you find yourself craving different sorts of looks depending on the season? I know I do. Lately, I’ve had my eye on rooms with lots of interesting texture, but little color. It feels fresh, cool, and reminds me of chic homes in the French countryside.

Home of Annabelle Kerslake on Design Sponge

Home of Marte Marie Forsberg on Design Sponge

White floors, white or gray walls, and lots and lots of natural materials are what defines this look to me. Old wooden boards for the kitchen, woven baskets used to store anything and everything, mismatched (but all in shades of white and cream) pottery and dishes, old silver, collections of vintage bottles, matchbooks, or anything that catches your eye with its charm.

Home of Kimberly Taylor on Design Mom

 In the kitchen, of course we can all dream of a spacious kitchen with marble counters, glass-front cabinets, and a perfect subway tile backsplash…but there are also a few smaller accents here that can be put into play in anyone’s kitchen. A French market basket I think is a foolproof accessory for any room. Then, there is always Le Creuset or Staub enameled cast iron pots, which are so practical (we use ours all the time!) and also gorgeous sitting on the stove top. A miniature topiary tree, potted herbs, or fresh cut flowers from the garden or market are always welcome.

Home of Marte Marie Forsberg on Design Sponge

Have you ever seen a chicer open closet? Really. If only all my clothes were lovely, flowy dresses and shirts in shades of white, beige, and pale blue, I think I would leave my closet doors open all the time too! And again with the baskets – I love the idea of using a leather-handled basket to catch little items that would otherwise spill all over the floor, like flip flops, silk scarves, umbrellas and hats.

Home of Jane Cameron on Design Sponge

 The rug is what really caught my attention in this bedroom, though the gray wall color is pretty perfect as well. Plain natural fiber rugs can be sort of boring – even the cheap ones are great, but just not as a focal point – but this one has such a rich, interesting texture and variegated color that it can take center stage.

Home of Jane Cameron on Design Sponge

Above you can see another good example of the white-gray-wood color palette, this time with rich and dark stained wood floors rather than white, which I also like. Those little white Tolix stools are such a great accent piece, too – I could put one just about anywhere!

Home of Annabelle Kerslake on Design Sponge

So…are any of these interiors appealing to you? And what do you crave at home in the summer? Cool whites, bright, fun colors, or…? I’d love to hear from you. :)

p.s. – thanks so much to all of you who commented on the new blog design, it means a lot! xoxo Laura

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