Design expo: French effortlessness

French effortlessness - the art of indifferent casualness or looking like you don’t care when you care a lot

To make things look like you don’t care but where something still looks so good, is a real art form. Where a space, a room looks like it just happened to end up looking in a certain way by coincidence. Like you have just randomly placed some mismatching pieces next to each other with no plan in mind. Where the result looks so stylish, so effortless, so casual. The French are mastering this aesthetic, almost like it is science.

The interesting thing is that it is not only in interior design where this art form is manifested. You see it in the way French people dress, in film, in music, in politics, in food, in art - basically the way the French live their lives.

So when breaking it down a little, there are a couple of elements I would like to highlight that are cornerstones in this design.

The starting point is about respecting history. These buildings are old (or at least made to look old) and instead of working against that, it is used to set the scene. If the frame is already a little worn and torn it is a perfect canvas to start working with.

The second is that there is an ambition to add rather than take out. Like there is an ambition to make it look natural, like people actually live in the space (compared to many other countries, like Scandinavia, where the trend is the complete opposite). Here more is more is more.

A third is the mixing of old and new with an emphasis on vintage. This mix makes the design feel less anxious and totally insensitive to trends. There is a timeless, effortless feel to the way they design which makes it feel just as relevant yesterday as it will do tomorrow.

And. finally - one of the things I love most about this kind of style is how it allows, or maybe I should say inspires us, to mirror the design. The behavior of the people in these hotels are just as relaxed as the design. You don’t have to whisper but can be loud, you can be a little messy (sure - a French, elegant kind of messy). You can be yourself. Very few rules but a lot of passion. And fun! I don’t know about you, but I want as much as possible of that in my life.

Below are 5 hotels in France where this effortless look is manifested and celebrated:

Hotel Amour, Nice

This hotel is such a brilliant example of what I mean with French indifference. It is amazing to see the mix of features at this hotel: a model of ship. a ceramic crab, a cupboard full of vintage pottery, a smokey mirror wall. It all just looks like it was randomly placed by coincidence, but you can tell that there is someone with a great eye for details that has created this casual-looking design..

d’une île, Rémalard

This relaxed retreat in rural Normandy is presenting effortless design in spades, almost to the point where it feels indifferent. But of course there is a lot of effort, care and focus that have gone into creating this rustic, eclectic look where vintage pieces get to shine next to some contemporary elements. The mix is dynamic and oh so attractive.

Read more about my stay at d’une île here

Tuba Club, Marseille

This boutique hotel on the outskirts of Marseille is such a little gem. And it is not only the look that is embodying the French casual effortlessness, but the service, the feel - basically the whole vibe. Since this hotel is right on the sea there are marine elements in the design, but not some kind of forced contemporary version, but a faded, vintage look. Like stepping into an old sepia toned post card.

Read more about my stay at Tuba Club here

Le Pigalle Hotel, Paris

It is kind of fitting to have a hotel embodying this style in the area of Pigalle in Paris. An area known for its seedy past. The hotel is a celebration of the neighborhood bringing in some, dare I say it, sexiness and lust in the design. The finished look is full of impressions, colors, wrapped up in an effortless (and sultry) bow.

Read more about my stay at Le Pigalle here.

La Maison Plûme, Villequier

This small B&B, right on the River Seine in Normandy, is a sight for my effortless-loving eyes. The style is on one hand pared-down (at least compared to some of the other hotels in this category) but at the same time full of impressions. There is an eclecticism to the design that has been beautifully curated to make it feel relaxed and homey.

Read more about my stay at La Maison Plûme here

If you are curious about some of my other design reflections, check out my posts about my take on English Quirkiness, Scandinavian “Hyttekos” and South Tyrolean Contrast.