The French are known for ‘effortless’ interiors that balance sophistication with a calming, lived-in look.

In Paris this rings particularly true. Interior design in the city of light has a casual elegance, often peppered with art and vintage finds.

Modern cottage-meets-Parisian style takes this much admired aesthetic and amps up the cosiness with eclectic, layered interiors.

Most notably, when it comes to mixing texture, there’s no holding back. This means pairing a key furniture item, like a plush linen sofa, with pieces that have contrasting texture; such as a sheepskin armchair; a timber coffee table; a sharp metal lamp; and a woven rattan pendant lamp. And don’t forget textured rugs underfoot too.

Patterns and colours can — and should — clash. In the moodboard above we’ve paired a graphic checkered rug with a more traditional design, and for colours, think opposite sides of the colour wheel, such as brown and teal or mustard and blue.

Turn off the overheads, as lighting should be soft and come from multiple sources; table lamps, floor lamps, pendants and sconces. Paper shades are the perfect choice here.

Finally, finish the look off with plenty of art and objects that tick the boxes for all of the above too (colour, pattern and texture), we’ve chosen a small amber jug by Hay, House Editions Petal plate from Craft Victoria, Miro cushion by Citta and a beautiful artwork by Sally Anderson.

And, if you can gradually add in vintage scores alongside contemporary picks, even better!

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Want to see more? Visit The Design Directory to discover our top picks in furniture, lighting, rugs and more!