How to Do a French Theme in a Backyard

Outdoor Furniture

• Create intimate seating areas with gently used metal furniture. Bright reds and blues are synonymous with French country, while a chaise lounge with both a metal base and mattress in sherbet hues will add chic comfort and echo the Rococo period of the 18th century. When using fabrics, choose a floral or agricultural theme that is sturdy enough to withstand the elements. Look around your interior space for unused or neglected furniture that can work outdoors. Spruce up an item with a fresh coat of paint, either in a bold country red or Rococo pastel blue. Explore yard sales, consignment shops and online classified and auction sites. Make the most of what your outdoor space already has. If you have a covered deck, swap the picnic table for a long, wooden table, but keep the picnic table's benches. The result will be elegant but understated.

Tablescapes

• When entertaining outside, turn your attention to your table. Party like Louis XIV, and create a lush, extravagant tablescape. A brocade tablecloth is an ideal backdrop for gold plates, gilded candlesticks and large wine goblets. If decadence is not your style, mimic the quiet elegance of Impressionist paintings. A simple table outfitted with lush peonies in low glass vases, mercury glass votive holders and linens and plates in soft watery blue hues will transport anyone to the home of painter Claude Monet.

Lighting and Accessories

• Lighting can make or break a mood. Again, make the most of what you already have. Hang an ornate chandelier from the roof over your deck, entwine strands of twinkle lights around your pergola, or display metal sconces from the side of your tool shed. Your shed can do double-duty. Use the interior to store your yard tools, and use the exterior to showcase your yard's beauty. Paint or stain the shed in a neutral color so your accessories will stand out even more. Add bright-colored shutters to the shed and a window box full of peonies to add French charm. If your urban backyard is nothing more than an alley, keep it simple with twinkle lights strung against your fence or house and candles for added ambiance. Citronella candles will keep bugs away, while faux candles will be safe around children. Transform a corner into a French bistro with reproduction Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec posters and a bistro table with matching chairs. Key accessories that are both aesthetically pleasing and utilitarian would be wire baskets that are resting places for breads and crackers, earthenware containers for dips and wooden cutting boards for cheeses and charcuterie.

Landscaping

• No French-inspired backyard would be complete without several plants. Urban dwellers can create a container garden devoted to the bouquet garni, a French herb bundle used to add flavor in sauces, stews and soups. Plant essential herbs, such as thyme and bay leaf, and others such as lavender, rosemary and parsley. Suburbanites not limited by space can create a sunflower garden inspired by the paintings of Vincent van Gogh. Other classic French flower gardens include roses and azaleas, or create a water garden festooned with water lilies.