How to Get the Ever-Popular Parisian Look in Any Space (and on Any Budget)

Emma DangelStyle Editor
Emma DangelStyle Editor
As Style Editor at Apartment Therapy, I’m passionate about helping everyone make their home look and feel like them. I cover design, trend and shopping content, and am based in Brooklyn, NY.
published Sep 21, 2025
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Mid-century modern living room with mustard sofa, pink swivel chair, abstract art, and round dining table.
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Credit: Sylvie Li

Parisian style is everywhere. French interiors feel effortlessly stylish, but if you’ve ever tried to incorporate the look in your own space then you know that an “effortless” look can take a bit of, well, effort to pull off. 

In the latest episode of “Friends with Houses,” our new YouTube series starring Apartment Therapy’s Editor-in-Chief, Charli Penn, and Executive Home Director, Danielle Blundell, the two neighbors, friends, and fellow home experts are diving into the hallmarks of Parisian style, and showing us how to get the look in our own spaces.

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Credit: Erin Derby
tan sofa on pink chair

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Style Analysis: What Makes a Home Feel Parisian? 

To start, Danielle dives into some of the history of French design style. Emperor Napoleon III kicked off an initiative to transform the city, she says, resulting in the gorgeous, uniform exteriors and other charming details we’ve come to associate with Parisian architecture, like wrought iron balconies and high ceilings. Inside, we often see design features like ornate moldings, parquet floors, and marble fireplaces. 

Danielle attributes the enduring popularity of the style to the “effortlessness” of the French look. “I think the French are just known for their style. I mean, that’s true in fashion, I think it’s true in beauty, and it comes down to that whole effortless thing, right? Like, we all want a beautiful house but we kinda want it to look like it’s just sorta that way … ” Or as Charli describes it, “Like, my house woke up like this.” Okay, Bey!  

If you don’t happen to have any of these features in your own home, you’re not out of luck. There are so many other ways to emulate the Parisian look in the way you style your space. Follow along as Charli and Danielle explore some easier ways to get the quintessential “my house woke up like this” look without ripping up your flooring, raising any ceilings, or breaking out the nail gun. 

How to Get the Look: Budget-Friendly Ideas for Achieving Parisian Elegance

Crystal Art Gallery Gold Filigree Arch Full Length Floor Mirror
$95

When it comes to the details you can pick up at any home decor store, Danielle says to keep an eye out for glimmering accents. “I would say the [easiest thing to replicate] is that mirror,” says Danielle. “Like you think of those gilded, those like really ornate [styles].” Those pieces scream Parisian elegance no matter the context.

$95 at Walmart
ZILANL Vintage 5-Light Pendant Lighting
$249

“I love a great chandelier,” Charli says, “so I feel like that’s also a trick [for adding a touch of French style].” Try an aged brass look like this one from Amazon for an instant pop of Paris in any space.

$249 at Amazon
Swirling Marble End Table
$148

If you’re not blessed with a marble mantel, never fear — smaller marble accents will do the trick just fine. A side table like this one, or even smaller pieces like “cutting boards, little marble trays, and other accent pieces and trinkets,” such as a taper candleholder, are always chic, according to Danielle.

$148 at Anthropologie
Art3d Pre-Cut Wall Molding, 6 Pieces
$60

Picture frame molding is “sort of what the French are known for,” Danielle explains. The style has become so popular in recent years that you can even find peel-and-stick versions like this, which makes it renter-friendly. “It’s like a sticker book,” she says. “Anyone can do that!”

$60 at Amazon
Ekena Millwork Bradford Ceiling Medallion
$59

If you don’t mind breaking out the step ladder, another quick fix is to show some love to your ceilings. “Something you could do in maybe a day or a weekend is you could add a ceiling medallion. You can find those at The Home Depot, Lowe’s, you know, hardware stores,” Danielle explains. “That’s something really nice that can make your ceiling just pop and make a light really look a little bit extra special."

$59 at Home Depot
RENWIL Etages Wall Art
$100

“In Paris there’s a museum on every corner,” Danielle says, “So I think artwork is totally part of this look.” You can go literal with a Paris-themed print, but really any piece with a neutral palette like this one will feel quintessentially chic.

$100 at TJ Maxx

The moral of the story? You don’t have to be French — or even a Francophile — to take cues from French style. “I feel like certain home design aesthetics, if it’s not instantly you, it feels a little bit inaccessible. Like, can I pull this off? And will I look like I’m trying too hard?” Charli points out. “But you really reminded me today that it’s really just the subtle details that make something truly Parisian.”

Learn more about Parisian style and how to channel it in the second episode. Plus, stay tuned for more from this dynamic duo in their “Friends with Houses” YouTube series.

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