Modern home decor is often impersonal and cold because of the trend to decorate with mass-marketed items. The atmosphere of your home will come from the pieces which bring a sense of your personal history into it.
French vintage prints offer a simple way to add character and history to your space. Whether you live in a small apartment or a larger home, these prints can bring a consistent look and story across different rooms. Here's a practical guide on how to use them in every part of your home. I'll even show you some of those which hang in my own home!
1. Living Room: The Heart of the Home
The living room is where you'll spend most of your time and where most people gather so it's a great place for larger or more noticeable prints. French theater posters, old advertisements or vintage travel prints work well here as well as large posters on topics which are dear to you.
One of my customers filled her living room with bird prints representing the species she observed in the marshes around her home. Every time she saw a new one during her walks, she came back to buy the corresponding print.
Tips:
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Hang a large piece above your couch or create a gallery wall with at least 3 to 5 smaller prints.
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Mix black and white prints with color to create a balance.
- Incorporate decoration trends like the unexpected red touch theory or the year's trendy colors. In 2025, the soft brown Mocha Mousse is all the rage, as well as pastel yellows, cherry reds and dusty blues and pinks.
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Use frames that match your furniture or shelving for a coordinated look of choose mismatched prints for a bohemian or cottagecore feel.
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In typical Parisian homes, there often is an accumulation of pieces of furnitures from different historical periods which came down from ancestors. White walls are usually used as a way of pulling everything together. I personally love nothing more than white walls with beautiful historical pieces.
For example, adding your favorite floral prints over the fireplace helps to bring an elegant and cheerful touch to your living room.
Another customer used some of the dog prints she purchased from me to complete her dog memorial gallery wall.
2. Kitchen: Add a Pinch of Parisian Flair
A kitchen doesn’t need to be just functional. French café or food posters, wine labels, and market scenes can bring life to your walls.
In big French cities like Paris or Lyon, kitchens are often small so book-sized illustrations work perfectly well to fit the available wall space. As one of my customers once put it, sometimes there's a little space in a corner which needs filling and smaller prints are perfect for that.
I personally love antique botanical plates. This large poster version of an Adolphe Millot vegetables poster hangs in my own kitchen.
Tips:
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Hang prints near your breakfast nook or above the coffee station.
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Choose artwork related to food, drink or kitchen life.
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Use wooden or metal frames that can handle the moisture in a kitchen.
- Consider incorporating antique food prints as unique backsplash behind your stove.
One of my customers bought this meat cuts print to laminate onto her backsplash with great results!
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Here's a customer picture showing an antique potatoes poster hanging in her beautiful kitchen. Don't you love the contrast between antique an modern?
3. Bedroom: Romantic & Personal
For the bedroom, go with prints that have a calm and quiet look. Botanical illustrations, perfume ads, or soft sketches are good choices.
My own advice is to go for prints which will make you smile when you open your eyes in the morning.
Floral or animal scenes like this chinoiserie-inspired peonies and cranes illustration work well for a relaxing spirit. Here are a couple of examples from two of my customers.
Tips:
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Place prints above your headboard or on a side wall.
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Keep the colors neutral or muted for a relaxed feel.
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Two to three prints side by side work well here.
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Mood to Aim For: Relaxing, romantic, elegant.
My own bedroom sports this beautiful reproduction of a casques hornbill painting by Louis Agassiz Fuertes. The bird is soexpressive and lifelike she makes me smile every morning when my eyes alight on her. She's right opposite my bed!
4. Bathroom: A Touch of Whimsy
Even a small bathroom can benefit from art. Choose small prints with a sense of fun—vintage soap or beauty ads are a good fit.
Tips:
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Use small frames that won’t take up too much space.
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Place them above the toilet or towel rack.
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Protect the prints with glass or plastic covers if moisture is a concern.
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Suggested Prints: Vintage soap, perfume or beauty ads, marine-themed wall art.
- Mood to Aim For: Playful, chic, unexpected.
Marine-themed illustration work well in bathrooms. Aqua blue or turquoise colors are also perfect. This oceanography print combines these two characteristics perfectly!
5. Office or Study: Inspire Focus & Creativity
The right artwork in your workspace can help set the tone and enhance your professional credibility. French maps, book illustrations or old scientific drawings are good options.
Here's a customer pictures showing how she used my botanical prints to create a modern gallery wall in her design studio.
Tips:
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Hang one or two prints above or beside your desk.
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Combine prints with shelves, books, or simple decor.
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Use minimal frames to keep the space clean and functional.
- Mix with real books, antique décor.
- Suggested Prints: Vintage book covers, French maps, academic illustrations.
- Mood to Aim For: Intellectual, artistic, inspiring, historical.
Scientific plates can be beautiful in their own right too. This medical illustrations of the digestive system, which shows beneficial plants as well as diseases, is a great favorite for health professionals.
6. Entryway or Hall: First Impressions Count
The entryway is the first space people see. It sets the mood for the atmosphere that you want your home to convey. Vintage Paris scenes, street signs or type-based posters can work well here.
If you love travelling, filling your hallway with antique maps of all the places you've visited is a lovely idea as well as a great conversation starter.
Tips:
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Use one strong print to anchor the wall.
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Match with a bench or console table.
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Make sure the print size fits the narrow space.
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Suggested Prints: Vintage Parisian street scenes or typography-based posters
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Styling Tips:
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Use a bold print to create a statement as guests enter
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Accent with a console table and a mirror
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Mood to Aim For: Welcoming, stylish, story-rich.
Here's an example of a typically Parisian scene, hanging in an entryway next to a side table with a welcoming modern bouquet.
7. Nursery or Kid’s Room: Sweet & Storybook-Inspired
For kids’ rooms, vintage storybook pages, animals or alphabet prints keep things light but still classic.
One of my customers sent me this picture of a gallery-wall she created on a rabbit theme using a French Vintage rabbit print.
Tips:
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Choose lighter colors and soft designs.
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Hang prints at eye level for children.
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Use safe, lightweight frames or frame-less hangers.
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Suggested Prints: Vintage children’s book illustrations, animals with babies or alphabet posters.
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Styling Tips:
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Use light pastel frames or floating frames
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Mix with soft furnishings or toys
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Mood to Aim For: Whimsical, safe, imaginative.
French vintage prints are flexible. They can match many styles and fit into any room in your home. You don’t need a full collection to start—one or two prints can already make a big impact.
Looking for ideas or ready to find something for your own space? Browse our collections or follow us on Instagram for more inspiration.
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“Browse our curated collections by room style or theme at FrenchVintagePrints.com!”
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“Tag us @FrenchVintagePrints to show us how you styled your space!”
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