One thing is sure, though, and that is the warm and inviting 'come sit down and have a meal with us' flavor of French Country decor.

Many characteristics of the dining area in French Country homes are consistent no matter the interpretation:

Colors are warm and inviting, with deep yellows, rustic reds, antique golds, natural browns, shades of green to bring the outdoors in and of course, french blue.

You'll find the floors finished in wood, tile, terra cotta and even concrete for the most rustic styles of country french dining room decor.

Have fun with the wall treatment in your French Country dining room. At a minimum, put some vibrant color on the walls, always appropriate for the dining area.

Consider some faux finishing or texturizing of the walls to create a dimensional look. Use wallpaper in a french country print on one wall.

Or, install bead board at chair rail height, or even more interesting, take the bead board two-thirds of the way up the walls with a beautifully painted wall color above. That would be a striking counterpoint to warm wood-toned dining room furniture.

The dining table and chairs can be as simple as an inexpensive wrought iron table with a tile top, and some mismatched flea market find chairs that have been whitewashed.

Every good French Country dining room includes a type of chest, armoire or buffet. In our simply rustic example, another flea market treasure found and whitewashed, such as a leftover piece from yesterday's bedroom set, would complete the basic furniture for the space. Dark iron or bronze handles and pulls are an authentic way to finish the overall look.

A wood dining table, long and rectangular if size allows, is a classic in French Country dining rooms. Natural, medium wood tones are a good choice, or if you are creating more of a 'farmhouse' look, whitewashed is a welcoming addition.

Distressed and weathered, or not, just keep the wood finish simple and not overly shiny unless you are creating a more formal french country home.

Give your French Country decor a sophisticated twist with a black finish on the wood pieces.

The chairs can be matching ladderback style, mismatched painted with cane seats, or even coordinating fabrics for that slightly more formal look.

For lighting, a chandelier is usually placed over the table. In more casual french countrydining rooms, the chandelier will be simple, with bronze or iron work arms and small mini-shades that coordinate with the other colors in the room.

For more formal rooms, the chandelier will be made of bronze accents and lots of glass with several tiers. Just remember to keep the size of the chandelier in proportion to the table and overall room size.

As you create your French Country dining room, consider the use of stone, wrought iron, ceramics and cane or wicker in the designs of furniture pieces.

Remember to bring in the softness of curved edges, in furnishings, rugs, accessories, chairbacks, etc. Mix larger, oversized furnishings with smaller pieces to create old world charm.