Paint Color Inspiration from a Charming Country French New Build

We peeked at this beautiful new build home with interior design by Jenny Martin Design last spring, and this inspiring home is breathtaking at Christmas time! Paint Color Inspiration from a Charming Country French New Build spotlights a home with exquisite traditional architecture (those eyebrow dormers!) and lightened up interiors. The paint color story inside and out is perfectly understated, underbaked, and unfussy, and I’ll offer suggestions to get the look

Canadian Country French New Build: Inspiring Paint Color Ideas

Project: Maison de Lee (in Victoria’s South Oak Bay neighborhood); Builder: M. Knight Construction; Home Design: Zebra Group; Interiors: Jenny Martin Design

PROJECT OVERVIEW:

Oh this home! It is known as Maison de Lee and won seven awards including Project of the Year.

“Aiming to incorporate traditional elements with an aged vintage quality, this project integrates detailed mouldings, rustic white-oak beams and soft arches, pairing them with unlacquered brass and natural marble specifically selected to age gracefully over time. The aesthetic was elevated with a restrained palette of natural tones.” – Jenny Martin

Classic White Paint Colors for a Country French Kitchen

For a similar look, turn to Benjamin Moore White Dove. (Not to be confused with Dove Wing or Dove White.) When you’re after a soft white that feels traditional and won’t change throughout the day, this color is a tried and true favorite.

Need encouragement to use white subway tile in a classic or country kitchen despite it being a common choice for backsplashes and accent walls? There’s a good reason it is chosen so often…good classic looks, vintage in feel, neutral, calming, and works with an eclectic range of designs.

Isn’t the wall of windows dressed with beribboned wreaths above a stunning feature? While I love real greenery, I don’t like the accompanying mess so realistic, high quality examples that will look good for years and years to come are smart choices:

Should you paint the trim and cabinets BM White Dove as well?

You can definitely paint the cabinets the same color as walls (it will have a different finish such as enamel, urethane, or semi-gloss), but the color on the trim and doors should be the white color used in other areas of the home.

If all the trim and doors in your home will be White Dove, then yes.

White Shaker style cabinets with brass pulls are a traditional yet fresh choice and will still be relevant years from now. And isn’t the rustic wood island stunning with magnificent contrast to the counter stools?

Kitchen Design Tip: If at all possible, choose your countertop material and backsplash tile before choosing paint colors – it’s far easier to find colors that work harmoniously with them than if you choose paint colors first.

What Other White Paint Colors are Similar Options for Kitchen Cabinets?

There are plenty of off white paint colors beyond White Dove to consider for kitchen cabinets, but if you’re after a look like this French inspired kitchen, stick to cooler greyed-whites rather than colors with brown or yellow undertones.

F&B Blackened No. 2011, Valspar Swiss Coffee 7005-16, or Benjamin Moore Classic Gray (yes, plenty of whites don’t have “white” in the name!) are beautiful contenders.

Bringing in warm wood tones and metal hardware keep the look cozy and inviting rather than sterile.

I’m reminded I need a watering can in my life like the one above!

Country French New Build Paint Colors: White Exterior + Light Grey Accents

Even when a photo of a house exterior appears bright white, choosing the right paint color to emulate it for your own project can be daunting. That’s because white paint comes in a variety of shades with varying undertones and qualities that interact with sunlight and even a home’s geographical region.

Your best bet is to sample many whites before deciding. Our sources indicate the exterior color is:

For similar whites to sample, look at Sherwin Williams Snowbound, Benjamin Moore Calm, and Farrow & Ball Strong White. (Remember the right white for you may have “gray” in the name, and the right gray may have “white!”

Here’s the exact color on the shutters:

For another idea for a low contrast light grey paint color for door, trim, or accents, consider sampling Farrow & Ball Ammonite No. 274.

For a bit more contrast with the white siding or brick, take a peek at Farrow & Ball Pavilion Gray No. 242. This is a timeless, elegant, stunning grey with blue undertones that has a soft, Scandinavian feel.

Bear in mind you can use it at a reduced saturation for a completely custom look that suits your home. (I used it at 66% for my kitchen cabinets and adore the color.)

More Traditional Design Details to Inspire

Deep Open Shelving

I am still deciding whether to add shelves to our nearly finished kitchen. On the one hand, I like the idea of having them for seasonal decor. But I really don’t want to spend time dusting, and I have plenty of storage for dishes and everyday essentials.

If we were to add shelves, I appreciate the heft of these shelves to hold books, serving pieces, and everyday items that aren’t just filler.

Modern Vintage Style Created With Bright White, Neutrals & Oak

Light and medium stained hardwoods with white feels fresh yet nostalgic. While black and white soared in popularity over the last ten years, there’s something more traditional and country about incorporating wood tones instead.

Do you like the absence of black in the kitchen? I didn’t paint our windows black or incorporate much contrast in our last kitchen either:

In contrast, modern farmhouse kitchens tend to have moments of high contrast with black and white. In this home, we do spy black on the door to the mudroom…

Tongue and Groove, Cubbies & Ladder in Mudroom

What dreamy storage space to keep a family organized!

Isn’t the ladder incredible?

Surprisingly Casual Comfort in a Music Room

Cozy, smallish sitting rooms seem to be disappearing from many new builds, but they have their charms. No formality here in this music room!

My own living room in the new house is small, and I choose to call it a sitting room. Instead of fancy chairs or fussy anything, it has laid back, California cool MCM influences like this home’s music room (above) and living room (below).

My own sitting room also features an accent window (don’t you love an oval!?!) which lightens the mood and keeps the room from feeling like a square box.

Gentle Grandeur in the Foyer

What a serene entrance with natural woven accents, quiet color, and applied moldings.

If you’re seeking white paint colors to sample to approach the look of this space, peek at Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace, Sherwin-Williams Alabaster, and Farrow & Ball All White.

Easiest way to see if a color is right? Order samples with Samplize and have them delivered straight to your door.

Luxuriously Elegant Custom Closet With Island

Is this the best part about a traditional style new build? When you’re building you can create the closet of your dreams!

No new build for you? Sometimes you can carve out a closet if you renovate, and turning a small bedroom here at home into a closet/office/guest bedroom was a relatively easy tweak. Certainly not luxurious or as room as this beauty above, but see my closet upgrade here.

Calm Bathroom Design Country French Home

The first thing that caught my attention about this bath is the lofty feel from high ceilings and all the windows.

A variety of tile including carrera installed in a herringbone pattern on the floor, staggered on shower surround, and subway inside the shower – create a more relaxed mood.

With all the light, it makes sense to bring in plants!

Applied moldings in the bath are so elegant, yes?

This was the mood board for our former primary bath:

And this week, we’re making decisions for our bath at the new house. The paint color will likely be Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace. I plan to incorporate a vintage clawfoot tub (just the best bubble baths), marble tile, a pretty chandelier, and of course these favs:

Thanks so much for reading, and let me know if you have any other paint color related questions.

I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.

Peace to you right where you are.

-michele

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