A Reader’s Timeless French Kitchen Design Inspired by HELLO LOVELY!

I was thrilled to hear from a wonderful reader this week who was happy to find inspiration here to create a kitchen for his newly built home. It’s a beautiful timeless French kitchen design filled with traditional style, French inspired design elements, appetizing red accents, and tasteful sophistication. He was also kind enough to share helpful resources and details about how the kitchen design progressed from inspiration to a lovely new space. (There are some secret surprises in this calm kitchen.) In this spirit of generosity, the inspiration simply keeps flowing!

Hello Lovely - traditional kitchen with black island, white custom cabinets, Taj Mahal quartzite, farm sink, Bluestar range, and Chippendale stools. #traditionalkitchens #twotonekitchen
Timeless French Kitchen Design: How to Use This Site for a Successful Project!

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A Reader’s Timeless French Kitchen Design!

A New Country French Kitchen With Old World Style

It’s such a gorgeous, tasteful kitchen that it’s hard to pick a favorite detail. All those glass cabinet doors and the magnificent mullion glow happening from inside. Open shelving finished with beaded board and decorative corbels below the cabinets.

French country kitchen with custom chicken toile London shades, white cabinets, and quartzite counters - Hello Lovely Studio. #frenchcountrykitchen

The abundant natural light from multiple windows bringing nature inside. A huge island with black finish topped with Taj Mahal quartzite. The whole space feels like a dream for cooking! Let’s deconstruct and chat with the homeowner.

Creamy Paint Color Ideas for a French Kitchen

I love that this creamy warm white was chosen for walls to turn up a warm glow and softly contrast with white cabinetry. The paint color is a former Duron/Sherwin Williams retired color called Millet:

SW Millet

Millet reminds me of sunny stone and a tone you see on structures in the South of France. In this kitchen, you can see how it provides depth and enhances the beautiful cabinetry. Beautiful details on white cabinetry often get lost when walls are the same white.

French country kitchen with custom chicken toile London shades, white cabinets, and quartzite counters - Hello Lovely Studio. #frenchcountrykitchen

BM Barbados Sand

Working with yellows is never the easiest! For a similar paint color (though with less yellow undertones), consider Benjamin Moore 1094 Barbados Sand…

Benjamin Moore calls the above color it “A light shade of beige with a hint of yellow, this quiet hue evokes a deserted beach on a sunny morning.” You can probably perceive the tan undertones in Barbados Sand. With a light reflectance value (LRV) of 70.18, it’s going to reflect plenty of light and gently contrast with white.

French country kitchen with custom chicken toile London shades, white cabinets, and quartzite counters - Hello Lovely Studio. #frenchcountrykitchen

Benjamin Moore Gentle Cream OC-96

Another BM color close to the retired Millet paint color is Gentle Cream OC-96:

This pretty neutral is described as “A pleasing bisque hue that adds just the right amount of warmth and depth to a space.” It’s so important to have multiple contenders to sample so I hope you will try all of these to arrive at the best tone for your project! A bit lighter than Barbados Cream, Gentle Cream’s LRV is 71.32. (It will reflect 71.32% of light and is on the lighter end of the spectrum.)

French country kitchen with custom chicken toile London shades, white cabinets, and quartzite counters - Hello Lovely Studio. #frenchcountrykitchen

Sherwin-Williams Navajo White 6126

One more contender, this one from Sherwin-Williams, is quite a popular warm white:

Sherwin-Williams says “This bright, warm white is as big as the American Southwest. Its clean yellow undertone brings subtle but powerful energy to any space.”

How to Use Hello Lovely Inspiration for a Timeless Kitchen Design?

Did this blog actually launch your kitchen’s design?

“Yes. I landed on a French country feel and came across this post from Hello Lovely and that was exactly the direction I wanted to head.”

Hello Lovely - traditional kitchen with black island, white custom cabinets, Taj Mahal quartzite, farm sink, Bluestar range, and Chippendale stools. #traditionalkitchens #twotonekitchen
Timeless French Kitchen Design: a New Traditional Two-Tone Kitchen With Old World Style

What a joy to hear that my pal Tina’s French country kitchen (The Enchanted Home) spotlighted on Hello Lovely helped to create this stunning project. You may recall Tina’s timeless kitchen design combined white cabinetry with a large black island, apron front farm sink, a professional range, and rustic wood ceiling details.

Hello Lovely - traditional kitchen with black island, white custom cabinets, Taj Mahal quartzite, farm sink, Bluestar range, and Chippendale stools. #traditionalkitchens #twotonekitchen

How did you use Hello Lovely inspiration images to arrive at a pleasing design?

“Working with my kitchen designer, I brought her the photos and she nailed the design the first time out. We didn’t make any changes to the original design.”

Hello Lovely - traditional kitchen with black island, white custom cabinets, Taj Mahal quartzite, farm sink, Bluestar range, and Chippendale stools. #traditionalkitchens #twotonekitchen
Need ideas for a black paint color for a kitchen? See THIS.

Look at those beautiful open shelves with so much space for decor, books, and serveware! And the large island! I asked about the exact dimensions of it, knowing readers would be curious. It is 9.5′ by 6.5′.

A beautiful timeless French kitchen with hidden pantry behind the tall cabinet doors - Hello Lovely Studio. #kitchenpantry #hiddenpantry

Kitchen Design Process

Were there surprises along the way in your kitchen’s creation?

“Once we designed the kitchen, we found a ton of space that we utilized to create a hidden pantry. You walk through cabinet doors to access it. That was the most wonderful surprise!”

Hidden walk-in pantry in a beautiful timeless French kitchen design - Hello Lovely Studio. #kitchenpantry #hiddenpantry
A hidden walk-in pantry!

Truly Custom Design Elements

So special! What a dreamy secret space! Were there any other discoveries?

“Another surprise came when I was hunting for a specific toile type of fabric. We wanted something vintage in feel, Old World, as if it has been around for a while. My other half created an image with AI requesting it to create a seamless pattern of vintage red, green, and tan, with chickens.”

Custom French country Toile fabric with chickens, red, green, and cream (created from an AI generated pattern). Hello Lovely Studio. #toilefabric #customfrenchtoile

“Low and behold, it did. Joanne Fabrics printed it out on cotton muslin, and the drapes will arrive next week for installation. We’re doing London shades just like in the French country [The Enchanted Home] inspiration kitchen.”

Here it was before the London shades:

Hello Lovely - traditional kitchen with black island, white custom cabinets, Taj Mahal quartzite, farm sink, Bluestar range, and Chippendale stools. #traditionalkitchens #twotonekitchen
Loving the Taj Mahal quartzite counters and gorgeous Top Knobs hardware.

And after:

French country kitchen with custom chicken toile London shades, white cabinets, and quartzite counters - Hello Lovely Studio. #frenchcountrykitchen

Oh my goodness! An artificial Intelligence generated French toile pattern that no one else on the planet will have in their home! Now that is truly bespoke kitchen design! These toile London shade window treatments elevate an already lovely kitchen. (London balloon shades boast the simplicity of a casual Roman shade as well as the fullness of a balloon shade.)

Hello Lovely - traditional kitchen with black island, white custom cabinets, Taj Mahal quartzite, farm sink, Bluestar range, and Chippendale stools. #traditionalkitchens #twotonekitchen
Can you believe the warmth these traditional rugs add to the space?

Challenges in Designing a Kitchen

Were there any obstacles to the kitchen design?

“The biggest hurdle was determining how I wanted the final kitchen to look and feel. I really did hunt down a host of photos and kitchen pictures to see what I was most attracted to.”

Hello Lovely - traditional kitchen with black island, white custom cabinets, Taj Mahal quartzite, farm sink, Bluestar range, and Chippendale stools. #traditionalkitchens #twotonekitchen
You truly get a sense of how the wall paint color (go back to the beginning of this post for details) just glows!

It’s so gratifying to know that by providing inspiration photos, homeowners are better equipped to start conversations with their designers, articulating their wishes and aesthetic. Hello Lovely’s archives are an excellent place to start! To think there was a time we were all tearing inspiration from shelter magazines. We now have a plethora of kitchen photos right on our smartphones!

Hello Lovely - traditional kitchen with black island, white custom cabinets, Taj Mahal quartzite, farm sink, Bluestar range, and Chippendale stools. #traditionalkitchens #twotonekitchen
So much elegance and character and warmth!

Are Kitchens the New Living Room?

How much time do you spend in here and how do you feel about the finished product?

“I spend about half my day in the kitchen now. We have seating at the island and a cozy wing chair in a corner to read through recipes or mail.”

Hello Lovely - traditional kitchen with black island, white custom cabinets, Taj Mahal quartzite, farm sink, Bluestar range, and Chippendale stools. #traditionalkitchens #twotonekitchen
The Calacatta Gold Marble behind the range is so gorgeous, and notice how it is framed.

“With my cooking, baking, and plants, I am always (as my grandmother says) ‘just piddling around keeping busy.'”

Hello Lovely - traditional kitchen with black island, white custom cabinets, Taj Mahal quartzite, farm sink, Bluestar range, and Chippendale stools. #traditionalkitchens #twotonekitchen
Isn’t the champagne bronze wonderfully subtle, understated yet rich.

Hello Lovely as a Helpful Research Tool

Would you recommend using this site to guide the design process?

“All of my inspiration came from the French country kitchen post on Hello Lovely. So the lesson learned is doing my research before talking with the designer or discussing layout or design. The rest fell into place with ease.”

Hello Lovely - traditional kitchen with black island, white custom cabinets, Taj Mahal quartzite, farm sink, Bluestar range, and Chippendale stools. #traditionalkitchens #twotonekitchen

Shopping Resources for This Timeless Kitchen

Cabinets: Hartford Collection; Koch & Company. Backsplash at Range: Calacatta Gold Lantern Mosaic. Other Backsplash: Roca, Similar wavy white subway tile HERE. Flooring: Engineered Birch wide plank, similar HERE. Counters: Taj Mahal Quartzite. Lighting: Brass Light Gallery, similar Pendant: HERE. Farm Sink: Kohler; Bar Sink: Kohler 19″ Undermount Sink.

Hello Lovely - traditional kitchen with black island, white custom cabinets, Taj Mahal quartzite, farm sink, Bluestar range, and Chippendale stools. #traditionalkitchens #twotonekitchen

Kitchen Bridge Faucet: Delta (Broderick) – options HERE; Beverage Faucet: Delta. Cabinet Hardware: Top Knobs Reeded. Gas Range: 48″ Blue Star (all gas with French door ovens, in black brown, with aged brass accents). Counter Stools: Braxton Culler Chippendale. Dishwasher and Refrigerator columns: Fisher & Paykel.

What a beautiful project from a wonderfully kind reader with excellent taste, willing to graciously share details for those of us hungry for them!

Andrea Gibson quote about vulnerability. #vulnerabilityquotes #andreagibsonquotes #andreagibsonpoetry

Here’s that POST THAT STARTED IT ALL. Have a room in your house inspired by beauty seen here? We would love to spotlight it!

Peace to you right where you are.

-michele

Thanks for shopping RIGHT HERE to keep decor inspiration flowing on Hello Lovely!

Hello Lovely is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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6 Comments

  1. Karol
    October 8, 2023 / 2:01 pm

    I would love to see a picture of the curtains when they’re hung. Just a beautiful kitchen!

    • Michele
      Author
      October 8, 2023 / 5:29 pm

      Yes! He’s going to share pics with us so that will be fun to see!

  2. Rita
    October 8, 2023 / 8:54 pm

    That is one beautiful kitchen. Goodness that walk in pantry is AMAZING. My kitchen probably isn’t even that size. Thanks for sharing.

    • Michele
      Author
      October 9, 2023 / 9:40 am

      I was thinking the same thing – like why doesn’t everyone just have secret skinny doors to small kitchens to make the space feel like hidden secret little gems! Hahaha

  3. Nanci
    October 9, 2023 / 5:44 am

    I’d love the link back to The Enchanted Home . This kitchen is so lovely

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Let’s SHOP!

White Slipcovered Sofa
SHOP MY HOME!
29″ Whitewashed Table Lamp Set of 2
White Matelasse Quilt on MY BED
SHOP MY BATH!
Trees White Wallpaper Mural
Round Farmhouse Table
Myla Slipcover Sofa
Deconstructed Wingback Bed
French Farmhouse Dining Table
Milagro Heart
Slipcovered Dining Chair
Rustic Farmhouse Stool
Edgecombe End Table
Parisian Style Iron Table Lamp  33.5″
Black or Bronze Accent Table
French Stripe Basket Set
White Cotton Crochet Bed Skirt
French Country Rattan Basket Set
Marble Subway Mosaic Tile
Rattan Basket With Lid
White Ruffle Bedding
Seagrass Basket Set
Schumacher Wild Things Wallpaper
Slipcovered Sofa
Upholstered Dining Arm Chair
Shop My Breakfast Nook
White Matelasse Quilt
Tree Mural Wallpaper
Faux Potted French Lavender
Shaw Daybed
Distressed White French Country Chandelier
French Country Headboard
Oval Back Counter Stool, Set of 2
Antique Brass Pharmacy Floor Lamp
Round French Tufted Ottoman
Kinston Wood Bench
Italian Candelabra Chandelier
Slipcovered Linen Chair
Warner Upholstered Bench
Rustic Country French Dresser
Laurel Wreath Mirror
Round Farmhouse Dining Table
Reclaimed Wood Dresser
Louis Upholstered Bench
Pardon My French Doormat
Stripe Turkish Towel Throw
Pamela Arm Chair
Sweater Weave Basket
French Carved Wood Chandelier
Terracotta Pots & Basket
French Country Wood Chandelier
French Linen Dining Chair
Gustavian Cabinet
French Farmhouse Dining Table
Bar Stool
Beachy White Slipcovered Sofa
Rattan Armchair
Diptyque Oyedo Candle
Cross Back Dining Chair
French Country Candle Holder
French Industrial Metal Chairs (4)
Designer Favorite Wall Mirror
Holborn Lantern Pendant
French Country 6-Light Chandelier
Tray Side Table
French Country Upholstered Arm Chair
Wicker Trunk Set
French Ticking Stripe Pillow
Jute Area Rug
Mohair Throw
Rustic Industrial Farmhouse Shelves
Belgian Linen Sofa
White Duvet & Bedding
Rustic Wood Candlestick Set
French Market Basket
Linen Modern Wing Chair
French Country Farmhouse Baskets
Concrete Pillar Table Lamp
Boheme Madera Bench
Belgian Style Lamp
Kendall Skirted Dining Chair
White Charleston Sofa
Scrubbed Wood 5-Light Chandelier
Arched Champagne Wall Mirror
Moravian Star 1-Light Pendant
Highback Armchair
Mini Pendant Light
White Vase Set
Round Woven Placemat Set
Cashmere Throw With Fringe
Wreath Doormat
Fireclay Farm Sink (Reinhard, 30″)
White Waffle Coverlet
Light Grey Vienna Quilt
Boheme Madera Bench
Belgian Linen Duvet Set
Round Marble Side Table
Rustic Pedestal Farm Table
Rattan Hanging Chair Swing