These Gentle Modern French Paint Colors shared by the designer/homeowner years ago continue to resonate with followers. Since it was a new build, there’s a harmony with the palette inside and out. Beautiful pale and warm stone on the exterior set a quiet tone for the interiors.
Modern French Paint Colors & Design Inspo
While the color story will be the star in this post, also enjoy plenty of resources to learn more of the look yourself.
Design/Photos: Brit Jones Design Architect: Tyler Gentry Builder: Scott Lane Homes
If you happen to be designing a new home or gearing up for a renovation, this may indeed be helpful. But even if you’re simply freshening up interior walls as you begin a new year, here’s a lovely place to begin.
I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.
Pale & Understated French Country Palette
Where to begin when you know yours will be a neutral, natural, pale, and warm palette?
My advice is to tackle the challenge of choosing the main neutral color. This will involve sampling perhaps many options that are similar to arrive at the one just right for your unique context.
You can’t be sure with confidence if you quickly view a small swatch of a paint color whether it will play nice with the exposure, lighting, and changing light through the day.
Maybe there’s a design feature or belonging you own that is just the right color.
View samples with that item or if it is moveable, take it with you to color match it at the paint counter for a sample.
Additionally, as you build a color story, be sure to start with the mood and atmosphere you wish to create. Will it be calming and restorative? Energizing? Mysterious? Rich and moody?
Exterior Neutral Paint Schemes
Don’t these duck egg blue rustic wooden shutters look weathered and rich with patina?
I have experience designing custom shutters just like these. Even when I was sure I had selected the proper paint color for them, it wasn’t long before I changed them. Fortunately, that is a much simpler task than repainting exterior siding.
Modern French Blue Green Color Ideas
Peel and stick samples work great when you’re selecting a just right hue for trim, but do remember the swatch is likely to appear much bolder on its own since the color will get washed out by sunlight.
Since the shutter color here is custom, these options will create a similar mood.
After all, even if we knew the exact color, it likely would not be the perfect choice for your own project since the lighting is unique.
For this reason, even if these duck egg blues seem very close as you view them on your screen here, it makes sense to sample a handful. You’ll notice their subtle differences and how they interact with natural light.
Aqua can be such a romantic, feminine, tranquil, coastal look. Whether you live in a coastal area or not, these colors suggest the beauty of sea and sky.
Sherwin-Williams Sealskin 7675: Exterior Trim & Doors
Should you need a rich, natural chocolate brown, this is the exact one from our inspiration home here. It features both taupe and green undertones.
Another rich brown possibility is this designer favorite:
But what if you want less green undertone?
Many readers have asked about these garage doors. They will likely involve a master craftsperson to create.
Isn’t it refreshing to see garage doors that are beautiful? So often this expansive design element is forlorn and too prominent to not notice!
Modern French Architectural Details
Among the handsome architectural elements to admire here are stone, brick, stucco, and rustic shutters. The eyebrow dormers, steel windows, and repeated arches are also standout features.
Windows: The exact windows are Pella Aluminum clad in Bronze.
Lanterns: Troy – Larchmont in Aged Pewter:
Brick: Mangum Brick in Country French color with white mortar.
Doors: 10 feet tall black steel with glass.
Roof: Tamco – Thunderstorm Grey.
Stone: Castlerock Stone mix of cream and white, with white mortar.
Idea for Painted Brick Exterior
Slurry Washed Brick
For this new build, an alternative stucco is applied to the brick exterior. A brick slurry or brick mortar slurry involves hand-applying product. This one has a custom tan finish.
Slurry treatments are not the same as simply painting or whitewashing brick.
Brick Restoration describes the slurry here:
“Slurry…is done by completely coating the area with a thick layer. Slurry uses the same materials as a German Smear but differs in the application. With a slurry there is full coverage of the masonry producing a stucco-type look but still allows the brick texture to show through. Typically, slurries are done with slightly tanner mortar colors. This is an excellent way to achieve the stucco look without the maintenance and cost of traditional stucco.”
Paint Color Ideas for Painted Brick?
If it is a similar paint color to this slurry that you’re seeking, peek at warm white exterior paints such as below and here. Here are options similar to the modern French home here:
Remember that your home’s exposure is likely different than this home’s so you’ll want to sample several possibilities. SEE THIS POST ABOUT BM BALBOA MIST and also this story with exterior colors to better understand differences between how a swatch looks on a screen or on a card and how it appears in natural light.
You’ll want to view samples at different times of day to avoid surprises as well. Also, when you gather similar samples together, you’ll notice when viewing them up close they actually vary quite a bit. When I view a swatch of Eider White on my computer screen, it looks quite different than in person. In person, it has pink undertones, very flattering to my own complexion color but possibly all wrong for yours.
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Modern French Interior Paint Ideas
SW Alabaster 7008
Picking one main color for all or most interior walls simplifies many matters. It also adds a bit of pressure if you’re the chooser! For this home, Brit Jones chose SW Alabaster 7008 with its greenish undertones.
This is the sort of creamy white I love when strong sunlight is present. Here are a couple warm white possibililities to sample:
You can see how much more yellow Glacier White is than a color like Spare White below:
Isn’t the entry calm and gentle despite the steel doors and hardware?
Sconces: Aidan Gray – Joni; Chandelier: Aidan Gray Musa Carved Arm; French armchair options: find HERE.
European commode options: find HERE; Flooring: Hill Country Innovations (Cape Cod Oak).
Need Suggestions for Interior Door Colors?
If you love the gentleness of the color on this bedroom’s sliding door, you are probably after more of a wash than a solid paint color.
For the exact finish of this pale aqua color, the designer custom mixed four Annie Sloan chalk paints including Old White, Duck Egg Blue, French Linen, and Coco. (Bear in mind Annie Sloan changes color formulations from time to time!).
After consulting a local Annie Sloan stockist, I learned about Annie Sloan Svenska Blue…a gorgeous Nordic-inspired color that is closer to what “duck egg” means to me.
You could subdue this blue color with any number of warm whites including Old White above.
Getting the Exact Custom Wash Shown Here?
It’s worth taking your time to arrive at a custom hue that suits you. It can also be fun and an adventure! Just be sure to get very mad scientist about it and write down the precise proportions as you experiment. When you find the perfect tone, be sure to mix up enough for the project so you won’t have to rely on future batches which a little off.
Here is an example of a combination:
Another possibility to get muted blue-grey-green? Mix several beautiful chalk paints together for a custom color all your own.
Romantic Country French Understated Bedroom
Large Chandelier: Wood Carved Chandelier; Smaller Chandelier (in same French country spirit): find HERE.
Bed Skirt: find HERE. Sliding barn door is painted is hand-painted a custom mix of Annie Sloan chalk paint colors (see explanation above).
Linen upholstered ottoman: find HERE; Wall paint color: SHERWIN WILLIAMS Alabaster. French bedside tables: find HERE; Similar table lamp: find HERE.
Similar chandeliers HERE.
Sophisticated Airy Great Room
Warm White Kitchen With Chicago Brick
The kitchen in this new build has so many Old World finishes to admire.
Even the brick feels subtle!
An elegant custom range hood feels sculptural and feminine.
What a view from the kitchen window! It’s not everyday you get to enjoy pretty rustic French exterior shutters from inside!
Old World style fixtures like the faucet are harmonious with the traditional French country kitchen’s timeless style.
Copper accents which are so very French, echo the tones of the Chicago brick.
Somehow these large lanterns feel weightless and light with the lofty ceiling.
Exact Grey Paint Color for Pantry
This blue grey trim illustrates how you should look in the grey range of colors rather than blues which can go terribly wrong.
Don’t you love seeing trim that isn’t white? Easiest way to see if a color is right? Order samples with Samplize and have them delivered straight to your door.
Learn the Look of This Modern French Kitchen
Dining Table: Reclaimed Pine Table; Bench: Hand-finished and Distressed Pine Bench. Single handle kitchen faucet: Danze – Opulence; White Gardenia dish soap and collection: FIND HERE. Bar Faucet: Danze Opulence and find a similar option HERE as well. Cabinet hardware: Jeffrey Alexander; Copper cookware: Find HERE; Backsplash: reclaimed Chicago brick…options HERE; Countertop: honed Arabescato marble. Paint color: SHERWIN WILLIAMS Alabaster; Cabinet hardware: Jeffrey Alexander. Custom range hood: created on site; Lantern: Feiss – Galloway; Similar Wingback Chair: HERE and HERE. Here’s a wingback chair I love: FIND HERE. Side Chairs: Round Back Linen Chairs. Floors: Hill Country Innovations Cape Cod Oak.
Reclaimed Chicago Brick
When I learned about reclaimed Chicago brick (sliced thin so it may be tiled like regular tile) years ago, there were only a couple of suppliers. Now you can even find sliced brick at big box hardware stores! Find an option HERE.
Brick Flooring in Utility Room
What a great place to use this material!
Rosy Pink Accents in a Bedroom
Pale pink accents star in a feminine, light as cotton candy, kids room.
Gilded accents feel right at home even though they are fancy!
Distressed White Chandelier: idea HERE.
Wall paint color: SHERWIN WILLIAMS Alabaster. Pink Bedding: Soft Rose – Pottery Barn.
Weathered Wood Ceiling
I admire the unfussy, under-baked look of this den.
Learn the Look: Modern French Colors in a Den
Sconce: HERE, similar wall sconce: find HERE; Flooring: reclaimed Chicago brick.
Wall paint color: SHERWIN WILLIAMS Alabaster.
Ceiling: a mix of reclaimed wood and new cedar.
Learn the Look: Modern French Paint Colors & Bathroom Resources
These timeless country French bathrooms while traditional, have appeal that won’t soon fall from favor.
What a difference a pretty mirror makes!
I’m also reminded of the luxury that building a new house…any house…affords. You can place a window in the perfect spot for flattering light in the bath.
This chandelier is everything!
More Bathroom Shopping Resources
Nickel Wall Sconce: find HERE; Bathroom paint color: SHERWIN WILLIAMS Alabaster; Chandelier in Master: Terracotta Lighting “Ballerina”.
Another Brit Jones Project
Check out this amazing design reveal for a happy client!
Direct your questions about this home’s design to Brittany Jones Design should you need help bringing your own French inspired interiors to life!
Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
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