French country colors can transform a drab, unexciting décor into one of sunshine and romance.
French Country Colors
If you wonder what colors are considered French Country, all you have to do is take a look at a French hillside. Since the color palette for French Country is taken from nature, lavender is an obvious first choice to reflect the rolling lavender fields that are synonymous with the French countryside. It's no wonder that this is one of the first colors many people think of when it comes to French Country colors, followed by a soft green. These classic colors were historically used in French country homes and can blend well with your modern life and most furniture styles.
The Look
As with other design styles, there are certain motifs and design aspects that readily identify French Country. The color palette is the most recognizable part of this design. Artists have painted the various hues of the French countryside for centuries, and country homes have played an important role in this design theme.
Making a Color Palette
If you wish to create your own French Country palette of colors to use in your home instead of opting for a readymade color palette at your local paint store, then you should start with purples. Other colors in your palette include poppy red, sunflower yellow gold, sky blue, spring green, and other colors.
- Hues of Purple and Blue : The lavender flower is the starting point for your color selections and can range from a brilliant medium hue to a soft delicate pale color. Blue is also a favorite color choice that mimics the brilliant blue skies that canopy lavender fields. Don't be afraid to experiment with varying hues throughout your décor. Try mixing three hues of purple throughout your home. Start with a medium hue for the walls, trimmed in a crisp white. Next, add lighter purple hues in varying accent points. If you don't want lavender colored walls, then try a table in a kitchen breakfast area painted in a deep lavender hue with a distressed finished. Sharply contrast the table with a lighter lavender hue of equally distressed dining chairs. You may go with a bolder look by using different colored chairs, such as yellow, white and green. Add chair cushions in a green and purple pattern. A window seat is an ideal opportunity to use a mix of purple hues in a floral pattern with solid and stripe pillows. Add a splash of yellow and white to complete the look. If you prefer a blue palette over a purple one, then you can still introduce purple hues with various accent pieces.
- Yellow and White: Two accent colors that can be used to break up the varying hues of purple or blue are yellow and white. You may opt for a very pale yellow or prefer to use a wider range of yellow hues starting with a sunflower or jonquil yellow. This varying of color from light to dark adds depth and interest to your décor.
- Keep It Green: Green is a great anchor color for your French Country palette of colors. When the wind drifts over a lavender field, the green stems and long pointed leaves that support the blossoms are revealed. You can reflect this underlying strength of green in your home décor.
- Shades of Brown: Don't forget the colors of dried lavender. A classic picture of a French country home is one of herbs being cured by suspending them from the kitchen ceiling beams. Dried lavender offers you a different type of color palette from the freshly growing fields. If you want softer colors in your home, then opt for this family of hues. Instead of crisp white as an accent color, you may prefer an ecru or a light tan.
- Red and Pink: Red poppy fields are another classic picture of the French countryside and provide more color choices for your French country designs. Splashes of red or pink can be used either throughout your home or as a special accent color choice for a bedroom or dining room. These colors also have a wide range of hues from brilliant poppy red to soft dreamy pink. When these colors are mixed with various French Country textures like rough-hewed wood beams or rustic dark tables and flooring, they create a dramatic design statement. You can also add softer and less dramatic colors to your décor for a truly lived-in and authentic design.
Many Color Choices Available
As you can see, you have quite a large choice of colors that you can use in your French Country design. Whether you decide to use this design style throughout your home or as a new look for your master bedroom or kitchen, you can easily transform the look and feel of your home with any of these country-inspired colors.
