French Country ColorsSoft and Milky or Strong and VibrantFrench country colors include the full color spectrum. The palette ranges from vibrant and strong, to pale and neutral, including the whites that Madame de Pompadour and Marie-Antoinette so loved. But the French, true to their individualistic style, interpret color in their own subtle way. Paler colors are milky but still have depth - strong colors are vibrant but not shouting.
 Traditionally Country French colors were reliant on each region's local color pigments. For painting walls and furniture each region would use their local ingredients to make pigments for color recipes. Traditional recipes included:
In France weather and natural light play an important roll in influencing decorative color choices. Light is paler in the cooler northern areas opposed to the warm, southern Mediterranean part of the country. In the sunny south tones are stronger and more definite, reflecting the surrounding landscape's sharp contrasts. Think of bright sunshine, clear blue skies, yellow sunflowers, lavender, olives and grapes, not forgetting the turquoise Mediterranean sea. Although French Country colors which echo the south are strong, they are always in harmony, have depth and character and evoke warmth and interest. Think of
The soft, cool colors found more north of the country seem to have a subtle undertone of gray. In the cooler northern regions of France the landscape is vastly different from the sunny south. In the north winters are cold and summers are mild. Colors used are pale and limpid echoing the northern skies and its play of light on the the terrain. However, these colors will be anything but boring. Having depth and character they are designed to alter in different lights and to compliment and enhance other elements in the room. Think of
 Gray Sheds Its Dreary ReputationGray is a much favored French Country color all on its own. However, we are not talking about brutal mortar colored gray here, but a subtle and soft gray, with a blue or pink base. Soft antique yellow gray is also common. Antique painted furniture will most often be in subtle shades of gray.Gray teamed with creamy white is a very sophisticated look. On a visit to Versailles in 1771, Crown Prince Gustav III of Sweden saw how the French used the color gray in their decor and loved it so much that he took the idea back to Sweden, hence the delicate gray painted furniture of the Swedish Gustavian style.
Tips for Country French Colors
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French Country Walls
French Country Accessories
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