The Best French Country Paint Colors from Sherwin Williams & Benjamin Moore

Quite impressive, right?

I’m sure you also have a piece of furniture whose look doesn’t fit your taste anymore, or which you find a bit overbearing.

Yes, look carefully.

It could be in your attic, garage, or even in your living room.

Or you may have something less bulky, like a picture frame, a small shelf, a vase, or a lamp you don’t like anymore.

I challenge you to pick one and repaint it.

It’s very simple and you’ll wonder why you haven’t done it before!

I promise I’ll show you how in a few seconds.

But I want you to already have one target in mind

So how to create a French country paint style effect?

Here are a few tips.

Furniture that fits the French Country style has light and muted colors.

The easiest is to choose neutral colors, you’re almost sure not to go wrong!

But if you want to add a touch of color to your room, choose a light green, pale pink, french blue, lavender… Anything soft and subtle.

I promised you it was going to be easy, and it will be.

As long as you use chalk paint.

Sherwin Williams & Benjamin Moore paints are great for walls but are less suitable for the vintage finish we want for French furniture and decor.

So, what is chalk paint?

It’s a decorative paint known for its chalky appearance, perfect to give the furniture vintage and rustic touch.

It differs from traditional paint in several ways: it doesn’t require any prep work, you can use it on pieces that have cracks or a lot of details and it’s less likely to drip.

Also, chalk paint is water-based so it’s easier to manage.

To paint my pieces of furniture, I use this paint.

It’s very easy to use, and affordable, and the colors are perfect for a French country look.

I highly recommend it.

To keep it easy, you’ll need to choose suitable brushes and wax.

If it’s the first time you plan to use this kind of paint, no need to rack your brain.

Simply order this essentials paint kit, in which everything is included: the paint, the wax, the 2 brushes, and sanding pads.

All you have to do is choose your color (my favorite ones are french blue, lilac grey, bliss, farmhouse beige, petit chateau, linen, and antique white).

Easy-peasy.

French Country furniture looks as if it has survived years of wear and tear with worn-off spots and imperfections.

But you don’t have to wait decades for your furniture to look old.

The idea is to simulate a weathered finish.

How? With a distressing technique.

You just need to use sandpaper, and rub away the topcoat on areas that typically receive the most use, including drawer fronts, table legs, corners, edges…

But since a video is worth a thousand words, here’s a short one explaining the technique.

It doesn’t look so scary, does it?

To motivate you to get started, here’s the before/after of our dining room, all furniture pieces have been painted with chalk paint and we’re delighted with the result!