Just a survey for today because yesterday’s post was so long.

I am trying to figure out what YOU prefer for Fridays….

Five on Friday where I write about five random topics or Friday Favorites where I write more about one topic.
Thank you!!

In this post – what color to paint a Provence French style house??

The time to paint the exterior of our house is around the corner…. and I am trying to pick out what color to choose!!

I’ve created this post as an inspiration and perhaps some of you readers may have some suggestions for me!!

Now, remember, my house is a Provence inspired house – think French Mediterranean not Haussmann Paris!

Provence has bright colors.  My friends who were just recently there said all of the new houses are painted in a deeper yellow – the older ones are a faded yellow.

I have tried color matching pictures via easyrgb.  It always picks up the shutter color and not the building color. Grrr!

I do really like the colors below.

source Cote de Texas

I do fear that it may turn too peachy orange. I don’t really want a peachy house. Or do I? Look how pretty this one is below.

Now a lot of the French houses just have their stone painted over – making the color a little different then painting onto stucco!

via Sharon Santoni

 Other houses are all stone without any paint. I tried not to include those in my pictures!

via Provence Poiriers

The houses also leans towards pink!

It seems to be either – yellow houses with blue shutters or pink houses with green shutters! Stone houses have white shutters or lighter blue-gray shutters.

Husband says NO pink house. Okay fine, but I’ll still include pictures!

Monet’s house in Giverny.

via French Larkspur

Penelope Bianchi’s house, love all of those gorgeous vines!

Penelope Bianchi’s beautiful house  via House Beautiful

Love this house too, but I have to remind myself, no pink no pink.

Frederic Fekkai’s home via Architectural Digest

Below is a new build with more cream and grey-blue shutters. However, this house could actually be yellow but with the bright sun it fades out!

via Finton Construction

I really like the color of Sharon Santoni’s house although can’t figure out the color!

Sharon Santoni’s pretty house –

Then there’s Vicki Archer’s gorgeous house too!

Vicki Archer’s Mas de Berard

I found these two color boards from the French Provincial Furniture blog.

They matched colors of Provence to Farrow and Ball colors.

They just seem so bright to me!  I am a little nervous painting the house so bright.

Sherwin Williams created this historic color palette for the restoration of the French Quarter in New Orleans.  I cannot find a larger picture of this anywhere but I think these would be the correct colors, right?

I read somewhere that the proper French yellow is that of mustard – Grey Poupon mustard color, not French’s!

Below are two color samples on our house.

I am told the yellow WILL fade in the sun – so picking a brighter color now is okay because it will fade somewhat.  Below they are in the shade – in full sunlight they do wash out some.

Top color is BM Hawthorne Yellow HC-4. Bottom color is BM Fresh Butter 290.  We preferred the top color to the bottom color – the bottom color, Fresh butter seemed too… buttery!

Also considering (all colors are Benjamin Moore) Weston Flax HC-5 and Windham Cream HC-6 , Provence Creme 2021-60, golden honey 297, somerset peach 163moonlight 2020-60, fresh butter 290.

provence cream 2021-60

hc-6 windham cream

golden honey 297

weston flax hc-5

fresh butter 290

Somerset Peach 163

Valley View 214.

moonlight 2020-60

Now, looking at shutter colors too…

Palladian Blue by BM

Parma Gray by FB

soft chinchilla by BM

What’s odd about these blues on the screen is that they look a lot different in person.

In this post – home decor favorite picks for July

This post contains affiliate links.

Top Row: Iced Drink Dispenser || Berries and Blossoms serving platter  (great for outdoors as it is melamine) || black and white dalmation pillow

Middle Row: Zoku Slush and Shake maker  || Beach towel || Berries and Blossoms dinner plates (also for outside)

Bottom row: BBQ wok || Juliska al fresco goblet || picnic basket

This month I am inspired by the outdoors! Iced drink dispensers for BBQs… 

Serving platters and dinner plates made of melamine so they won’t break outside! 

I also LOVE the Juliska goblet… can you believe it is plastic?? I can’t!

We use a similar BBQ wok for cooking veggies on the grill.

Oh, and let’s talk about the Zoku Slush and Shake maker.   It is AMAZING and makes the best root beer floats EVER. They also have a nice quick pop maker so you can make your own frozen pops and  also mini fish pops that I am sure your kids would love!

Where I Party

Written at http://peoniesandorangeblossoms.blogspot.com

Hey everybody!

I am having to take a Summer hiatus from hosting Thursday Favorite Things.  We’ve got too many things going on this Summer with our house build and Summer trips.  

The party still continues at Katherine’s Corner, so if you would like to link up please head on over and visit Katherine’s Corner.

I should be resuming hosting this Fall. 

Also, I have to put a hiatus on Sip and Shop Saturdays due to also being too busy.  

I’ll still post on my usual Sun, Tues, Friday posting schedule.

If you are wanting more from Peonies and Orange Blossoms, check out my social media pages…

I LOVE Pinterest. 

 Instagram is my personal favorite place to browse pretty pictures.

Facebook – my intent is to bring daily content here and I started updating it this week!

Google plus – a search engine favorite, so I will also be working on sharing on here too!

Sip

Doesn’t this look delicious? It is a Copycat S’mores Frappucino from Greta’s Day.

Shop

Cute cold shoulder top 

Doc Martens Sandal – yes, back in style!

High waist crop leggings from Zella

And a reasonably priced picnic basket! 

In this post – features from Thursday Favorite Things, a weekly link party starring YOU, our bloggers!

I enjoy the posts you all link up every week!  I think you all must be busy traveling, as we have a few less posts than usual!  Well, I was traveling too!  We went to the Redwoods this weekend and it was so peaceful and pretty! 

Catherine at Hill View Embroidery shared this beautiful Jacobean Crewelwork that she made an official assessment… I think it is so beautiful! I don’t know much about how to make the crewelwork but I love the antique ones!

Sarah at Hyacinth’s for the Soul shared her Garden Tour

Jennifer at Busy Being Jennifer shared these Chia Bumbleberry Pastries. 

Jackie at Review, Chews and How-Tos shared her 3 Days in Paris

Organic Garden Dreams shared a trip to Whitcombe House in the Cotswolds

We love all of your posts and enjoy visiting you – there is something for everyone at this party!

Don’t forget to check out our Thursday Favorite Things Pinterest Board!  

I pin my features for the week to our board as well as many others! Make sure your posts have a high quality picture that screams “pin me!”

The party starts on THURSDAYS at 6AM PST! 

Please take the time to stop by ALL of your hostesses!

If the link party doesn’t load right away, just click “An InLinkz Link-up” Below.

An InLinkz Link-up

Sip

Sip on this honey-sweetened limeade with strawberries! yum! Get the recipe at Foolproof Living here. 

This post contains affiliate links.

Shop

cocktail dress from Elizabeth Kennedy 

Metallic Birkenstocks

colorful monogram necklace

Alex and Ani to the moon bracelet

Anthropologie Bee tieback

In this Post- Get the De Gournay and Gracie Wallpaper Look for Less!

This post may contain affiliate links.

I love De Gournay and Gracie wallpaper – what’s not to like about it?

design by Karol Banhart

What I don’t love is the price.

I thought, there has got to be some cheaper alternatives that will get you the look for less…

so I went off on a hunt.

And I found similar wallpapers! These get you the same look for less! I’m so excited!

I rounded them up here for you.

You are welcome. This was hours of research.

Mural Sources

Graham and Brown

Tempaper

York Tropical Floral

Schumacher Madame du Pompadour

Winter Birds by Cole & Son and Anthropologie

Brunschwig and Fils Kanchou Wave

eBay dealer

Thibaut Giselle

Cole & Son Fontainebleau

Schumacher Mary McDonald Chinois Palais

Of course, then you see, they are not *quite* the same as the original, are they?

Cheaper Chinoiserie wallpaper alternatives to Gracie and De Gournay!

See my other Chinoiserie inspired posts:

All posts tagged with Chinoiserie.

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