French Country Bathroom Design

Inspired by the relaxed but elegant style found in the French country estates of the 18th and 19th centuries, French country bathroom design features a soothing combination of comfort, romance and style.

If you're considering adding a French country bathroom design to your home, the first element you'll want to plan is the color scheme. This aspect of the design will help you decide on things like wall and accessory colors, and it will help to unite the overall approach thematically. Common colors for French country kitchens are soft blues, browns, yellows and greens — natural and earth tones, as well as gentle yet lively colors, work well with this simultaneously refined and relaxed style. Colors can be deployed via wall paint, flooring and countertops, or accessories, and you may choose to incorporate a primary color throughout the design, or to mix and match a selection of colors that work well together.

One of the trademarks of French country bathrooms is a cabinet style that's often described as "furniture." This style generally incorporates cutouts, crown molding or ornate raised woodworking, making it resemble cabinetry that might be seen on dressers, armoires or other antique furniture pieces. French country bathroom cabinets may emulate a furniture design, or, in some cases, homeowners may choose to incorporate actual antique furniture into the design. For example, an antique dresser can be deployed as a dressing or makeup table, or it could be reconfigured for use as a sink cabinet.

Furniture can be a key component of a French country bathroom design. Chairs and benches are often antiques or antique replicas in the style of pieces from the time period, which means they often borrow from Victorian and other Old World styles, with ornately carved arms and legs and tufted seats. These may be combined with more down-to-earth designs for benches or dressing tables, which can reflect a country style with the use of natural, unfinished wood or distressed antiques for a lived-in and well-used feel.

When it comes to accessories and decorative flourishes for your French country bathroom, you'll have plenty of attractive and functional options. Storage is an important aspect of any bathroom design, and it's an opportunity to add some country style to your bathroom, as well. Wicker or wire baskets, or natural wood shelving or storage units can offer a casual, country approach and combine well with the more formal aspects of the space, such as furniture-style cabinets or antique pieces.

For the walls in your French country bathroom design, you'll have the option of focusing on a primary color scheme or incorporating other design elements like wallpaper or tilework. Wallpaper can be a great addition to this bathroom style, as it can feature pastoral or natural scenes in period-accurate designs like toile.