Bathrooms have become a place of art and beauty. With open showers that host massaging shower systems and vanities of furniture quality, the French country style is gaining popularity as a refreshing decor. Remodeling a very basic bathroom can add value to your home’s worth.
Whether you are planning a tear-out or just updating an existing look, there are many features of a French country bathroom design that can make an uplifting difference. There is an easy way to have the modern convenience of modern mixers, like French country, contemporary, and traditional, along with a lot of personalities when the right choices get made.
Follow these fresh ideas for big and little French country bathroom accessories and begin enjoying your favorite room.
Bathroom Fixtures
Bathroom fixtures are permanent features that are not easily removed. A toilet, a new tub, a bathroom faucet, or a full shower system are examples of bathroom fixtures. This can be your greatest expense because of wiring and plumbing to re-establish connections.
A great way to work within a limited budget is to keep fixtures in the same area as those removed. This may not be possible if you have dreams of a clawfoot tub or if you require major construction. Think about refinishing an existing tub and replacing the old faucet with a modern stylish model. Refinish the walls in a neutral color with fresh new paint or hexagonal tiles and add crown molding.
Redesigning an existing shower with colorful tiles and designs and adding pulsating shower heads for a nice massage can make an enormous difference at a lower price. However, if you’ve set your heart on a roomy, state-of-the-art shower, take your time in selecting from the wide array of period-inspired shower options. This is a huge financial step, but one that will bring increased value to your home.
If you have the square footage, a freestanding bathtub can add instant elegance to a master bath. Don’t be afraid to install a dimmable royal sconce on each end of the wall. Positioned under windows and installing a dramatic light source, it will feel like the best place on earth after a long day. Place a great fixture, like a great antique pedestal sink across the room and add a tall linen cabinet that takes up little space. Splurge on a wall mount royale faucet for a little bit of extra charm.
Bathroom Fittings
Items like wall cabinets, mirrors, and accessories make up the category of bathroom fittings. This is where a beautiful French country flair can bring a lot of personality to the room. For example, a vintage brass new tub spout and traditional two-tap faucet with white porcelain knobs can make an eye-catching period style stand out.
Regardless of what type of vanity you have, you can add a royal presence with vintage mirrors. Choose an irregular shape or a rectangular mirror that has a wide trim of weathered metal or wood. A historical home can look regal with Elizabethan classics of scrolls or motifs as a header while distressed wood will work for a more rustic style.
Freestanding cabinets and wall cabinets are making a comeback with the popularity of French country decor. Natural materials bring an old-world charm and texture to a plain bathroom. A clear glass medicine cabinet mounted above the toilet can provide extra room for small bathrooms and satin nickel accents give a contemporary presence.
This is also a great place to keep machine-washable towels. Wicker home storage baskets are also great options for extra supplies. These look great when set on the floor or tucked on an open shelf of furniture pieces. Use your imagination and create a 19th-century period-style makeup station with old-fashioned dressing table globe lights. A covered underskirt will mix well with modern and old.
Customize to your Taste
Some contractors specialize in designing a French country kitchen or a bath. For instance, wanting a tub and a deluxe shower system is possible with the right design and talent. By placing a soaking tub/shower combo in a corner, you can still keep the best of both worlds. Marble tiles with rich blue and gray tones in furniture are one of the easiest ways of incorporating limited space.
Customizing also allows your modern mentality to go into overdrive. You can address slight annoyances such as never having the right degree of hot water or icy cold water with your contractor during this process.
Small Significant Accessories
Never believe that the smallest details are insignificant in the weight of French country design. Everything from a soap dish and toothbrush holder to a new toilet paper holder has a place in the air of tradition of French country collections. Your biggest concern should be how the color scheme flows with adjoining rooms and if your bathroom decor speaks of French country.
The primary color of a neutral base on the walls and hardwood floors will make a big difference as you begin the redo of your own bathroom. Either stay with light colors or use a bold different color for accent in vanities and cabinets or on one wall.
Any wall decor of antique styling will advertise bolts of good design. For instance, a small ornate historical-style cross of gold antique finish will catch the historical eye of Victorian design with the most authenticity. A mere fraction of French in a good place shows you have paid attention to little details of your chosen style.
Use a sturdy shower curtain rod and hang a new shower curtain that uses a similar style to your new towels that you wish to feature on the towel rack. Consider a smaller towel bar beside the vanity to hold a fingertip towel for convenience. This is a good place for using the right accessories in decorating a guest bathroom.
Don’t forget about the tiniest of details in bathroom hardware. A modern toilet trip lever and finishing touches of flowers, ceramic jars, and glass items will round out your French country bathroom with color and style. Begin with your budget and colors when planning your project. Slight changes can have a relatively large impact on your bathroom’s French country atmosphere.
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Karen Garton, Senior Writer
Experienced Writer with 20+ years. Demonstrated writing experience includes technical writing, magazines, story writing, and journalist projects. Karen has a powerful media and communication background with academic training from LaSalle University (architecture, interior design) and business college courses. She loves editing novels and contributed to a national art journal. See her detailed profile on Our Team page.
