Bathroom Design Idea: French Flair

This French-style bath is full of enchanting details.

There's no mistaking the French influence in this bathroom design. Refined but not stuffy, it's filled with élan and a quintessentially chic spirit.

Enlisting the spirit of Cinderella or perhaps Marie Antoinette, this bathroom has a distinctly coquettish air. Faux accents are at their finest here, such as the painted drapery rod and swathe over the door that complements the faux drapery on the vanity mirror.

Filled with beguiling details, this powder room looks like it's straight out of a French fairy tale from the 1700s. The gilded wood mirror frame is echoed in the faux-painted drapery above the door. A hand-painted sink adds panache.

What's key to keeping these decorating ideas from becoming cliché? Sophisticated, largely neutral color schemes confined to a palette of white, cream, tan, brown, and black, plus a hint of old rose.

Using a style or period to inform your bathroom design usually results in a room that's filled with charm and personality. See the next page to find an even more romantic bathroom.