The Ultimate Guide to Parisian Bathroom Decor

In French, the bathroom is referred to as “la salle de bain” and it is more than just about functionality. The Parisian-style bathroom is meant to be a sanctuary of sorts, a place where you can be free from the bustle of the world, and restore yourself with nightly rituals of self-care and personal hygiene. As such, it is a place of style, comfort, beauty, and luxury.

Your typical Parisian bathroom is decked out with only the finest high-quality materials, emphasizing beauty and quality with unique colors and timeless designs. Fortunately, it is possible to recreate this wonderful setup even if you do not live in France, so long as you bear in mind some important details that define the Paris bathroom decor style.

What is a Parisian Bathroom?

Style and functionality merge in Parisian bathroom decor.

The French Parisian style is a timeless aesthetic that is relatively easy to emulate wherever you live thanks to the advent of the big box store and online delivery services that allow you to buy nearly any kind of merchandise from all corners of the globe. Another reason this is an easy style to recreate is that French stuff, in general, remains quite popular, and so this makes the things you need to recreate the style even easier to find.

Paris decor bathrooms are a beautiful balance of functionality and style, filled with vintage touches, architectural flourishes, and natural materials that give everything the trademark of sophistication. 

Key Elements of Parisian Style

If you are in love with Paris-themed bathroom decor and how to bring it into your bathroom, there are some key elements to take stock of as you embark on this project. This style will do more than simply revamp your bathroom, but will reimagine it from the ground up. It is for this reason that it is so important to look at these various aspects and details of how it will all come together. By keeping true to these design tips you can reproduce the timeless and elegant Parisian style in your very own salle de bain. 

Flooring

Marble is the most deluxe material you can get for your Parisian bathroom.

The typical Parisian bathroom has floors composed either of wood, tiles, or marble if you're aiming for the most luxurious bathroom possible. Parquet wood floors are a good choice here because they inject some warmth into the space, giving it texture and personality. However, tiles tend to be more popular nowadays since they are far more impervious to moisture. In France, cement tiles are seen as a perfect option because they are easy to style in any color or shape you would like.

Of course, marble is the ultimate choice for accompanying Paris bathroom decor, and there are other tile choices besides such as mosaic tiles, and terracotta tiles, and they all come with their own host of advantages and disadvantages. At the end of the day, the tiles and marble are going to be more durable and moisture resistant, but their high-quality hardness can also make them a bit colder than wooden options. 

Colors

The definitive colors of a Parisian-style bathroom are typically soft neutral colors such as shades of cream, ivory, vintage white, or even beige. This is a dominant color that is usually present throughout the bathroom. In addition to this, a typical Parisian bathroom will offset these dominant colors with a more vibrant set of colors such as brown, copper, or even gold. A good Paris bathroom decor idea would be one dominated by beige white marble that is offset with gold metal accenting in the light fixtures, bathroom faucets, door handles, soap dispensers, mirror lining, etc.

A balance of tasteful colors makes for the perfect Parisian style bathroom.

Lighting 

One Parisian bathroom essential is lots of lighting. A brightly lit bathroom means all of the subtle design choices come shining through and your chic bathroom decor is plainly visible. This can be achieved with fancy and intricate chandeliers, but increasingly the chandelier is being abandoned for art deco style wall lights since these are sleeker and easier to keep clean.

These simpler light fixtures also allow for more variety and customizability in your light fixtures. Finally, a large window will let in plenty of natural light, further augmenting the brightness of the space and highlighting the Paris bathroom decor, although, of course, a glazed window is a good idea here.

Bathtubs and Showers 

Even as bathtubs are increasingly being thrown out or converted into standing shower stalls for more space-saving, an ornate tub remains one of the central features of a classic Parisian-style bathroom. This bathroom is of course supposed to be a sanctuary of self-care and restoration so it only makes sense to have a beautiful tub you can luxuriate in at the end of a long and trying day.

A clawfoot bathtub is an essential addition to any bathroom.

To truly capture that spa look and feel we recommend going for a premium bathtub with a base of marble or natural stone as this will give the tub a beautiful solid look and feel you can’t get with the standard ceramic. Bonus points if you can find a vintage-style clawfoot bathtub or a pedestal-style tub to go with your Paris bathroom decor.  

Vanities and Mirrors 

Where would the Parisian bathroom be without its vanities? Indeed some of the chicest and most stylish vanities are the French ones and this is no coincidence. Since you’ll spend a significant amount of time using one each day for your glam sessions it only makes sense to have a setup that is finely crafted and beautifully styled. When searching for your vanity, picture a beautiful piece of furniture made with rosewood, topped with marble, accented with brass, and topped with two gold-lined mirrors. 

Accessories

A Parisian bathroom is also a balance of accouterments and practicality in its own way. What this translates to is some accessories, but not too many so as to overwhelm the space with clutter that hides the beautiful details of the bathroom. You’ll likely find some tasteful Paris bathroom decorations like a nice-looking soap dispenser, perhaps a soap dish, a candle or two, a few bath products, and some artisanal perfume bottles. Put simply, minimalism is the best philosophy in this case. It also reduces the amount of storage space needed since the bathroom will contain less stuff.   

Keep accessories at a minimum for your best Parisian aesthetics.

Making Your Bathroom More Luxurious Without Overdoing It

Deliberate and measured design choices make for a truly striking Parisian bathroom.

One thing that has been repeated over and over here is balance, and that’s no accident. This is the defining aspect of a bathroom with Paris decor. It is where the beauty, uniqueness, and charm of this bathroom configuration come from. What this means for your bathroom is that any changes you make should be measured and deliberate. Avoid anything frivolous or redundant, such as excessive accenting on various surfaces, overtly garish materials, or too many accessories.

Instead, every improvement should be balanced, sometimes literally. For example, when adding a new wall light, perhaps add another light on the opposite end, or do the same thing for a piece of decor, allowing for tasteful symmetry throughout the room. Likewise, with the colors of the bathroom your focus should be on keeping everything in measure, meaning not too much of a neutral palette, but nothing too garish either. When all of these measured decisions come together, it will be like a serene symphony of subtle beauty, and that’s the goal. 

What About Parisian Living Rooms? 

Parisian living rooms follow a similar design philosophy.

As with Parisian bathrooms, the appeal of a Parisian living room is that it isn’t going to look like the average living room you see on a stock image website. The unique touches that come with that distinctly French philosophy of sophisticated subtlety are what set this design apart. Here too, the beauty is in a mixture of old vintage touches and some sleeker hints toward minimalism. So if you want to recreate the Parisian look in your living room, we recommend a similar approach of making deliberate and measured choices for the good results that give you a beautiful and unique setup.