The Provencal bathroom is a bathroom facing south and nature, with warm and soft colors. All the regional codes can be found there. It must be harmonious, synonymous with well-being, comfort, and plenitude.

The materials and colors used are very important to stick to the style. We can globally identify two trends: the “bastide” trend, tone on tone, very softly, and the trend “Provencal tradition”, more colorful.

Which materials should be used in a Provencal bathroom?

Natural materials

Stone is a fundamental part of the decoration in the Provencal bastide style bathrooms. In sand and white tones, it is used on the walls, the floor, the plans of basins, etc… It gives a warm and very natural look.

Note: there are for example tiles made of travertine, a sedimentary limestone rock treated for water features. They symbolize certain durability with their ancient patinas.

On the wall

The walls were traditionally whitewashed. The ideal is to keep this technique. There are now modern products that are very similar in texture, such as effect coatings or “tadelakt” style matt waxed concrete. The tones remain in white and stone.
The friezes, if there are to be any, must remain sober and harmonize with the decoration.

On the floor

Floors are still traditionally made of terracotta tiles, small tiles that are very resistant, but difficult to maintain because they are porous. They will have to be treated (if they are handmade) to make them water repellent, otherwise, time will tarnish them and they may even crumble. No maintenance problem with large tiles in sand and white tones, if you opt for this solution, which is always very effective.

Decorating tip: choose large tiles (60 cm × 60 cm for example) which help to enlarge the room.

Furniture and sanitary facilities in a Provençal bathroom

Wooden furniture

Wood, natural and warm, is ideal in a Provencal bathroom. It can be used for vanity units, columns, shelves, etc. You can choose solid European wood, such as oak or Robinia, or exotic wood, such as teak, which is naturally rot-proof.
Small wrought iron occasional furniture can also complete the decor.

Note: Choose a piece of furniture with an FSC label, which guarantees that the wood comes from a sustainably managed forest.

Natural sanitary facilities

The white basins, to be posed or to be embedded, are timeless classics that will be integrated into all supports. They are reminiscent of the porcelain basins of yesteryear with a lot of charm.

Stone basins also work very well. It is a noble, elegant, and natural material, which fits as well in the charming decor of a Provencal bathroom as in a design bathroom. There are very beautiful models cut directly in the mass, a little more expensive, but with a rough aspect on the outside walls, very adapted to the “bastide” style.

For even more originality, recover an old marble stoup

Decorating tip: play with tones and materials. If your basin is white, combine it with colored or textured support (wooden furniture or basin top). On the contrary, for discreet basin support, enhance it with a basin with more character.

Lighting and colors for a Provencal bathroom

In a Provençal bathroom, light is the order of the day. A beautiful chandelier will provide general lighting, while a few wall lights scattered in strategic places in the room will illuminate the basins and decorative elements.

Colors to favor in a Provencal bathroom

In a Provencal bathroom, light colors are in the spotlight.
Bright colors such as ochre (yellow/orange), yellow, lavender-blue, olive green are perfect. But it is of course a base that can be changed.

However, avoid falling into the cliché “all Provencal”. Do not overload with friezes such as olives, olive branches, wheat sheaves, lavender baskets, or poppy bouquets, which are commonly found in Provencal decoration. Similarly, put only two colors at most and in small touches, so as not to overload the room, and avoid walls entirely yellow or blue.

Decorating tip: To give a more contemporary touch and “break” a bit the Provencal code, choose for example plain tiles (20 cm × 20 cm) in all colors (not just ochre, blue and green) for your vanity top and its credenza, and counterbalance these colors with immaculate walls and floor.

What kind of decoration in a Provencal bathroom?

General organization

Your Provencal bathroom should not look like a city bathroom. It is even the opposite. It generally has beautiful proportions, which allow you to accommodate a bathtub, an Italian shower, and furniture accordingly.

The Provençal bathroom is also a sunny room, ideally with a large window, or even several whose orientation is to benefit from the morning sun.

Decoration and accessories

A few decorative elements can breathe a marine spirit into the Provençal bathroom: model boats, shells, pebbles, etc.

As for small accessories, such as towels, soap dishes, trash cans, and baskets, they will be chosen to recall nature, with materials such as wicker for example. They alone can give the desired Provencal spirit if the rest of the bathroom is neutral.

Are you looking for a professional?

You can find elements for a Provençal bathroom in specialized bathroom design stores, DIY stores, decoration stores, sanitaryware vendors, and on the Internet. You can also visit the website of the Capital Construction Group. They are experts with 30 years of industry experience in home and bathroom renovation.