I think I'd like 3 4 5 or 6

#2 and then #5....both gorgeous, especially with b&w toile.

I don't think any of the posters relate to the toile pattern. I would do either/or but not both. If you're dead set on the toile, I would find something that related better.

Me - I would do a darker red than shown, the Moulin Rouge poster (with the dogs) and find a different fabric for curtains.....a small diamond pattern that pulled colors from the poster.

I do not like any of them with the toile either. Maybe the Moulin Rouge one, but since your DH has an opinion on the outcome of the room already, it may be to feminine for a Powder room that he and his friends use.

Maybe a French poster that is more sensuous than "girly" without looking like pin-up art? something with a bathing scene? There is French poster art that is vintage photography done in sepia tones showing bathing, and would go with the toile. Maybe something classic by Mack Sennett?

Mack Sennet photos go good with toile:

{{gwi:1751606}}

Maybe something quirky with the red walls and toile for an eclectic look:

JMO but I'd do a deeper red, the toile, and a black and white print. Art is so personal that I hate to suggest but my fav would be #5 as it's less girly.

What is your DH's choice?

I'd like a slightly darker red as well, a little more blue in it, too. I have a great red that I've used in multiple homes for kitchens, dining rooms and baths. It's called "Cabin Red" and I get it at Lowes.

I like the red with the toile, and as for art, if you want a little more fresh updated twist, I like #5. If you want to stay more in period to the toile, I like #1 or 2. The rest are all okay if looking for a bit of whimsy. As several have said, Art is a very personal thing...

I'd get the paint and curtains done first, then decide on the art/accessories. You could always go with a just an interesting old Iron grate, or an interesting salvaged window frame, an interesting shelf, or something else completely unexpected from a flea market... doesn't have to be art...

Have fun with it!

I like #2 and #5 but I'm getting thrown off by the toile, too. I love toile but I'm just not feeling it with the posters.

I'd do either toile with different art (I like the idea of an old grate or something like that) or I'd do one of the posters but choose different fabric.

Oh thanks, this is great! Keep it coming. Anyone else?

To answer some questions: DH likes the travel posters - the boat (1) and the train (6). He also likes the toile. (It's not about girly or manly decor. He's into antiques and vintage.) He liked another boat too which I couldn't find when I looked today. Have to search for it again.

The red of the room is not quite that color. That's just as close as I could get with the Paint program. It is a darker red, SW Heartthrob. This color kind of looks dark pink, but bright red wasn't right either.

So far it seems #4 Moulin has 3 votes and #5 BW photo has five. I really wanted something that was basically BLACK. But I looked through hundreds of them this weekend and a lot of the BW shots looked "gloomy". I didn't want a Boris Karloff feeling! Like ..."ooo, what a spooky street!"

I will check out the Mark Sennet photos. Thanks dilly dally! :)

I like #5 too :-)

To be perfectly honest, since that is what you are asking for, that toile is not going to go with any 'French Poster Art'. Nada.

The toile you picked is an ancient, pastoral, peasant scene like most toile is.

No way is pastoral peasants going to look good with, a Flapper, a steamship, city buildings in Paris, streetlights or a train. The art styles in the posters you picked are Deco, or Impressionism or photography. It is all a *No Go*.

If you love toile, and want French posters, choose one of the toiles that do not have peasant scenes in them.

Also take into consideration the Victorian styled fixtures you say you have.

Or something non-descript:

Personally I would go with EITHER, toile or poster art. Not both. But you can make it work with the right stuff.

{{gwi:1751613}}

Oh, I like the hygiene poster! It's SO appropos! :)

It's quite all right to be honest. I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm a chemist not a decorator (so is DH). He just got this idea to paint the PR red and I'm trying to 'go with it'. I thought toile was a French thing and popular now? At least Cote de Texas talks about it all the time! You know the decor blog?

So anyway, here is another BW photo I like, as well as a small village street photo. Someone (a man of course!) said to me "if you're sitting there for a while you want a picture you can really look into!" LOL! He liked #3. And this last one that is now #8.

Is a village peasanty?

I am also thinking the posters are Paris most definitely City and Architectural. The toile is very postural country and soft scape. None of the poster fit well with the toile.
B&W with Red is also a very Hard scape (city) type decor and not the usual colors of French county.

If pleasing the DH with his color choice was the most important thing for me. I would be very eclectic and go Bold Paris in the PR for a change of scenery. Using a few of the posters (I'm loving posters #2 #5 and #4 if there is enough space to use 3 in a PR without overwhelming it. Changing them out occasionally/seasonally would be fun if you have the resources. Deep dark rich Red wall color with stenciled, pewter glazed, imperfect Flure d`lis in a few spots, small crystal chandelier sconces on either side of a large as possible moderately ornate pewter glazed or antique silvertone mirror. Along with pewter glazed and/or black and white marble (even if marble has to be a faux) towel & bath tissue holders and other PR accessories.
not to fem or to masculine.
still French
pleasing the DH
HAve fun and please show us the afters.

CT

You say your DH like planes...........How about some airplane toile! The propeller plane in this toile would make it easy to find a French art poster of the same era. The airplane is subtle in the toile and hardly noticeable. There are no drinking and cavorting peasants in the toile to clash with the airplane poster.

I don't know how this would play out with your Victorian fixtures though since we cannot see them posted.

Of course I am not suggesting this as your color pallete - Just an idea to use different toile if you are going to use toile.

I love, love, LOVE this suburban toile! Of course this is not the direction you wish to go I know. Just an example of a bit out "out of the box" thinking when it comes to pastoral peasant toile.

Have you considered using an American themed toile rather than French? There are many to choose from featuring different landscapes of the USA from the 19th century.

Get a copy of a famous vintage photo.....

Black and white with a pop of color, great against red walls:

☰☰☰☰☰☰☰☰☰☰☰☰☰☰☰☰☰☰

And speaking of toile......

.............I found an artist who embroiders some crazy designs in toile. cRazY huh?

These are made by artist Richard Saja.

My daughter had the same Toile pattern on her college linens (I made the headboard, duvet cover an pillows). She used red, tan and black accents with a French theme such as your Eiffel Tower and also an Audrey Hepburn theme.

She and her future DH are using the bedding in their guest room. In this photo, the headboard has not been attached to the bed. and the bed is not up on the risers, so it is sitting lower than normal. Also, the walls of the room have not been painted, so disregard that look. Not sure what this brown fur thing is on the bed. i think it may be for the dogs. In her college days, she had black bedside tables, and black base lamps with red shades. The room really was cute, with her ribbon hung initials over the bed.

{{gwi:1751644}}

I like the ship poster the best because I am a cruiser and a lover of the great ocean liners. :)

Try googling red powder rooms and search on images. There's lots to see. Also, consider the size of the room. I know some like dark colors in small rooms but you may find you don't. And did you say what the flooring is?

Dilly dally - those embroideries are great. The second to last reminded me of the creature from the black lagoon. lol!

I love number 6. and I have included a photo I took on my last visit to Paris. This street was right around the corner from the apt. I rented and I loved the vitality of the street.

{{gwi:1751645}}

Wow! Thanks so much everyone who answered. Glad I decided to post on here. I got hung up inside my own head and was going round in circles over ships and trains.

But what dilly dally is saying takes me back to MY original plan for the room. I was thinking about putting a little white shelf up on the wall (or glass, or metal) and sitting a couple 'objets d'art' on it. I haven't found the shelf nor the 'objets' yet. But that would be more country, wouldn't it?

Or is that too shabby chic?

The reason I discarded the idea was that I thought the RED room with all the WHITE porcelain needed something bigger and darker to ground it. The little white shelf seemed like too much of a good thing. But maybe it was the right thing?

How about something similar but more modern, like these:

fabric

fabric

Posted by angelcub: "Dilly dally - those embroideries are great. The second to last reminded me of the creature from the black lagoon. lol! "

Aren't they a hoot? The guy has done whole quilts embroidered. And pillows. And curtains. And dining room chair cushions. Of course this hand embroidered whimsical toile does not come cheap. He uses antique and vintage toile that is recycled into his projects.

There is also his line of vintage patched toile. Note how the limbs and head are rearranged on the figures and animal, human and cherubs are changed. He calls it his Frankentoile fabric.

Patchwork asymmetrical toile keeping original design intact:

"But that would be more country, wouldn't it? Or is that too shabby chic?"

What are you looking for? There is nothing wrong with either Country or Shabby Chic. You say your kitchen is done in French Country. Your DH wants a red powder room and likes plans and trains. You want toile. Hmmm. A hybrid of the two looks in NOT going to work.

My suggestion would be to skip the toile and go with a simple wide stripes. This will still give you a bit of the French Country feel and you do not have to worry about decorating around Marie Antoinette and her violin playing cohorts. You can do toile in another room.

Let your DH have his RED powder room. From what you say he had a very strong opinion about this. Don't panic! Red is a nice color for French Country.

Give him his train poster. Choose one that is very early 19th century and shown traveling through a country side setting. A black and white one would be nice too. Choose something that transitions well with your French Country themed kitchen so that you do not feel you stepped into a time warp when you enter the bathroom. Most train posters are of the Art Deco genre.

If he is willing to give up the train and plane theme if he gets his red powder room skip the poster wall art and put up a shelf. Take your time decorating the shelf and do not just run out and buy "stuff" for it. Buy what speaks to you. Buy what you love.

Also consider an American Country theme rather than French Country. It can look sophisticated with Victorian elements without looking "shabby".

{{gwi:1751654}}

Thanks so much for all the ideas. I like the train above as well.

Okay, I'm going back and cogitate on this a little more. It seems thre are are a number of ways I could go that look good.

You guys are the best! :)

dilly dally -

I LOVE that crazy toile. I think I needs to get me some.

Posted by pugga: "dilly dally - I LOVE that crazy toile. I think I needs to get me some."

I'm glad to hear the crazy toile is an inspiration to those who sew/embroider. This artist does whole couches and fabric headboards if you have a few thousands of dollars to drop on one. I think the crazy toile look could be duplicated.

I hope I did not hijack the thread.

---------------

Biochem101, check out some old Currier and Ives prints of trains traveling through the countryside for trains that will go well with your Country theme if you are keeping DH's train theme for the powder room.

{{gwi:1751658}}

{{gwi:1751659}}

This one has trains and a perspective of "looking into something" like your friend said. Being black and white it would help tone down Red walls.