How to Paint a Bedroom With French Decor

Use a warm color palette. Add visual warmth and a feeling of coziness to the French bedroom decor by using hues, such as sunflower gold, creamy tan, terracotta orange or cranberry red. Choose a color that is either the top or second value on a paint-store color strip, as this often lends itself to the most weathered final result when it combines with the faux wall treatment glaze in the subsequent layers.

Prepare the area. French faux finishes are often messy, so it is important to line the floor with a plastic drop cloth. Using easy-to-remove painter's tape, apply it to areas around the doors, windows and moldings to keep the edges of the paint technique crisp and clean. This will give the finish a professional appearance.

Paint a base coat. Using a light color from the paint strip, apply a coat of paint as a starting step for the French faux finish. Using a roller, apply the paint in a sweeping "V" pattern until the walls are complete. Fill in the areas near the ceiling, windows and baseboard with a paintbrush, and allow the paint to dry thoroughly.

Use a paintbrush to apply glaze. Choose a glaze color that coordinates with the base coat, and apply with a 3-inch paintbrush. Dip the brush into the faux wall treatment glaze, and add texture and dimension to the painted wall by adding paint strokes in an "X" pattern, working in a 4-foot area at a time. Using a brush instead of a roller gives the wall added depth, which is the hallmark of a French faux finish technique.

Apply a sealer coat. To protect the faux finish and make it durable, apply a coat of water-based, flat-finish varnish to the finished French bedroom walls. Apply with a roller in a "V" pattern until the walls are complete for a long-lasting, protective finish.