Rococo Revival: From Marie Antoinette To Today

SOURCE: Sotheby’s

Luxury homes are taking a gilded leaf out of the historic French style book as they look to 18th-century grandeur for inspiration and escape, writes Aimee Dawson

Maximalism is making a comeback. While many early-2000s interiors were marked by simple lines, sleek materials and minimal details, recent years have seen a revival of romantic and extravagant—even ostentatious—schemes. And no design era did ostentatious better than Rococo. 

Described as the final expression of the elaborate Baroque movement in Europe in the 17th and first half of the 18th century, Rococo was “perhaps the most rebellious of design styles,” according to the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) in London. “It was exceptionally ornamental and theatrical—a style without rules,” its website explains. 

One person in particular embodied the rebellious Rococo style: Marie Antoinette. The 18th-century French queen was known for her frivolity and excess, from her fashion sense to the interior design of her home in the Palace of Versailles, as can be seen in a newly opened V&A exhibition, “Marie Antoinette Style,” running until March 2026. This follows the “Rococo and Co” show at Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris earlier in 2025.

When you think of Versailles, you think of gold leaf and mirrored surfaces in abundance. But interiors in the Rococo (from the French word “rocaille,” which means rock or broken shell) style also include “asymmetry, natural motifs such as shells and leaves, curved lines and soft colors,” says Danielle Thom, a senior curator at London’s Design Museum who specializes in 18th-century sculpture and decorative arts. 

So why is Rococo having a revival? “In a basic sense, I think it is a reaction against the dominance of muted good taste, whether you call it quiet luxury, minimalism or whatever,” Thom says. “No more beige cashmere wraps and grey sofas, no more algorithm-fueled design decisions. Rococo permits individuality within its parameters.”

As Thom adds: “It also represents a form of emotional and aesthetic escape from the mundane and often brutal realities of life.” In our current uncertain times, one can certainly see the appeal of a Rococo-themed retreat.

While Rococo began as a French fancy, its popularity spread internationally and the design style can now be found in homes across the world. Some examples are authentic to the time period—Palazzo Rococo in Venice, Italy, features original Rococo interiors created (with added Venetian flair) in the mid- to late-18th century. 

Painstakingly restored to its former glory, the eight-bedroom palace with canal views includes museum-quality paintings and has historical connections to the Russian Imperial Court, as well as the literary and cultural elite of Europe (it once hosted the acclaimed French writer Stendhal, best known for his 1830 novel “Le Rouge et le Noir”). 

Other more recently built homes have used Rococo design as inspiration for their elegant interiors. 

This Californian house, named Versailles Topanga, has been created using techniques and materials true to the Rococo era, with new artworks—including a ceiling mural in the double-height living room—commissioned in keeping with the period, as well as plenty of hand-gilded details. “The wrought iron balusters, designed and gilded onsite, are modeled after those in the French Embassy, adding a touch of regal elegance,” explains Sotheby’s International Realty – Malibu Brokerage. 

Meanwhile, an eight bedroom Toronto home—described as a “gilded French Revival palatial legend”—was built in 2007, but its design is straight out of 18th-century France. From an impressive facade of arched windows to the canopied beds of the boudoirs, this house echoes many details from Versailles. Sotheby’s International Realty Canada describes the building as “a collaborative effort involving numerous European artists, artisans, designers, collectors, and gold leaf gilders,” and the home—like Marie Antoinette’s before it—is a trove of antiques sourced from around the world.

The 18th-century Rococo opulence of Versailles can even be found in a luxury villa on Palm Jumeirah in Dubai. The interior was designed by Francesco Molon, an Italian atelier of luxury home furnishings, in the classical European style.

As well as its palatial aesthetic, the Dubai home comes with royal-style amenities since it is part of the five-star Raffles hotel resort. These include a luxury spa, cigar lounge, fine dining restaurants and 24-hour concierge services. Escapism, indeed.

SOURCE: Sotheby’s