I would do a small scale print.

I've been looking for the "perfect" wallpaper for my powder room for 3 years!

Good luck!

I get your dilemma! I have a 2” folder with wallpaper samples. It took a long time to find what I wanted for my tiny powder room (but a bit bigger than yours - 3’ x 9’). I went with a smaller-rather-than-larger paper. I love Thibaut but didn’t find anything that worked for this house (had it everywhere in my previous house).
Wallpaper the ceiling to “lean in” to the smallness.
I also bought a wall mounted sink to leave as much floor space empty as possible.
Tilebar has great options if you’re redoing the floor.

What you like is going to be as much of an aesthetic choice as asking someone to pick a piece of art for you. It is just about what you like.

Do you have any color directions you are leaning in? Do you like a really dense print or something with more background?

I love saturating a small powder room with drama and am a fan of dark colors in such a small space. Yet, I think the repeat of a dense William Morris print can get a bit dizzying in a small space, so if you are using a WM print, I vote for adding wainscoting and starting the paper half or 2/3rds of the way up the wall. And as you can see in @RedRyder 's incredible bathroom, papering the ceiling really helps the room feel enveloped.

I'd pick a paper and use a color from the paper to paint your wainscoting like in this pic.

I really like the whimsy of this GP&J Baker wallpaper and coordinating paint color.

The paper comes in some really fun colors. I love the idea of being outrageous in such a small space.

This meandering Thaibut Hill Garden wallpaper is really lovely too if you want a lighter more feminine look.

Red, I alway enjoy seeing your powder room!

You don't need to pick a wallpaper before you select tiles. Go with a plain white porcelain or ceramic floor tile either in the same size you have now, or a small hex or other mosaic. Any wallpaper would work with white tiles and white fixtures like you have now.

+1 for a small scale print

Most of these Powder threads make me yawn lol its endless!

I'd mural. : ) Wainscot if you like

or add whimsy

A smile on entry every day..and a bit of bravery?

What is the flooring OUTSIDE the powder room?

What do the near rooms look like?Is the powder room in a near garage entrance of near your front entry foyer?

You can crowd source......and you will have seven thousand ideas for what makes a smashing powder room.: )

Answers to above ? Helps quite a lot.

Maybe just have fun....and blow the walls out visually. Smile every time you enter.

Consider not only what you add, but how to make it all come together. Adding a wider baseboard/molding around ceiling (painted to match wallpaper) great tiles and lighting are key as well. I’d keep it on the lighter side .

Oh that's just so pretty, Maureen!

Are you updating the flooring at all, or keeping it as is? Below are a few different powder rooms and bathrooms we have done for our clients. Please notice the wallpaper used, flooring, sconces, and mirrors used.

Solebury Home Renewal · More Info

Solebury Home Renewal · More Info

Covered Bridge Retreat · More Info

Gallery House · More Info

Lambertville Bathroom · More Info

Okay, so there are a ton of gorgeous ideas here. We don’t know if we’re even close if you don’t give us more information, as @JAN MOYER said. Floor color, outside area that needs to blend, wainscoting or no, size of the room.

Many powder rooms are in high traffic areas. That means it needs to look like it belongs. If the powder room is tucked away in its own corners, all ideas are on the table.

A friend of mine lived in a very old (1700’s) house outside of NYC. She had a tiny powder room behind the kitchen that didn’t need to work with anything. She used the most fabulous purple wallpaper that made the teeny room a jewel box.
We need some guidance here.

I love having a small bathroom not match the surroundings and be a total surprise.

Love the floor on @Maureen 's pic. The size of the mirror cracks me up.

@RedRyder is correct ! It's fine to love Thibault or Morris or any of hundreds of sources and infinite choices within. But you will no more able to pick from what WE think is nice than you were at the start, from what will simply morph to who knows how many looks....?

Showing other rooms, or where this room is in your home and even informing the floor outside this room? Helps us to know....you. What you MIGHT like.

YALL ARE AMAZING!! Thank you to everyone for spending time and thought to helping me with this, it's really so kind. For context, I live in an 800 square foot condo, and the powder room is off of my living room but also close to everything since I'm living in a smaller space. The door is next to my office which is painted navy, and also my bedroom which is a little more bright and airy. I'm in a stage of life where things have just collected over time. Here are some photos of my home for reference.

The middle door is where the powder room is

View from the powder room

Living room

/entryway

Kitchen, bedroom, office

My place is in a historic neighborhood so I like to fit into that aesthetic but I also do really like color (even though I have white walls)

Your powder room need not honor the historic neighborhood, any more than your furniture selection must!

I would NOT tile, I'D CARRY the hardwood into the powder room

Your style is colorfully transitional/ traditional, you seem to like blue ?

It's in view from the living room...

Right here!!

Perfectly great! From above.

You have to have an opinion, provide a little feedback, or you go shopping and ask us if we think it works.

Ps... change up the pillows on the couch. No gray : ) Some oooooomph in order!

Also for those asking about personal style - I love William Moriss as prevoiusly mentioned, but I am also drawn to these wallpapers (although they are a bit out of budget)

Thibaut

Obviously, I'm not a designer + have to particular expertise re: design - so, feel free to ignore my post! 😂

I also like the idea of extending your wood floors into your powder room. It will allow you to change up the walls later if you tire of whichever wallpaper you select - and not worry about the floors. Plus, in an 800 sf home, continuing the same floor throughout seems like a good idea.

However, I really do like the photo posted my Maureen above - with the floors - it's not typically something that I would select - but it looks really nice.

Have you thought about removing the pedestal sink? You could install a sink similar to the one RedRyder has in her powder room (+ Jan has included on her mood boards) - OR a floating stone sink/vanity? It would open up the room by having the floor completely open (except for the toilet).

I am trying to finalize my powder room selections - there are so many beautiful slabs out there. Also, it doesn't have to be installed in an alcove (I've just saved many installed in alcoves because I will be adding a 43" vanity in the alcove that is directly across from the powder room door - I have more room to work with than you do).

The one below had the interesting shaped cut for the backsplash + the faucet looks good mounted through it on the wall. The bathroom also had combined wallpaper + wainscoting that has been painted to match the background of the wallpaper. I would not have left the ceiling white!

The wallpaper below looks like lime washed walls - I like how it was installed on the ceiling also. You can have your floating stone sink/vanity be more like a floating sink vs. a vanity by using a smaller height:

Obviously, the slab vanity below is too large for your bathroom + it was fabricated out of faux marble quartz instead of a natural stone - however, I think the wallpaper is interesting (not sure why I like it - I'm not a huge wallpaper person - however, I am becoming more interested in wallpaper after seeing what's been posted in various Houzz discussions!)

I guess I just like the colors in the wallpaper + how the gold color works with the the brass mirror + sconces (I like the style of the faucet - but I don't like it next to the aged brass).

While a separate porcelain under mount sink would be easier for maintenance, I don't think that works well unless the stone slab has a white background that matches the porcelain sink. I feel like the floating vanity below seems like a missed opportunity to make the room stunning.

Just thought I'd suggest a floating stone sink/vanity since you have limited space in the room.

Definitely gotta use blue. I love the colorful paper that @JAN MOYER posted. I also agree, strongly, that matching the wood floor gives you more options with the wallpaper.

The stone sinks posted will bust your budget. I looked at those and nearly fainted. The one I chose is at Home Depot and is not expensive, which gave me more funds towards the wallpaper and wainscoting.

You have a very beautiful home and great taste!

What is your budget for transforming the powder room? I agree that running the wood floor and replacing the tile would be a big step forward.

If you have the funds, and want to do a bit more, a more classic pedestal sink and commode would work better with your decor. The ones you have now look modern.

Then select one of the wallpapers that you really love, get a new light fixture and you're done. From what I can see of your mirror, it looks very pretty and would work with more traditional fixtures and wallpaper.

Thank you all so much for spending time to share your advice - it really helped steer me in a direction, which I needed, badly. There are so many pretty wallpapers out there, it's impossible to pick!! I'm moving forward with G P & J Baker Ramayana Emerald Wallpaper, painting the trim Inchyra Blue, and the ceiling and door will belight blue. Thank you all SO much for you help and kindness!!

Wallpaper:

Trim:

Ceiling and door:

I could pass on light blue, a little gild on the ceiling: ) Beautiful and rich colors with the hardwood floor! and wainscoting

That wallpaper is stunning. It will be like a jewel box.

Heed @JAN MOYER’S advice. You need the right blues for this project.

Thibaut powder rooms

Or William Morris paper