5 Dramatic New Powder Rooms
See how pros create stylishly small bathrooms by leaning into moody colors, elegant finishes and bold patterns
A small, windowless powder room is a great place to go bold with design choices that might not feel right elsewhere in your home. Here, remodeling pros share how they used dark colors, graphic patterns and glamorous materials to add drama to five powder rooms.
2. Feather Fashion
Designer: Keri Tickle of Tickle Interiors
Location: Fair Haven, New Jersey
Size: 40 square feet (3.7 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowners wanted a fun and unique powder room,” designer Keri Tickle says. “It’s a small room, so they weren’t afraid to do something different.”
Main feature. Black-and-white palette with a feather print wallpaper. The black wall paneling and trim are painted Caviar by Sherwin-Williams. “Because the powder room was small with high ceilings, we wanted something dramatic,” Tickle says.
Other special features. A teal Cabaret Fringe chandelier from Regina Andrew adds a pop of color. The white vanity features a marble countertop and gold details. The flooring is black hexagonal tiles with white grout.
Designer tip. “Sometimes you just have to go for it,” Tickle says.
Vanity light: Centerport, Hudson Valley Lighting; project photography: Melissa Mellor
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Designer: Keri Tickle of Tickle Interiors
Location: Fair Haven, New Jersey
Size: 40 square feet (3.7 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowners wanted a fun and unique powder room,” designer Keri Tickle says. “It’s a small room, so they weren’t afraid to do something different.”
Main feature. Black-and-white palette with a feather print wallpaper. The black wall paneling and trim are painted Caviar by Sherwin-Williams. “Because the powder room was small with high ceilings, we wanted something dramatic,” Tickle says.
Other special features. A teal Cabaret Fringe chandelier from Regina Andrew adds a pop of color. The white vanity features a marble countertop and gold details. The flooring is black hexagonal tiles with white grout.
Designer tip. “Sometimes you just have to go for it,” Tickle says.
Vanity light: Centerport, Hudson Valley Lighting; project photography: Melissa Mellor
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3. Black-and-White Boldness
Designer: Allison Lind Interiors
Location: Lake Tapps, Washington
Size: 36 square feet (3.3 square meters); 6 by 6 feet
Homeowners’ request. “This is the powder bath for the main level of the home — off the kitchen, family room, living room and dining room,” designer Allison Lind says. “So it needed to be functional for everyday family use but also needed to make a design splash for guests. But not so splashy it was too overbearing for everyday use.”
Main feature. “The wainscoting was existing, as was the built-in shelving, and the clients wanted to work with what they had but hated the original yellowish wood color,” Lind says. “So we painted it black for drama and found the textured black-and-white paisley grasscloth wallpaper for extra dimension and interest.”
Other special features. “A concrete sink adds a bit of interesting contrast to the stone countertop,” Lind says.
Designer tip. “Don’t be afraid of a bold pattern in a small space, especially a powder room,” Lind says. “Just because it’s small in stature doesn’t mean it should be small in personality. If going bold in pattern, keeping the color palette more streamlined and simple can help it from feeling too overwhelming. Classic black and white can never go wrong.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The powder room is located underneath the stairs, so the ceiling pitch coming down over the toilet made this a complicated shape to work with,” Lind says. “That’s why we opted for a playful curvy paisley pattern versus something more angular or symmetrical. It helps throw your eye from the angles of the ceiling.”
Key Measurements to Help You Design a Powder Room
Designer: Allison Lind Interiors
Location: Lake Tapps, Washington
Size: 36 square feet (3.3 square meters); 6 by 6 feet
Homeowners’ request. “This is the powder bath for the main level of the home — off the kitchen, family room, living room and dining room,” designer Allison Lind says. “So it needed to be functional for everyday family use but also needed to make a design splash for guests. But not so splashy it was too overbearing for everyday use.”
Main feature. “The wainscoting was existing, as was the built-in shelving, and the clients wanted to work with what they had but hated the original yellowish wood color,” Lind says. “So we painted it black for drama and found the textured black-and-white paisley grasscloth wallpaper for extra dimension and interest.”
Other special features. “A concrete sink adds a bit of interesting contrast to the stone countertop,” Lind says.
Designer tip. “Don’t be afraid of a bold pattern in a small space, especially a powder room,” Lind says. “Just because it’s small in stature doesn’t mean it should be small in personality. If going bold in pattern, keeping the color palette more streamlined and simple can help it from feeling too overwhelming. Classic black and white can never go wrong.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The powder room is located underneath the stairs, so the ceiling pitch coming down over the toilet made this a complicated shape to work with,” Lind says. “That’s why we opted for a playful curvy paisley pattern versus something more angular or symmetrical. It helps throw your eye from the angles of the ceiling.”
Key Measurements to Help You Design a Powder Room
4. Punk Rock Presence
Designer: Malaina Weinstein of Meydenbauer Group
Location: Woodinville, Washington
Size: 60 square feet (5.6 square meters); 6 by 10 feet
Homeowners’ request. “They wanted a punk rock feel,” general contractor Jeremy Weinstein says.
Main feature. Skull damask wallpaper.
Other special features. Black walls (Tricorn Black by Sherwin-Williams), black elongated hexagonal floor tiles, black vanity, black toilet and black P-trap. Gold accents add warmth and glamour.
20 Powder Rooms With Eye-Catching Wallpaper
Designer: Malaina Weinstein of Meydenbauer Group
Location: Woodinville, Washington
Size: 60 square feet (5.6 square meters); 6 by 10 feet
Homeowners’ request. “They wanted a punk rock feel,” general contractor Jeremy Weinstein says.
Main feature. Skull damask wallpaper.
Other special features. Black walls (Tricorn Black by Sherwin-Williams), black elongated hexagonal floor tiles, black vanity, black toilet and black P-trap. Gold accents add warmth and glamour.
20 Powder Rooms With Eye-Catching Wallpaper
5. Pedestal Power
Designer: Linda Sasson Interiors
Location: Brentwood area of Los Angeles
Size: 33 square feet (3 square meters)
Homeowner’s request. “The homeowner has a sophisticated international business and cultural background,” designer Linda Sasson says. “He wanted a home that would fit his casual lifestyle but with an elegance that reflected his background. The powder room is off the very large entrance hallway that is a combination of contemporary high-gloss wood floors, a custom contemporary area rug and original Art Deco consoles, mirrors and vases. The homeowner wanted a powder room that would blend with the hallway decor.”
Main feature. “Certainly the main feature of the room is the circular all-glass sink and pedestal,” Sasson says. “This was a crucial part of the design and a major challenge because the small size and L-shaped layout of the room required a sink and pedestal that was small enough to allow easy passage to the toilet area. The circular sink and pedestal meets that requirement with a brilliant contemporary design using a translucent material so that it doesn’t appear bulky.”
Other special features. “The marriage of three different materials, textures and colors create the warm, sophisticated look the homeowner wanted to achieve,” Sasson says. “The large Gascogne Blue stone tile feature wall coordinates with the mosaic stone floor in a Moroccan motif and the high-gloss lacquer walls and ceiling. The metallic sculptural sconces add a dimensionality to the otherwise flat stone wall.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “I was over the moon when I found the circular sink and pedestal in exactly the right dimensions,” Sasson says. “A moment later I realized there was a problem with this ‘perfect’ sink and pedestal. Because there was no surface around the sink, I had no place to put the faucet or other accessories, like a soap dispenser. As a solution, I found a contemporary-style stainless steel wall-mounted single-handle faucet and soap dispenser that match the geometry of the sink and pedestal and go well with the stone feature wall.”
Sink and pedestal: Pullman, Vitraform; wall and floor tile: Gascogne Blue, Walker Zanger
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Designer: Linda Sasson Interiors
Location: Brentwood area of Los Angeles
Size: 33 square feet (3 square meters)
Homeowner’s request. “The homeowner has a sophisticated international business and cultural background,” designer Linda Sasson says. “He wanted a home that would fit his casual lifestyle but with an elegance that reflected his background. The powder room is off the very large entrance hallway that is a combination of contemporary high-gloss wood floors, a custom contemporary area rug and original Art Deco consoles, mirrors and vases. The homeowner wanted a powder room that would blend with the hallway decor.”
Main feature. “Certainly the main feature of the room is the circular all-glass sink and pedestal,” Sasson says. “This was a crucial part of the design and a major challenge because the small size and L-shaped layout of the room required a sink and pedestal that was small enough to allow easy passage to the toilet area. The circular sink and pedestal meets that requirement with a brilliant contemporary design using a translucent material so that it doesn’t appear bulky.”
Other special features. “The marriage of three different materials, textures and colors create the warm, sophisticated look the homeowner wanted to achieve,” Sasson says. “The large Gascogne Blue stone tile feature wall coordinates with the mosaic stone floor in a Moroccan motif and the high-gloss lacquer walls and ceiling. The metallic sculptural sconces add a dimensionality to the otherwise flat stone wall.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “I was over the moon when I found the circular sink and pedestal in exactly the right dimensions,” Sasson says. “A moment later I realized there was a problem with this ‘perfect’ sink and pedestal. Because there was no surface around the sink, I had no place to put the faucet or other accessories, like a soap dispenser. As a solution, I found a contemporary-style stainless steel wall-mounted single-handle faucet and soap dispenser that match the geometry of the sink and pedestal and go well with the stone feature wall.”
Sink and pedestal: Pullman, Vitraform; wall and floor tile: Gascogne Blue, Walker Zanger
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Designer: Lynn Siemer of Blythe Interiors
Location: San Diego
Size: 36 square feet (3.3 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “Our clients had just purchased this Spanish-style home that was suffering from lots of outdated ’90s Tuscan elements,” designer Lynn Siemer says. “They wanted to create a ‘modern traditional Spanish’ interior with an eclectic flair by embracing lots of different patterns, colors and textures. They wanted the powder room to be a dramatic and happy surprise for all visitors. We gutted everything but the Saltillo floors.”
Main feature. “The real focus piece is this gorgeous Talavera vessel sink,” Siemer says. “We found it, along with the beautiful ceramic tile, when we went tile shopping. The clients fell in love with them both and knew we had to incorporate them into the powder room.”
Other special features. “We wanted every element of this pint-size space to feel special,” Siemer says. “We used a custom reclaimed blue gum eucalyptus wood counter from San Diego Urban Timber, making sure to select a piece that had a whimsical curve on the front side of the counter. We selected a rich, deep navy textured grasscloth wallpaper to highlight the navy in the Talavera sink. Since the plumbing was going to be exposed, we chose a beautiful satin bronze P-trap to match the wall-mounted faucet.”
Designer tip. “Don’t be afraid to make a small space bold or dark and moody,” Siemer says. “A powder room is a perfect space for this.”
Sink: Tierra y Fuego; tile: Eight Point Star Mudejar and Cross 1 in ivory gloss, Tierra y Fuego
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