Tiny Dynamos: Why Powder Rooms are Places For Powerful Design
Glamour reigns in the most public-facing private room.
The powder room is the forgotten hero of home design. Usually tiny, they need to be beautifully appointed for the comfort of guests, and are a great place to take design risks. Floral or metallic wallpaper? Bring it on. Graphic tile patterns? You bet. Dramatic, architectural fixtures? Yes! You can make big, bold design decisions without spending a fortune as you would on a larger room, and if you change your mind, a tiny space is easier to change than a large spa bath. When it comes to accessories, the sky’s the limit: mirrors, sconces, art, all have a place in a jewelbox of a powder room.
Left: KATE TAYLOR INTERIORS On Chicago’s Gold Coast, a pied-à-terre by designer Kate Taylor includes this exotic powder room swathed in a modern floral by Colefax & Fowler through Osborne & Little. A vintage marble vanity is offset by brushed brass fixtures from Kallista through K&B Galleries and Ann Sacks.
Right: ELIZABETH SCOTT INTERIORS In this Glencoe, Illinois powder room, Elizabeth Scott chose a vanity of plain, sawn walnut from New Style Cabinets which blends perfectly with the wallcovering from Jane Churchill, through Cowtan & Tout. Modern sconces by Visual Comfort, through CAI Designs, cast a soft glow.
Left: Valo Hex mosaic tiles by Ann Sacks add texture and shine to a black and white powder room.
Right: This glamorous powder room features a backsplash of Artistic Tile’s Moon Dark Multi from their Made in America collection. The glowing, bisected circles come in a palette of black, denim blue, violet, midnight blue, and turquoise, among others. The style also comes in a light variation.
Left: OUTLINE INTERIORS A graphic, black and white powder room by Outline Interiors includes wallpaper by Bruschwig & Fils, through Kravet, and Brizo faucets in a soft brass finish. Photography by Margaret Rajic
Middle: CRAVOTTA INTERIORS Mother of pearl wallcovering is illuminated by hanging sconces by Sonneman through CAI Designs. A granite and marble vanity by Antoniolupi is a modern counterpoint.
Right: ELIZABETH DRAKE created this powder room in a home surrounded by orchards in Maple City, Minnesota. A birch forest with gilded pears on a wallcovering by Cole & Son through Kravet, surrounds the vintage pine table that has been converted to a vanity. A sink by Watermark, through K&B Galleries, sits on top. An antique gilded mirror and lantern sconces provide a contrasting touch of glam, and the rustic feel is echoed in the slate floor by Artistic Tile.