If you want to add more style and gorgeous status to your powder room, wallpapering your small space could be the solution.
“Using wallpaper in a powder room can completely transform a small space and give it personality and impact,” confirms designer Chelsea Hing. “We use the powder room to represent the mood of the house in a really succinct way,” she adds. “So it should make an impression!”
We probably don’t have to tell you, but in 2024, wallpaper is reclaiming spaces in both residential and commercial spaces—in a big way. And after speaking to designers, it seems that a powder room idea that uses wallpaper will transform a functional space into a focal point.
To help you design your space properly, the designers gave us some tips on where to start.
1. Consider the scale of the pattern
(Photo credit: Chelsea Hing | Photographer: Sean Fennessy)
With the ability to liven up any room and make it appear bigger, brighter and better than before, patterned wallpaper is a thing of beauty. But when it comes to Ideas for wallpaper in the bathroomNot all patterned papers are the same.
“When using patterned wallpaper, think about scale,” suggests Chelsea. “A large painterly scale like our design will have a more dramatic impact than a smaller scale design.”
One more word of warning: “Try to avoid stripes as they need more space to work well. And if you think the wallpaper is a bit too overpowering to use on all walls, you can easily break it up with wall panels,” adds Chelsea.
2. Match your wallpaper with other furnishings
(Photo credit: Mike Schwartz)
However, you don’t have to be averse to bold designs and patterns that combine style and substance. Patterned wallpaper can help make your powder room look more upscale and visually interesting.
But when selecting your beautifully designed masterpiece, remember: “Counter bold patterns with simpler, solid-colored fixtures and accessories to avoid visual clutter,” recommends Jennie Bishop, co-founder of interior design firm Studio Gild.
3. Consider the natural light of the room
(Photo credit: Mike Schwartz)
Small spaces can hold big ideas. If you have a compact dark bathroomyou can create a dramatic and atmospheric space. “To use wallpaper successfully, however, you need to consider how the lighting in the powder room will interact with the wallpaper,” says Jennie Bishop.
“Choose patterns that complement the dimensions and lighting of the room. Bold patterns can add character to smaller spaces, while subtle designs can create a calm atmosphere in larger rooms,” adds the expert. “Wallpaper with metallic or reflective elements can enhance the light and create a sense of space.”
4. Choose your wallpaper in combination with other elements
(Photo credit: Brian Wetzel)
Of course, wallpaper may be the first thing you decide to choose for your powder room. But as Christina Boschetti, one half of the Moorestown-based interior design duo behind Widell + Boschetti, says, “The wallpaper needs to work with the overall design. Since a powder room has a limited amount of space, wallpaper allows you to be creative without overwhelming it or spoiling your mood in the rest of the house.”
“The walls must be chosen in harmony with the other elements in the room. Not only the pattern can enhance the room, but also the vibrant colors, the fine surfaces and the vanity.”
Widell + Boschetti’s style, in case you hadn’t guessed, tends more towards maximalism in interior design, as evidenced by this creative powder wallpaper. “We absolutely love this wild Gucci wallpaper,” explains Christina. “This powder room reflected the client’s personal style by using bold colors and patterns that mimicked the more expected materials like concrete and marble. This is the epitome of a statement powder.” And we agree!
5. Adopt texture
(Photo credit: Brian Wetzel)
When it comes to wallpaper design, it’s not just the pattern that matters. Textured wallpapers can also make a particularly strong statement.
“A powder room is the one room in the home where the client/owner can shine in a small space,” says Boschetti. So if pattern isn’t your thing, why not make it like co-founder Barette Widell’s private powder room, which uses Elitis vinyl horsehair wallpaper?
“Barette wanted to make this room like her own little jewelry box; classic mixed with unexpected elements,” Christina says. “Because the stone has so much movement, she wanted the wallpaper to really bring the texture that the walls needed.”
6. Put together your palette
(Image credit: Rett Peek. Design: MeetWest Studio)
Don’t forget the importance of choosing the right color scheme for the atmosphere you want to create in a powder room. Since these rooms are only used for shorter periods of time – you won’t often be doing your daily prep routine in a powder room, after all – you can afford to go a little bolder and more intense in these rooms, but for some people, a calmer bathroom color palette is still the preferred choice.
This powder room by designer Whitney Romanoff of MeetWest Studio is the perfect balance of exciting yet harmonious. “The client requested an abstract pattern for this space,” Whitney tells us. “We worked with Porter Teleo to create a custom colorway of their hand-painted wallpaper pattern, Petales. The colors remind us of the tones of the sunset, and we love the combination of the deep oxblood and magenta tones of the abstract poppies with the dreamy peach and blue tones of the field.”
Is wallpaper in a guest bathroom a good idea?
Unlike a bathroom, which can be a hotspot of high humidity, most powder rooms aren’t prone to splashes, heat, or mold. Plus, powder rooms are usually a decorative piece, so most designers say this small footprint leaves them room for bigger, bolder designs.
“Wallpaper is an excellent idea for a powder room because it offers a unique opportunity to experiment with bold and intricate designs without overwhelming a larger space,” says Jennie Bishop, co-founder of Studio Gild. “It can enhance the overall aesthetic and create a memorable experience for guests.”
