Photography: Pablo Veiga
Sometimes small stature is a strength, not a shortcoming. Such is the case for the humble powder room. A restrictive size gives homeowners the opportunity to splurge on luxe inclusions and make bold decorative decisions.
A wonderful convenience and a game-changer for the comfort and efficiency of the modern family home, a powder room is now considered a must-have in new builds. People are squeezing them into renovation plans anywhere they can. More than that, there are plenty of powder room ideas you can steal for any small bathroom. These can help with layout, efficiency and design ideas and inspiration you may not have thought of!
What is a powder room?
A powder room, also known as a half-bath, is a smaller bathroom that normally consists of a toilet, basin and mirror. These are often communal bathrooms. Depending on whether you have a small powder room or a more generously sized one, they can include joinery and additional storage. Since they are small spaces, designers recommend going big and bold on decoration. Think luxe wall lights, patterned wallpaper and high-quality stone inclusions. With less square metres to cover, you can decorate with a more expensive material without breaking the bank.
1. Classic powder room design
While colour is often introduced to rooms in soft furnishings, this powder room, proves that fixtures can be centrepieces, too. Lauren Mahoney, creative director of Studio Trio (and homeowner of this abode), chose The Water Monopoly ‘Rockwell’ basin in Willow Green from The English Tapware Company for its pastel hue. This is paired with Lee Jofa’s ‘Inisfree’ wallpaper in Inlet, sourced through Elliott Clarke. “It’s stylised, fresh and brings green, yellows and pale ice blues,” she says. Brass accents in the basin stand, tapware and the Hudson Valley Lighting wall light perfect the palette.
2. Small powder room ideas
Powder rooms, by design, aren’t large. But some have stricter size constraints than others. A great small powder room idea is the simple reminder that colour and pattern don’t need to envelop to make an impact. Even a restrained palette can create a showstopping effect. Here, Dulux Lexicon Quarter coats the walls and cabinetry for a fresh and neutral base that makes the powder room feel expansive. This understated style allowed Kate Bath, interior designer at Blue Tea Kitchens & Bathrooms, to let the natural vibrancy of the Styled In Stone Calacatta Viola marble shine.
The lashings of burgundy and plum in this material elevate the scheme alongside the X-Bond Microcement splashback from Alternative Surfaces. As Kate explains, “I kept it quite simple, with a focus on the vanity area and a few key decorative elements. This gives the small space some personality and intrigue.” (For more of this house, check out the main bathroom and kitchen).
3. Modern powder rooms
Form and function marry effortlessly in this powder room. Curved silhouettes serve a dual purpose thanks to Louise Spicer, creative director of Onefour Interiors. “Soft lines in smaller spaces feel more inviting,” explains Louise, who adds that these curved fixtures offer cohesion with the rest of the home. Three Lighting Republic ‘Orb’ wall lights from Light Co sit beside a custom mirror. Since powder rooms don’t require the amount of storage often needed in larger bathrooms, Louise made use of a freestanding, sculptural Parisi ‘Seed’ basin. Fibonacci terrazzo tiles lead up the wall, culminating in a ledge for soap and toiletries. This offers a clean line beneath the hero material of the space, the Arte ‘Gioco’ wallpaper in Ginger from Unique Fabrics.
4. Bold design inspiration
If bold colour makes you nervous, heed Aaron Wong’s advice. The principal designer of Alexander Pollack Design says of powder rooms, “my approach is to overwhelm the senses… in a good way. The powder room is perhaps the best space to go hard as it’s small and little time is spent in there.” With low stakes, why not have fun? Here, Aaron took inspiration from across the world. Lewis & Wood ‘Tribal’ wallpaper, sourced through Elliott Clarke, commands attention, enveloping the space in a textured print with a subtly weathered appeal. Small pops of red warm the scheme, complemented by rattan textures in the mirror frame and the handle of the ‘Nile’ wall sconce in High Patina Brass, both sourced through Cromwell. For styling, Aaron suggests a chic soap dispenser.
5. Sculptural styling features
Colour doesn’t need to be bright and bold to be impactful. Earthy tones cocoon this powder room by Danielle Victoria Design. “The palette features golden amber tones and brings a pleasant, calming effect to the space,” shares Danielle Bonello-Dunsford, founder and principal designer. “They evoke a sun-baked, clay-inspired aesthetic – subtle, organic and grounded.” ‘Casablanca’ tiles in Straw from Surface Gallery envelop the walls, laid in a herringbone pattern for texture. The joinery finish was colour-matched to the tiles in Dulux Pony Tail. Contrast comes in the form of the Caesarstone Organic White benchtop and ‘Loop Slim’ round basin from Candana. The shape of the basin speaks to the Lighting Republic ‘Orb’ mirror wall lights while the bench mount adds sculptural appeal.
6. Powder room patterns and materials
If you prefer muted colours, try playing with pattern in your powder room, as Polly & Co Interiors did. “My client wanted a soft and feminine feel with a boldness of pattern but not colour,” explains principal designer Polly Gillman. “Soft green and grey hues were the starting point.” This came in the form of the Princess White quartzite benchtop. Tiles and wallpaper reflect these tones and add visual interest from the floor to the ceiling with the powerful patterns they create. Geometric designs cover the floor thanks to Carrara and Thassos honed marble tiles, laid in a parquet pattern. These were sourced from Tile Scope, as was the Carrara stone tiled wainscoting, laid in a kitkat style, which draws the eye up to the ‘Travelers Palm’ wallpaper in Stone, sourced through Milton & King.
7. Gilded hardware and accessories
Every palette starts with just one piece. A vintage brass mirror, complete with intricate detailing on the frame, was the cornerstone in this powder room, created by Stritt Design & Construction. Interior designer Janette Stritt built upon this with Brodware ‘City Plus’ tapware in Brushed Nordic Brass and Thomas O’Brien ‘Bryant’ wall sconces in Hand-Rubbed Antique Brass from The Montauk Lighting Co. These details were contrasted with dark, moody tones for a scheme Janette describes as “a sophisticated feel with a contemporary edge.” The dramatic monochrome ‘Trees’ wallpaper in Deep Petrol by UK illustrator Katie Scott, sourced from Ferm Living, is impactful in the small space. “We love the whimsical representation of the botanical kingdom,” says Janette.
8. Powder room lighting
Sculptural silhouettes and swathes of colour create impact but balance is key. Striking the right note is something Leigh Boswell, principal designer at Highgate House, does well. “We kept all of the hard finishes in a timeless, classic palette – beautiful marble, classic joinery and elegant fittings,” she says. From there, the fun begins. The hand-printed etched ‘Pineapple’ wallpaper from Soane, in Cream on Indigo, instantly adds drama to the space, alongside the ‘Finley’ mirror, from Highgate House. This was chosen for its sculptural quality, with a distinctive ornamental arch, but the silver finish also ties in with Zucchetti ‘Bellagio’ tapware in Chrome, supplied by Elite Bathware & Tiles, and the Hudson Valley Lighting ‘Ruskin’ sconce in Polished Nickel, supplied by Highgate House.
9. Traditional and decorative
Each element of this powder room was driven by one decorative style: chinoiserie. Studio Trio creative director Lauren Mahoney chose the handpainted De Gournay ‘Earlham’ wallpaper in Emerald Green dyed silk as it adds botanical patterns while drawing on the Taubmans Dapple Grey finish on the Steven Shell ‘Grosvenor’ vanity. These tones are complemented by custom Surface Gallery tiles, laid in a Cabochon pattern. Accents of brass create warmth, including the ‘Barton’ bath sconces, positioned on either side of the Regency Distribution mirror, sourced through James Said. Lauren says of the mirror, “The indented shape draws your eye up.” With a silhouette reminiscent of pagodas, it also suits the chinoiserie scheme. A vase of greenery is the final flourish. (Tour the rest of the home here).
10. White on white design ideas
This is a tiny space but painting it all white makes it look bigger. The choice of built-in cabinetry for the above-mount basin takes up as little room as possible, doesn’t encroach on the limited circulation space and maximises storage underneath. Herringbone marble mosaics echo a larger version in the main bathroom and the circular mirror avoids the space looking too boxed in. Black detailing in the mirror frame, tapware and door handles punctuate throughout.
11. Dark and moody palette inspiration
The powder room features a door painted in Dulux Rainmaker. (Photography: Nat Spadavecchia / Styling: Fiona Gould)
The most ingenious powder room ideas are born of necessity. The wall-hung vanity in this powder room cleverly uses the space with an inset moulded basin. A tall arched mirror reflects light into the space and goes right to the tiled skirting, giving the illusion of space. The real masterstroke, however, is that it provides a backdrop for the wall-mounted tapware and waste trap underneath, so it doubles their design impact without taking up extra space. Mottled grey terrazzo floor tiles add just enough interest to offset the moody tones of the chic, navy-painted walls.
12. Sophisticated monochrome powder room
Black tells the story here in Shaynna Blaze’s rescued country house. The tiles, mirror and tapware are dramatic but the elegant black pedestal that takes centre stage. The round mirror takes advantage of smaller wall space and centres the focus above the round basin. At the same time, a tiny shelf holds the necessities, whilst a statement-making pendant light swirls overhead.
13. Powder room wallpaper inspiration
‘Chiavi Segrete’ wallpaper by Fornasetti is a fitting backdrop for a pedestal sink and aged brass ‘Icon’ hardware from Astra Walker. “This is the one place where you can go for it,” says Lou, homeowner and a big fan of using wallpaper in the powder room. (Credit: Simon Whitbread)
In a tight space, nothing makes a bigger impact than floor-to-ceiling wallpaper. Your powder room is just the place to let loose your design dreams. The powder room ideas brought to life in this Sydney beachside new build give guests a moment of design appreciation in the moment of contemplation and counting the keys in the pattern make for a fun conversation starter over dinner.
14. Hamptons style powder room
Perrin & Rowe tapware from The English Tapware Company sits above a custom-made vanity by Weston Kitchens + Bathrooms. Reflected in the mirror is a framed mirror from Bed Bath N Table. “I like how it mimics some of the patterns in the wallpaper,” says homeowner Tess. (Photography: Mindi Cooke / Styling: Tahn Scoon)
The careful layout makes this powder room work beautifully. Situating a wall sconce so close to a mirror could seem cramped, but a powder room can embrace intimacy. VJ panelling beneath heavily patterned wallpaper adds interest with minimal interruption. There’s some careful design at play here – the moulding of the tapware mount echoes the mirror frame and both speak to the dado rail. All of the metals are brushed chrome for a cohesive look.
15. Powder room art ideas
“Each bathroom has a different personality with different coloured tiles or paint,” says Emily. Seen here are Belleza Verde wall tiles from Old World Tiles and a Perrin & Rowe basin from The English Tapware Company. (Photography: Dave Wheeler / Styling: Corina Koch)
A visual feast, this powder room is just one of the many rooms in this Federation restoration that are awash with colour and pattern. Flipping conventional powder room ideas on their head, patterned tiles are used as wallpaper would usually be seen. This leaves the walls free to act as a gallery space for collected artworks. A neatly framed, tiny basin shows there’s no need to compromise functionality for show-stopping decorating ideas. A round rattan mirror forms part of the gallery arrangement.
