For as long as I can remember, I’ve dreamed of a moody, dark powder room. One that makes your guests say WHOA as they retreat to powder their noses during a dinner party. Think fantasy wallpaper, dark fixtures, and playful elements that are both luxurious and quirky at the same time.
Moody, Dark Powder Room Inspiration Board
I think my obsession with a moody dark powder room started when Emily Schuman shared her powder room in her Los Angeles home, featuring an oversized dark, floral wallpaper by Ellie Cashman. It was love at first sight, and though I wanted to order that very same wallpaper, I had to strike a middle ground with my boyfriend’s aesthetic, and find a design that was more friendly in the event we chose to resell this unit.
So, the next logical step was to go tropical, and I got inspired by Rachel Martino’s fabulous House of Hackney tropical wallpaper adorning her bar and bathroom. I loved the rich hues of emerald and mauve, combined with the gold fixtures.
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In our previous apartment, I didn’t get a chance to paint my second bathroom a dark colour, but added oversized floral decals (a renter-friendly option!) to add some personality to the bathroom. It was a compromise, but did the job, even as I awaited my eventual powder room of my dreams! You can watch how I transformed the space in my Instagram Reel below:
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Our primary bathroom has more of a neutral white, taupe and brass colour scheme, so I knew that the powder room was a chance to go bold. What evolved was countless trips to bathroom stores, wallpaper shops and dozens of wallpaper samples ordered from Wallpaperdirect.com. Here are some of my favourite mood boards I created below.
Dark Tropical Powder Room Design
I had originally thought of using a more chinoiserie-style of toile wallpaper and put together an elegant, Dior-inspired design. The wallpaper is “Jungle Scene” also from Albany at Wallpaper Direct, and had a gorgeous sheen finish to the paper we sampled. While I loved how these elements coordinated, I wanted a bit more whimsy in the space.
Finally, after some sourcing trips and nailing down the wallpaper with samples, we decided on the following elements below (also featured in the cover image):
With the Amazon Wallpaper from Albany via Wallpaperdirect.com, I know that this funky print featuring frogs, birds and monkeys will be the conversation starter I was looking for! Anchored by a modern floating vanity from Veneto Bath at Muti, and classic satin brass fixtures from Rubinet, I can’t wait to pull these elements together into the dark, moody powder room of my dreams!
The terrazzo tile, Cristallo Classico Honed was selected from Ciot, and features a stunning array of natural stones. These tiles are large 24″x24″ format, so it created an almost “slab-like” appearance on our powder room floor. Terrazzo is a trendy, yet classic choice and can withstand moisture and wear, and offers a “natural stone” look, but is an engineered stone that’s perfect for wear. I have seen this stone used in a popular department store in Toronto! I fell in love with how this terrazzo tile reminded me of a beach, scattered with beautiful seaglass and seashells. It’s the perfect complement to our jungle-themed wallpaper!
Next week I will share the reveal of the moody dark powder room, but you can check out a sneak peek of how the wallpaper turned out in my Instagram Reel below:
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to send me an email at mail [at] natalieast.com or send me a DM on Instagram!
Thank you to Wallpaper Direct for gifting the wallpaper for this makeover, and to Ciot for the media discount.