Edition No. 11 · By the DupeHaven editors
A Powder Room That Wows: Bold Wallpaper and a Statement Mirror
The smallest room in your home is the best place to be brave. A bold wallpaper and the right mirror can turn a plain powder room into the room every guest remembers. Here is how, at three prices.
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A powder room is small, and guests only spend a few minutes in it. That is exactly why it is the perfect place for a bold idea. A big pattern that might feel too much in a living room feels like a happy surprise in a powder room.
You also need very little of it. Most powder rooms take only a few rolls of wallpaper, so you can choose a paper you love without spending a fortune.
How to choose powder room wallpaper
- Go bigger than you think. Large, bold patterns make a small room feel rich and designed, not crowded.
- Wrap the whole room. In a small space, papering every wall usually looks better than one feature wall.
- Check for steam. A powder room with no shower suits most wallpapers. A bathroom with a shower needs a washable paper and good ventilation.
- Measure carefully. Measure the width of every wall and the height to the ceiling. Then add about 15% extra so the pattern lines up at the seams.
- Order all your rolls at once. Rolls made at different times can differ slightly in color.
- Order a sample first. Look at it in your room, in daylight and at night, before you buy.
Group 1: The Wallpaper
The Splurge
Farrow & Ball Lotus Wallpaper, 2064
Farrow & Ball
$350 per roll
A classic damask pattern printed with real Farrow & Ball paint, which gives the paper a soft, chalky texture you can feel. This colorway is a soft pink ground with a green print.
Details: 21" x 33 ft roll (about 57 sq ft) · Paper printed with paint · Pattern repeat 20 3/8" · Paste not included
Trade-off: The highest price here. The page does not say it is washable, so keep it away from a shower.
View at Farrow & BallThe Balanced Choice
Walls Republic Grey & Blue Bold Tropical Leaves Wallpaper, R8234
Walls Republic
$181.57 per double roll
Big, painterly tropical leaves in grey and blue on a non-woven paper. It is washable, and it strips off in dry sheets when you want a change.
Details: 21" x 33 ft roll (about 57 sq ft) · Non-woven · Washable · Paste the wall · Dry strippable · 5 out of 5 (5 reviews)
Trade-off: You need wallpaper paste, which is sold separately. Opened rolls cannot be returned, so order a free sample first.
View at Walls RepublicWith a bold wallpaper, the mirror has two jobs. It has to be useful, and it has to give the eye a calm place to rest in all that pattern. A simple frame or an interesting shape both work. A fussy, ornate frame usually fights the paper.
Size it to the sink. Choose a mirror a few inches narrower than the sink or vanity below it, and hang it so its center is close to eye level. In a narrow powder room, a tall mirror makes the ceiling feel higher.
Group 2: The Statement Mirror
The Splurge
Interior Moderna Continuum Mirror
Interior Moderna
$450
A frameless cluster of joined mirror circles with polished edges, from a New York design shop. It works like a piece of art above the sink.
Details: 35.4" W x 23.6" H · Frameless mirror glass on a high-density MDF back · Ready to hang · In stock
Trade-off: The highest price here, and only 15 days to return it. At over 35 inches wide, it suits a wider vanity.
View at Interior ModernaThe Balanced Choice
Crate & Barrel Edge Small Brass Capsule Wall Mirror
Crate & Barrel
$249
A slim stainless steel frame in warm brass around beveled glass. The tall capsule shape is ideal for a narrow powder room, and it can hang upright or sideways.
Details: 16" W x 48" H · Stainless steel frame, brass finish · Beveled glass · Safe for bathrooms · Also in black and silver
Trade-off: A simple shape, so the wallpaper does all the talking. Hang it with the D-rings provided, not wire.
View at Crate & BarrelPrices change often, so always check the shop before you buy. Amazon prices are shown on Amazon only.
The finishing touches
- Paint the ceiling. Pick a color from the wallpaper for the ceiling. It makes the room feel wrapped and finished.
- Light it warmly. A wall light with a warm bulb of 2700K makes the pattern glow and is kinder to faces than a cold ceiling light.
- Keep the rest simple. A plain towel, one small plant and a nice soap dispenser are enough. Let the wallpaper be the star.
Which one should you choose?
Choose the Splurge if you want a classic paper printed with real paint and a mirror that works like art.
Choose the Balanced Choice if you want a bold, washable paper for about half the price per roll, and a tall mirror for a narrow room.
Choose the Save if you want the wow factor for the least money.