Local interior designers embrace dramatic patterns and colors to create memorable powder rooms.
Written by Noelle Barbosa
Powder rooms have long been a playground for interior designers. From vibrant wallpaper and bold paint colors to stylish lighting and accessories, these pocket-size spaces allow for limitless creativity and maximum drama. Here are a few South Shore powder rooms that are sure to make a lasting impression on guests.
Angela Raciti, owner of Angela Raciti Interior Design, has been transforming living spaces on the South Shore for more than a decade. The Duxbury native recently oversaw the interior design of a 1939 colonial on King Caesar Road in her hometown. The project featured a powder room that reflected the homeowner’s love for the sea.
“This client has always wanted to put maps on the wall,” says Raciti, who turned navigational charts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) into wallpaper. “The family chose areas in New England that are important to them, including Martha’s Vineyard, Provincetown and Falmouth.”
White shiplap paneling was used on the lower half of the wall and a seafoam herringbone tile covers the floor. Raciti completed the look with a braided jute mirror and a natural rope towel ring. “I love working with coastal style,” says Raciti. “It’s so cool to look at the maps and see places that you’ve been.”
Get the Look
Wallpaper: NOAA Nautical Charts | nauticalcharts.noaa.gov
Sink + Toilet: Kohler | Snow and Jones snowandjones.com
Mirror: Jamie Young | jamieyoung.com
Floor tile: Discover Tile | discovertile.com
Doorknob: Emtek | emtek.com
Towel Ring: Alaska Rug Company etsy.com/shop/AlaskaRugCompany
Anchored by abstract black-and-white walls with citron accents, this Hingham half bath designed by Jaime Moore of James Studio Residential Interiors is sleek and striking.
“Citron is not a color that you see very often,” says Moore, describing the vivid hue she chose to offset a deconstructed stripe wallcovering. “It was exciting to go in a direction that was so different.”
A grasscloth mirror from Etsy shop owner Liven Up Design was coupled with custom artwork by South Shore artist Wendy Callahan. The bright color of the paintings is contrasted by high-gloss black paint on the window frame. Moore jazzed up a modest pedestal sink with champagne bronze fixtures and a contemporary towel ring to match. An industrial light fixture was added for serious structural appeal.
Get the Look
Wallpaper: Schumacher | fschumacher.com
Lighting: Visual Comfort | visualcomfort.com
Mirror: Liven Up Design | etsy.com/shop/livenUPdesign
Artwork: Wendy Callahan | wendycallahanart.com
Sink: Kohler | Republic’s Collection | republicscollection.com
Facet + Towel Ring: Delta Linden Collection | Republic’s Collection republicscollection.com
Photography by Jessica Delaney Photography
This Cohasset powder room designed by Anne Nelson of Anne Nelson Interior Design is anything but ordinary. Enchanting ocean-themed wallpaper served as a bold alternative to the neutral colors in other parts of the home.
“It’s like you’re under the water with the jellyfish,” says Nelson, describing the Thibaut wallcovering, which was also applied to the electric switch plates to create a flush look.
The coral and turquoise color scheme is accentuated by elegant antique brass fixtures. “Antique brass matches beautifully with so many colors,” says Nelson, who graduated from Rhode Island School of Design and has been working in the design industry since 2003. “It looks amazing with warm shades like the coral in this little powder room.”
Get the Look
Wallpaper: Thibaut | thibautdesign.com
Faucet: Delta Dryden Collection | wayfair.com
Lightning: Breakwater Bay Adley Armed Sconce | wayfair.com
Mirror: Foundstone Contemporary Beveled Accent Mirror | wayfair.com
Photography by Anne Holden | Shipyard Photography
Cohasset interior designer Nancy Winters adorned the walls of this Hingham powder room with white shiplap wainscoting and fuchsia and royal blue wallpaper featuring whimsical depictions of mermaids, octopus and a sailing ship.
“The wallpaper is colorful and my client has a colorful personality to match,” says Winters, the owner of N.E.W. Designs. She added a handsome rope mirror to balance the vibrant print and chose a mix of brass and nickel fixtures for added visual interest. Framed family photos further express the homeowner’s sense of humor.
Get the Look
Faucet, Sink, Toilet: Kohler | Snow and Jones snowandjones.com
Lighting: Hudson Valley | ordered through N.E.W. Designs
Floor: Bellew Tile & Marble | bellewtile.com
Towel Ring: Anthropologie | anthropologie.com
Hand Towel: Matouk | matouk.com
Wallpaper: Hygge & West | hyggeandwest.com
Leather Catchall Tray: Mark and Graham | markandgraham.com
Photography by Dan Kendricken Photography
5 Powder Room Design Tips
With the powder room being one of the smallest spaces in your home, it’s ideal for experimentation. Throw caution to the wind and create a knockout nook that you and your guests will love. Danielle Jones, vice president of business development at Snow and Jones in Norwell, shares five tips for designing the perfect powder room.
Sinks that Inspire
The powder room is a great place to incorporate a decorative sink. Consider different materials, such as glass or stone to provide added texture.
Cool Color Scheme
Wallpaper can add depth in your powder room. With lower moisture in this room, it’s a perfect opportunity to experiment with beautiful patterns and colors.
Exposed Piping
Talk to your plumber about any specialty plumbing needs. If you’re doing a decorative finish on exposed pipes, you’ll want to order those early as some items will have an eight-week lead.
Functional Layout
Consider who will be using the space. A wall-mounted faucet and vessel sink may be beautiful in pictures, but it may not be practical if the bathroom will be used frequently by small children who can’t reach the faucet.
Creative Storage
If you’re adding a pedestal or console sink, you may need a spot to store extra hand towels or toilet paper. A hotelier shelf, stacked toilet paper holder, baskets under a console or wooden shelving can offer additional storage.
This powder room was designed by Becky Carbone of Farmhouse Fresh Interiors in Norwell as part of a larger home renovation. “We knew we wanted the Kohler Brockway sink as the statement piece and my client loves buffalo gingham,” says Carbone. “We had done some navy buffalo gingham stools by Caitlin Wilson for her kitchen island and we wanted to mimic the look in the wallpaper above the chair rail.” She found a body shop in Rockland to “powder coat” the sink base navy to match the wallpaper swatch.
Photography by Becky Carbone