This powder room makeover combines urban Art Deco inspiration with farmhouse warmth, pairing black-and-white floral wallpaper with green paneling, brass accents, and marble-look tile. The result shows how a small room can bring together contrasting styles while still feeling cohesive. A powder room is also a practical place to experiment with color and pattern because it is separate from the main living areas.
Powder room makeover inspired by city details
The design draws on Chicago’s architecture and landscape: dark steel skyscrapers, Art Deco brass and marble, and the teal-green tones of Lake Michigan. Rather than copying one style, the room translates those elements into a mix of modern and vintage, urban and country, and masculine and feminine details.
A useful starting point for a similar project is to choose one source of inspiration, such as a city, artwork, or landscape, then identify a few colors and materials to repeat. Limiting the palette helps varied design styles feel intentional instead of crowded.
Color, flooring, and mirror updates
The former beige beadboard was painted Benjamin Moore Hollingsworth Green, a calm color inspired by the lake and the green glass in the Tiffany Dome.
The existing beige travertine floor was replaced with marble-look porcelain hexagon tile. The tile references Art Deco geometry while offering a more affordable and easier-to-maintain alternative to natural marble. When choosing a floor for a small bathroom, check that the material is suitable for the room and follow the manufacturer’s installation and care instructions.
The existing mirror gained a darker, industrial look with Coal Black paint and a light dry-brushed application of white paint. This simple finish adds visual texture and echoes the steel-framed windows that inspired the renovation.
For a refinishing project, test paint and distressing techniques on a discreet area first. This helps confirm that the finish works with the mirror’s surface before treating the entire frame.
Floral wallpaper and warm metal accents
Black floral wallpaper brings together the city-and-nature theme. Its flower pattern recalls spring blooms against Chicago’s gray buildings, while the dark background gives the traditional motif a more contemporary feel. In a compact room, a bold wallpaper can provide a focal point; keeping nearby accessories simple helps prevent the pattern from overwhelming the space.
The vanity was painted and waxed to suggest gray-toned wood, then finished with black knobs. Brass details add warmth against the room’s cooler colors, while the Cassidy® faucet in Champagne Bronze™ provides a curved, softer accent. The faucet has a WaterSense® label, as noted for the selected fixture.
Benjamin Moore Simply White on the crown molding and Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron on the door continue the room’s high-contrast palette. Repainting trim and doors can be a relatively focused way to strengthen a color scheme without adding more decorative objects.
Accessories were kept restrained, including a simple vase of flowers. Additional brass touches appear in the vanity light, Cassidy® flush lever, and Cassidy® towel ring.
Framed prints of urban flower markets add a small art element and reinforce the city-meets-nature idea. Repeating a room’s main colors in artwork is an easy way to make decorative pieces feel connected to the overall design.
Powder room makeover budget breakdown
The listed project costs are below. Prices reflect the original project and may vary by location, supplier, and date. For a current renovation estimate, confirm material quantities and labor costs before work begins.
- Beadboard color, Benjamin Moore Hollingsworth Green: $17.99
- Trim color, Benjamin Moore Simply White: $17.99
- Door color, Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron: $17.99
- Vanity paint: $34.95
- Vanity black wax: $24.95
- Wallpaper: $29.22
- Wallpapering supplies: $31.98
- Black-and-white-brushed mirror makeover: $30.50
- Cassidy Centerset Faucet in Champagne Bronze: $229
- Cassidy Towel Ring in Champagne Bronze: $23.59
- Cassidy Flush Lever in Champagne Bronze: $51.03
- Brass vanity light: $118.00
- Gold 11×14 frames: $14.99 each
- Hexagon marble-look porcelain tile: $304.95 for five cases
- Laticrete Sanded Grout: $34.99
- Hand towel: $6.99
- Marble soap dispenser: $6.99
- Apothecary jars: $19.99
- Woven wastebasket: $13.99
- Artificial flower arrangement and vase: $29.99
- Enamel soap dish: $14.95
- Labor: $1,560.25
Reported total: $2,665.25
This powder room makeover demonstrates how a clear inspiration, a considered palette, and a few contrasting materials can transform a dated space. Green paneling, geometric tile, floral wallpaper, and brass accents each contribute to the design without requiring every element to match. When planning a similar update, prioritize the changes that will have the greatest impact, set aside a contingency for unexpected work, and check the total cost of materials and labor before starting.
