DESIGN & DECORATING
By Elizabeth Yuko
Looking to add serious glamour to your powder room? Hand-painted murals and
panoramic wallpapers can give a puny, practical room expansive style.
The Appeal
To charm visitors to your powder room with an unexpected visual splash, consider scenic wallpapers and murals, a big-move way to elevate an often boring utilitarian space. “They’re instant décor, said Houston interior designer Chandos Dodson Epley. A mural’s theatricality also makes it a great “conversation piece” said New Orleans designer Sherry Shirah at least once your guests are no longer alone. And given that most people visit powder rooms briefly. the spaces can be a sate place to break out of your design comfort zone. said Ms. Shirah.
The Tips
Opt for a mural that puts people at ease, but keeps them en- gaged. Many of MS. Shirah’s clients request scenes inspired by past travels or dream vacations. For a client fond of English rose gardens, Ms. Shirah suggested a rendering of climbing blooms which pairs perfectly with the existing “water feature” (aka toilet). Ms. Epley cautions that it’s also best to avoid designs in which humans make a cameo. “You’re better off going with a landscape or some- thing abstract, versus anything with eyes.” she said. “People have a hard time with [being watched].
The Caveats
Depending on size, a custom powder-room mural can run between $10.000 and $20.000 roughly the same, Ms. Shirah noted, as installing high-end hand-painted wallpaper. If clients are leaning to- ward pricey wallpaper, she often suggests they hire a muralist in- stead “to create their own design and vibe” for a similar cost.
But you needn’t be flush with cash to get a transporting panorama Thanks to a proliferation of affordable scenic wallpapers from online retailers like Rebel Walls, thrifty decorators can perk un a powder room for around $500 t0 $950-especially if they’re willing to do the installation themselves. Be- fore fixating on a design, make sure it’s a good fit, warned Ms. Epley. Measure carefully, and check that the scene is grand enough to fill your space, yet proportioned so that you’ll see the entire thing.
Whatever route you choose, Know that the process takes patience- particularly when working win an artist. “Giving a muralist the liberty to create a piece of art means being flexible and willing to relinquish some control” said Ms. Shirah.
For a client in Houston, designer Chandos Dodson Ebley chose a
scene bv Iksel for Schumacher.