"The Grandest Room in the House"
It truly is. I believe that when I am designing a home, special attention should be paid to the interior design of the powder room... Why? ... Well, the powder room, as I see it, is a small "retreat" from the other rooms in the house. It should be a "gem" and have distinct elements and characteristics that set this space apart. However, I am not suggesting a powder room with minimalist Italian furnishings and fittings should be placed in a home full of period pieces and furnishings. What I am suggesting is that, within the same genre of a home, the powder room may carry whimsical elements, rich detailing, unique touches and accompaniments.
The powder room, I designed, (pictured below), was published in the Fall 2007 issue of The Washington Post's, AT HOME magazine. (AT HOME is a high-end residential interior design magazine.) The space sports a strong black and white Chinoiserie wallpaper from the Ralph Lauren Home Collection, and a custom Roman shade composed of silk and linen with a bold ebony Grosgrain ribbon border. A black lacquer "bamboo" mirror gives a nod to the Asian-inspired design of the room. The sconce, just above the mirror, from Waterworks, supports the more traditional presence of this room and the design of the house just beyond the door. (Please click on the photo of the magazine cover, (above), and the article, (below) to enlarge.)
