Chinoiserie Powder Bathroom
Asian Cloakroom, San Diego
I believe the powder bathroom should absolutely be the jewel of the house! Think about what inspires you and what colors make your heart sing. Take chances. Truly, in a powder room almost Anything goes! Just be sure not to use paint with any sheen whatsoever, flat mat is the only way to go! I just completed a small powder bathroom all in a lovely chinoiserie theme with masterful bas relief and painted finishes. We started with the walls in eucalyptus green tones and added a scene including a tree of life with cascading branches and hand carved leaves, a 7 foot bas relief pagoda, hand painted character touches which included a chinaman on a swing on the wall above the toilet and finished it off with a carved fretwork gate pattern along the bottom of the walls above the baseboard moldings. This certainly set the tone. Then I found an antique gold pagoda mirror, a pair of gold leaf branch candle wall sconces, an incredible vintage chandelier, an old Italian dresser to make into a vanity with a beautiful top mount hand carved pale green onyx sink. For the exception of the wall treatments the rest of the items purchased were sourced fairly reasonably through consignment and antique stores but still didn't compromise the high style integrity of the look and OH the Drama!! This powder bathroom is the piece de resistance of the home.... Just go for it, you won't be sorry!
Leanne Michael