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marinagalgw

What do you think of this wallpaper for a powder room

MarinaGal
11 years ago

We are in the process of purchasing a 1919 Craftsman Bungalow house. The current first floor powder room needs some spiffing up, and I want to replace the wallpaper (sorry, no photos yet - but should be able to get in the house next week). The house is a bit formal and I am looking for paper that is not completely out of line with some of the Craftsman features of the house, but that is also on the fun and more modern side. I am considering the red koi paper for the focal (vanity) wall in the bathroom. Looking for opinions on whether the paper is appropriate for a guest powder room and whether it has the playful fun vibe I am seeking? The bathroom is large enough to accommodate the scale of the paper. Good choice, or keep looking?

Comments (36)

  • palimpsest
    11 years ago

    It's based on a Candace Wheeler design circa 1895. It is very appropriate for a Craftsman house.

  • suzanne_sl
    11 years ago

    That could be a very fun powder room! Why not?

  • francoise47
    11 years ago

    Love it!

  • sochi
    11 years ago

    Wonderful choice, go for it!

  • rosie
    11 years ago

    To me it definitely does a great job of combining a fun, lively vibe and appropriateness. (You could even break the box a bit further by covering the floor with it instead. :)

  • graywings123
    11 years ago

    I love it! Who makes it? I see fish in my future.

  • porkandham
    11 years ago

    Love it! I especially like the middle ones in each row - the orange koi and the white/silver koi on the dark grey background.

  • Fun2BHere
    11 years ago

    Love it, but I would cover all the walls and perhaps even the ceiling. I like bold powder rooms.

  • terezosa / terriks
    11 years ago

    I love it too. Especially the red one you chose.

  • yayagal
    11 years ago

    Absolutely it will and you won't regret it. Beautiful.

  • MarinaGal
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks, everyone - it's a keeper! One decision out of hundreds made. I love it, too!

    Graywings - it's made by Osborne & Little.
    Fun2B - yes, maybe when I get back into the bathroom, it will cry out for more paper!

  • kswl2
    11 years ago

    Love it!

  • zen4d
    11 years ago

    I like them very much.

  • lynn_r_ct
    11 years ago

    Loving it!

  • lindac
    11 years ago

    Gorgeous....and I am in love with the aqua with the silver koi.

  • mrgiggles1
    11 years ago

    I love the last one on the right bottom. The teal is wonderful.

  • grlwprls
    11 years ago

    Love!

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    11 years ago

    Love Osborne & Little ... and this is a great choice in all respects. Makes one long for wallpaper!

  • Annie Deighnaugh
    11 years ago

    Hard to choose, but the black and gold would be my favorite for a PR

  • les917
    11 years ago

    Great paper and it seems perfect for that style and era.

    I would be inclined to do the walls in the background color of the paper, and paper the ceiling instead. It would be like being underwater, with the fish above you. Get a larger mirror that would reflect the ceiling image, too. Something interesting for the floor covering that might give the feel of the pond bottom, something a bit murky and textured.

  • juliekcmo
    11 years ago

    Think about adding a goldfish bowl with a fish in it to the room; that would be cool.

  • lazy_gardens
    11 years ago

    Love it, and the suggestion to paper the ceiling is brilliant (although they are really hard to do).

    Keeping to the reds and taupe ... simple color scheme with really posh materials was a feature of that era.

    If it were mine, I'd do the black fish with a metallic gold ceiling paint and lots of gold everywhere.

  • bird_lover6
    11 years ago

    I love all three in the first row, but I am so picturing a black marble floor with the black koi! I think that would qualify as fun formality. :)

  • ILoveRed
    11 years ago

    Love it, especially the black and tan!

  • bronwynsmom
    11 years ago

    I was going to say, paper the walls, and paint the ceiling the color of the fish, if you choose the gold, red, or black fish, and in a metallic finish if you choose any of the others!

    In any case, I think it's wonderful.

  • MarinaGal
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Such good ideas! Although I like every single color of this paper, I am almost positive I will choose the red fish paper (top middle) and paint the vanity a gray/taupe. Not sure about the countertop... I think the red makes more sense for this part of the house. Bronwynsmom, I like the idea of painting the ceiling the color of the fish - that could work! I can't recall the floor in this bathroom but hope to "visit" our house this week - we don't close for another month. I will take photos when I go.... Thanks again everyone for the suggestions and positive feedback!

  • SunnyCottage
    11 years ago

    What fabulous, fun paper! (And this is coming from someone who even has a fish phobia! ;-))

  • cran
    11 years ago

    I love it, too. I have wallpapered my bathrooms and the ceilings as well, but you have to be careful with the direction of the print. I think a small orential rug would look wonderful with it.

  • lascatx
    11 years ago

    I like it, especially in the blue and aqua for my colors, but it is one of those finds where all the color choices are good. In a small room like that, I would do all the walls, but I don't know that I would like fish on the ceiling. Painting the ceiling to match the background could be fun.

  • MarinaGal
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    It's funny that this got bumped up today, since we are (finally) closing on our house tomorrow. I am attaching a photo of the bland powder room that I plan to transform with this cool paper, new sink and countertop etc. Unfortunately, this kind of fun project has to take a back seat until we complete the more time sensitive projects like a new roof and driveway work. I hope to get started on the inside projects later this month.

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    11 years ago

    IMHO, this room may be too big for the print. I usually think more of jewel box when I think of elaborate paper for a powder room. I think you have a lunch box ... or an attache!

    I certainly would not do all the walls and ceiling in a room of this size in that paper. I guess a lot depends on what else you are doing? Certainly you have a ton of options!

  • MarinaGal
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I know, mtn, it may not be easy to use. It is a large powder room. I need to make everything more monochromatic to make it work, but I think I could do it. I had originally thought just the sink wall. Or, I could just do this little bookshelf area across from the sink. Like a fishbowl.... Please ignore the house staging items in these photos. They are a buzz kill.

  • lascatx
    11 years ago

    The room is much larger than what I was picturing too, but I still think I'd like more than just one wall. Would not do the ceiling, but I would keep the chair rail and paper above it, paint below it. I'd think about a pair of larger mirrors on the sink wall and not break the far wall with the towel bar but come up with something more interesting for hand or fingertip towels. art of that depends on the scale of the paper though -- it might not be what I am picturing either.

  • MarinaGal
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    It's a large powder room - wheelchair accessible I think - and it currently has an institutional feel. I want to glam it up a bit. Lascatx - definitely would paper above chair rail only. When I first posted I was only thinking of using the paper on the mirror/vanity wall, but some of the comments made me consider all of the walls. The ceiling is high and should be painted I think. Now that we own the house, I can spend more time with it!

  • cran
    11 years ago

    I had thought it was a tiny powder room, but that is not the case. So with that being said I wonder if you would consider using the black and taupe wallpaper and perhaps painting the ceiling black? I have done that in a very small powder room and the ceiling actually disappears. I would also hang a huge ornate gold mirror over the entire vanity wall!

  • lascatx
    11 years ago

    One large framed mirror could be good -- just as long as it doesn't look like the bare builder mirror glued to the wall or one with trim trips to frame it edged to edge.