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Whether it's tucked under the stairs or little more than a hall closet, a powder room is a bite-sized necessity in any home. Sure, you probably only use it to wash your hands before dinner or direct guests to it during a party, but that doesn't mean that it shouldn't be just as intentionally designed as the rest of your home. Because the square footage is so limited (they're often 15 square feet or smaller), powder rooms are the ideal places to experiment with bolder colors and patterns you love. What better way to do that than with fun wallpaper?
Unlike a simple coat of paint, powder room wallpaper really lets you express your personality. Florals, stripes, and classic chinoiserie—the possibilities for your mini bathroom are endless, and there's a pattern for every interior style. Plus, with brands like Backdrop Home and Chasing Paper offering peel-and-stick options, renters and homeowners alike can try out a look without risking their security deposit or making a long-term commitment. If you think wallpaper has a stuffy reputation, keep scrolling. You'll find modern patterns that are a far cry from your grandmother's chintz—although we love it too.
The best part? Installing wallpaper can make a major design impact and completely update your space in a single afternoon, no messy renovation work required. Ahead, we're highlighting 30 of the best powder room wallpaper ideas from designers to spark your inspiration for your next project.
Oversize Florals
To make this powder room feel larger, Studio DB opted for a much larger-than-life Wayne Pate + Studio Four NYC poppy wallpaper and a floating sink, which frees up valuable floor space. High-gloss black paint adds drama and ties it all together.
Micro Dots
If large-scale patterns aren't your cup of tea, opt for a micro repeat instead. This powder room by Sherrell Design Studio takes a regal approach with a cobalt-and-gold Thibaut Anna French wallpaper and vintage vanity.
Moody Foliage
This powder room in a Portland home designed by Heidi Caillier features an Antoinette Poisson wallpaper. The lush print pulls in hues from the rest of the house.
Bright Botanicals
The quickest way to make a cramped space feel brighter and bigger? Fill it with cheerful colors. Cortney and Robert Novogratz chose a hot pink botanical Gucci wallpaper for the powder room in their West Village townhouse.
Small-Scale Pattern
Smaller prints on wallpaper can give the appearance of a solid color (with a bit more interest) and are great for people who are wary of adding pattern to such a small space. This powder room wallpaper is by Pierre Frey, as is the fabric for the sink skirt. In fact, the whole New England home by Lilse McKenna is full of color and wallpaper inspiration.
Wavy Lines
An Antoinette Poisson wallpaper adds whimsy to this tailored powder room by Liz Caan. No shower means no need to worry about humidity affecting the glue and causing peeling corners.
Glamorous Black-and-White
This powder room by Alexandra Kaehler features a black-and-white Pierre Frey wallpaper that perfectly complements wainscoting painted in an equally deep, true black. To get the look, try Benjamin Moore Tricorn Black in a glossy finish.
Micro Marbling
This tightly patterned powder room wallpaper by Rule of Three Studio is balanced by wainscoting that runs three-quarters of the way up the wall. Chauncey Boothby chose a custom colorway with blacks and browns that tie in with the rest of the room, from the walnut tone of the custom vanity to the grosgrain ribbon holding up the mirror.
Seaside Shapes
The sand dollars on this bold Madison and Grow wallpaper take on a geometric effect thanks to their ultra-even repeat. And, since this is a Naples beach house, designers Jesse Carrier and Mara Mille added seashell-studded mirror.
Soaring Scallops
Rather than extend the olive paint (Southern Vine by Benjamin Moore) all the way up—which would have made this windowless powder room look and feel far too dark—designer Bria Hammel covered the top quarter of the walls and the ceiling in a Farrow & Ball wallpaper, exaggerating its height and making it feel airy.
Offset Marbling
Designer Nina Farmer made this retro corner sink feel new again simply by adding a gorgeous Robert Crowder & Co wallpaper. The wainscoting was already painted in Farrow & Ball Plummet, which complements the paper and makes the powder room feel more formal.
Hand-Drawn Motifs
A Watermark Fixtures sink in Farrow & Ball Hague Blue sets an "oceanfront but not kitschy" theme for this Cape Cod, Massachusetts, powder room, says Kasie DiNella of Mend Interiors. The graphic wallpaper by These Walls picks up its the navy tone.
Wild Toile
This much pattern might feel like a big commitment to make in a primary bathroom, but it's totally fun in a powder room. Chango & Co. paired a jaw-dropping Hermès wallpaper with a vanity, woodwork, and floor tile in similar (but not matching) shades of bluish purple for a cohesive look.
Botanical Illustrations
Powder rooms are the perfect space to lean into a theme. Interior designer (and former set designer) Janet Gridley used pages torn from the iconic book Cabinet of Natural Curiosities to cover the walls of a mini bath in this Minnesota colonial.
Awning Stripes
A Schumacher wallcovering and brass accents elevate the powder room in Ashley Gilbreath's Watersound, Florida, home. "It's not overpowering," the designer explains. "But the texture makes it special."
Dynamic Linework
Bathrooms are full of straight lines and hard edges, so Sarah Hill chose a Farrow & Ball wallpaper that's full of curves and movement to bring balance to the powder room of this Brooklyn brownstone.
Classic Chinoiserie
In Courtney Petit's Dallas home, an under-the-stairs bath is a nod to her late mother's beloved blue-and-white china. The Schumacher wallpaper might feel overwhelming in larger room, but in this sloped powder room, it creates the exact right amount of visual impact.
Tropical Paisley
In this Dallas home's powder room, Sara Johnson splashed out on a Hawaiian-inspired Anna Spiro Textiles wallpaper. To further play with pattern and scale, she added a gingham sink skirt, which is perfect for hiding extra toilet paper.
Large-Scale Repeats
Even the pattern averse can get on board with a soft black-and-gray print. This powder room by Studio DB features a sweet, lighthearted Schumacher wallpaper that complements the swirls of the marble floating sink.
Neutral Ikat
When used in a small space, like this powder room by Markham Roberts, this silk ikat wallcovering's large-scale print is energizing, not overwhelming. The 1820s French mirror's reverse-painted frame keeps the graphic patterns coming.
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