Going Strong

A bold style strategy revitalizes a Wyckoff, NJ, powder room

Light reflections create variations in the wall covering in this striking powder room.

My client absolutely adores luxurious, fabulous design,” designer Sharon Sherman says. This particular client, Cheryl Skead, knows more than most about cutting-edge interiors. As Sherman’s assistant at Wyckoff-based Thyme & Place Design, she has a front-row seat to her boss’s process on a daily basis.

Sherman had previously worked on the home’s surrounding spaces, creating a contemporary aesthetic. In comparison, the existing powder room’s décor seemed pedestrian. “We knew we needed to do something; it needed to go from drab to fab,” says Sherman, a state-certified interior designer and member of the American Society of Interior Designers.

The transformation began with a timeless combination, dramatically employed. “We started with a black-and-white color scheme, which is totally classic,” Sherman explains. “That provided the basis for all the opulence we could fit into this small space.” Sherman amped up the millwork by having it painted in a high-gloss black lacquer. “The flawless finish almost looks wet, and you have to touch it to realize it’s not.” The sumptuous palette continues above the glossy wainscoting, with walls swathed in a geometric grass-cloth wall covering featuring textured tones with metallic accents. The floor and ceiling repeat the theme. “We used an ebonized wood tile on the floor and — to add a little bit of bling — we included a bronze metallic accent. Then we pulled the whole room together with the fabulous soft-bronze metallic faux finish on the ceiling.”

The distinctive white vanity, composed of sculptural spirals, acts as a counterpoint to the dark walls. Compact pendant lights above the sink offer sophisticated style without obstruction. “Due to the limited space, we couldn’t install sconces,” Sherman says, adding, “There’s a quirky, industrial feel to these light fixtures, which is a reflection of Cherie’s willingness to be daring in her interior design choices.” In addition, “the bubble glass in the pendants relates to the bubbles around the mirror.”

With these bold choices, Sherman has created a sophisticated, lavish powder room. “Black and white can often be a very cold design palette in interiors,” she notes, “but by adding the soft, luxurious shimmer of warm honey bronze, it totally changes the look of the space.”