Art Deco Powder Room with Mosaic Feature Wall

The basin is a gold oval vessel that sits on top of a black stone ledge, paired with a wall-mounted gold tap so the counter stays clear. A counter-top basin makes a feature of the bowl itself, which suits a room meant to impress guests. Mounting the tap on the wall means no holes in the stone and easier cleaning around the basin. Gold fittings need a gentle wipe rather than harsh cleaners, so the finish is not worn away over time.

A small brass chandelier with cone shades hangs in the centre, backed up by two matching wall sconces either side of the mirror. The pair of sconces light a guest's face evenly, which a single overhead light cannot do. Warm bulbs keep the bronze and gold tiles glowing rather than flat. In a dark room like this the light fittings are doing real work, not just decoration, so having the sconces and the chandelier is what keeps it from feeling closed in.

It is an ornate gold-framed mirror with softly scalloped corners, an art deco shape that fits the glamour of the room. Set against the small bronze mosaic tiles, its solid frame gives the eye somewhere to rest. A mirror this size also bounces the light from the sconces around and makes the compact space feel less tight. The shaped frame is the kind of detail that lifts a plain wall-hung basin into something that feels designed.

It runs on bronze, gold and black. The walls are small bronze glass mosaic tiles, the basin, tap, mirror frame and even the wall-hung toilet are gold, and the vanity ledge is black stone. Thin brass lines band the walls to break up the mosaic. It is a deliberately dark, jewel-box scheme, the opposite of a bright family bathroom. The mix of glossy glass and brushed gold catches light from different angles, which stops all that dark from going flat.

For its size it can be, because the cost sits in materials rather than square footage. The hand-laid mosaic mural, the full mosaic walls and the gold sanitaryware are the big items, and gold-finish fittings cost more than chrome. The upside is the room is tiny, so the quantities are small. If the budget is tight, a printed mosaic-look tile for the mural and gold-toned rather than solid-gold fittings get you close for far less.

It works best exactly where powder rooms usually sit, in a windowless spot off a hallway, because a dark scheme does not fight for daylight it never had. In a naturally lit cloakroom the same idea still works but you would lean on the mirror and sconces to keep it lively. The key is good warm lighting, since dark tiles need it. A pale powder room is the safer choice if you want it to feel bigger rather than moody.

Gold and brass fittings want a soft damp cloth and a dry buff, not abrasive or acidic cleaners that strip the finish over time. The glass mosaic is easy, since it does not stain and only the grout lines need an occasional going-over. Keep a cloth handy for water spots on the basin and tap, which show more on gold than on chrome. Done gently, both the metalwork and the tiles hold their shine for years without special products.