I would do a large contemporary art piece or maybe frame a pop fabric.

Sky, they are plenty big enough for me to see. Now when you are finished with your redo I'd like to see bigger pix, but it's not necessary.
I think an aqua will be very pretty. Not too bold as the lime, which I love, but still very pretty.
Here's a couple prints I've saved as inspirations....
{{!gwi}}
{{!gwi}}

P.S. These would be easy to do yourself on canvas bought from Hobb Lobby or other art suply store.

Hi Threedgrad - I probably will do something contemporary or some sort of abstract floral like O'Keefe. But I want something that looks good from the hall and while you're in the powder room. While the pop fabric would look good from afar I don't know how interesting it is to look at it close Up. Have you had any experience with that? Also what ever I do on that wall needs to work with whatever I do on the next wall above the toilet and with this I am clueless.

thanks for your quick response.

sky

Oh Justgottobeme - I love those colors in those prints.

You know I have loved that lime since I painted it about 9 years ago - it makes me smile every time I go in there. But I'm ready for a more peaceful aqua now and will let the art work hopefully be the interest in the wall.

And now that I know how to take and post pictures, I will definitely post the finished work. I love it when people post follow-ups so we can see what they did.

Sky

The fabrics make me think of Matisse. Later works, like the cutouts, echo the "flower" in the fabric on the right. And the bold shapes in his later works would show well from a distance. Will that fabric actually appear in the powder room? As a valance perhaps? Maybe with a top-down shade?

Or, I can also see something in B&W. Like...

Here is a link that might be useful: ...this...?

Hi Amy, I love the idea of Black and White - it would be very fresh looking.

You know it's interesting that you should mention Matisse - one of my favorite artists. And even more interesting is that my fabric was designed by Alexander Girard in 1954 and Matisse's Blue Nude was made in 1952. You can see they clearly shared influences.

I don't know if I'll use any of this fabric in the powder room since it is very expensive - over $100 a yard, but maybe I'll have some scraps that I can do something interesting with in the powder room.

Thanks for your post.

Thick black frames with botanical prints, possibly fern leaves.

Thanks Oceanna, I do like thick black frames and that would add presence to any art work.

sky

From the fabric, I am guessing you are going for a retro/contemporary look.

With that look, I would use custom wooden blinds for a window treatment. The reason I suggest custom is so you can order them with ladder tape. White blinds would work with either white or black ladder tape. Try Smith and Noble.

Why not frame those small pieces of fabric you might have left over in a series of 3 frames since they are your inspiration. You can do 2 rows of 3 frames using both fabrics in an every other pattern. Target has plain black frames with white matting. The matting is cut in 8x8 size.

To me artwork is very personal. I would suggest going through various art/poster sights and finding what is appealing to you.

You can always use some type of shelving over the toilet. Maybe some of those square block type shelves.

Put just a little batting behind the framed fabrics to give them some oomph. I think those two pix are gorgeous! BUT I would paint first, then try out the pix as you might decide there's too much of the same color and want something else... personally I'd keep the pix and do a 'quieter' wall color to set them off.

jerseygirl_1 - yes sort of a retro-modern mix is what I'm trying to achieve. I was just thinking last night that those square block type shelves would work over toilet - so that's a great idea. I'm going to check into those blinds and think about them.

Lucy, yes, I've framed fabric in the past and always used batting behind them - but I don't think I want to frame the very same fabric that I'm using as pillows in the living room - I think I need something different. And you hit the nail on the head, I need to have a quieter wall color that sets off the art work so the focus is on the art.

Thanks

Hi again Sky. Funny about the Matisse. I have always said that if I could paint, I'd want it to be like Matisse!

Since you liked the B&W idea and someone mentioned botanicals, I thought I'd share what I did in my bathroom. I used three prints by Steven N. Meyers. They are tinted shades of pale blue and green but are essentially like B&Ws. This isn't a great photo but...

One downside for me is that these prints have shown up in the mainstream lately. In fact, just after I bought them, I saw them in a Signals catalog. Ack! But, they are still just the right touch in my bathroom -- so perfect, I may leave them for whoever buys my house...if he/she wants them.

Here is a link that might be useful: Meyers' work

...I've been meaning to tell you is that I have a powder room that is painted a Martha Stewart color called Honeydew, not unlike your apple green. Great minds!

What a bout a plantation shutter on your window? That and some prints with wide mats and heavy frames would be gorgeous.

amysrq - yeah, I wish I could paint as well as Matisse - I love how free he was in expressing his art. I find it funny that you have work from Steven N. Meyers in your bathroom (thanks for posting that picture) because I was looking at his work, but I didn't remember his name. His work attracts me because it feels like a modern take on looking at nature. I'm also wondering if perhaps I can play around with my own photos to achieve similar results? BTW, the paint in my powder room was innocently called "pear". I don't know anyone who would grow a day-glo colored pear like this, unless it was grown in China LOL. I have to admit I find it such a fun and color and a little bit of me will be sad to cover it with a more easy going aqua. Yeah, great minds think alike LOL.

jjam - I'm going to consider the idea of plantation shutters- they always looks so nice in other people's homes.

Thanks

Sky,
My decorating style this time around is retro/modern mix/deco mix.

The wooden blinds lend themselves to the fifties and sixties and will allow light and privacy. I hate to say it, but that was my era. Everyone had blinds with ladder tape.

My Master Bath will be taking on the same style when I get to it later on in 2008. The bones are there.

I love the lighting fixtures you posted on the other thread. I looked at that one when we started our powder room and considered it. I may use it in Master Bath. We put in a floating vanity in the PR and went with a light fixture from RH when they were on sale (still not cheap!).

I'll be interested in seeing your finished PR. Ours is not completed yet but should be in January.

jerseygirl_1- it's nice to know that other's are doing a retro/modernmix/deco mix - they all share beautiful clean sculptural lines. I sometimes feel left out here because so many people are into traditional/tuscan/french/transitional/country styles. Yeah I remember we had those wooden blinds with the heavy ladder tape in my father's office and actually I liked them then and still like them now.

I'm glad to hear you looked at the same lamp fixture. LOL By the time I was choosing lamps for the rest of the house my mind had turned to mush and we just picked some simple lamps for the bathrooms with the plan to change them out eventually LOL 9-10 years later I'm finally doing it. I'll post pictures when I'm finished and I'll be looking forward to seeing yours too in January.

Sky,

Did you see my post last week entitled My New Furniture? I do have period lighting. Check it out.

Yes, and I remember your absolutely gorgeous green chairs - LOL I'm sure everyone did because they are memorable and look so comfy. I noticed that the lamp you have over your dining table is extremely similar to the one I have over my kitchen island - I love my lamp. We're thinking along the same path. Thanks for reminding me.

Sky

I used three prints by Steven N. Meyers. They are tinted shades of pale blue and green but are essentially like B&Ws

Thanks for posting the link. I was checking his work out in the spring when I needed wall art for our master bath. My computer ended up dying, haven't gotten my links off of the old drive yet.

Can't wait until our new house is done & I can start buying a few pieces :)

Merry Christmas