Botanical Bathrooms to Suit 9 Personality Types
A wide range of wallpaper styles means there’s a garden in the loo for everyone. Which one suits you?
Becky Harris
May 10, 2017
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia.
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe... More
The other day I was searching for beautiful botanical wallpapers on Houzz, using the keywords floral and botanical in the bathroom photos category. And before I knew it, I had lost track of what I was even looking for and had started to make up stories about the people who use these bathrooms. You might think there’s just one type of person who chooses a botanical wallpaper for the bathroom. But you’d be wrong.
1. The birdwatcher. What I imagine we can’t see in this photo is a hummingbird feeder outside the window and a pair of binoculars stashed behind that cafe curtain. The chair is placed just next to the window so the owner can perch there while on the lookout for cliff swallows, prothonotary warblers, Savannah sparrows, northern bobwhite and scissor-tailed flycatchers. (The story in my head got me Googling birds found in Houston.)
Wallpaper: Bird and Thistle, Brunschwig & Fils
Wallpaper: Bird and Thistle, Brunschwig & Fils
2. The optimist. There’s just something about someone who can sit in a tub with a high backrest, looking out the window, surrounded by a garden of oversized orchids, that exudes positive energy. As the Epsom salts work their magic, his mind relaxes and he feels energized and full of new ideas. By the time he emerges to step onto the pebbled floor, he’s raring to get started on a new project.
Wallpaper: Orchid, Cole & Son
Wallpaper: Orchid, Cole & Son
3. The classifier. This person loves to study botany, propagate seeds, press leaves, draw flowers in a sketchbook and memorize those pesky Latin botanical names for family, genus and species. And she can learn a little more every time she visits the powder room just by looking at the wall. Sometimes she even sits on top of the lid just to gaze around.
Wallpaper: Prints, Repertoire Collection, Thibaut
Wallpaper: Prints, Repertoire Collection, Thibaut
4. The Rat Packer wannabe. This person loved the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel banana leaves wallpaper so much that he put it on the ceiling. I can practically hear Ol’ Blue Eyes crooning “My Way” and envision the homeowner singing along in the mirror as part of his daily affirmation.
Wallpaper: Martinique Wallpaper, Stockdale
Wallpaper: Martinique Wallpaper, Stockdale
5. The Francophile. This sumptuous hand-painted mural is fit for Marie Antoinette. As she soaks in a bubble bath, she envisions her court/glam squad helping her primp a wild hairdo full of birds before she heads to the opera.
Wallpaper: de Gournay
Wallpaper: de Gournay
6. The prima donna. Speaking of the opera, this wallpaper design was inspired by the prima donna’s dressing room in the court theater at Drottningholm Palace Theatre in Stockholm. Whoever chose this has some serious old-school diva in them. Lots of private singing goes on in here.
Wallpaper: Eleonora, Zoffany
Wallpaper: Eleonora, Zoffany
7. The conservationist. The pattern in this wallpaper was inspired by the trees in Central Park, which I assume means they are some interpretation of the majestic elms on the mall. But they are blue, which makes them kind of Dr. Seussian (even if they aren’t truffula trees.) I imagine a father sitting here reading “The Lorax” to his kids while they splash around in the tub.
Wallpaper: Raphael, Sandberg
Wallpaper: Raphael, Sandberg
8. The romantic. Lots of prepping for special dates goes on in this bathroom; he uses an old-fashioned shaving brush and checks for renegade eyebrow hairs in the mirror before stepping out with his latest paramour.
Wallpaper: Bird in the Bush, Anna French
Wallpaper: Bird in the Bush, Anna French
9. The modern English rose. She prefers a jetted tub to a shower, Queen over Wham! and cabbage roses to orchids. She’s well put together but needs to scrub that garden dirt from beneath her nails before she starts gelling up her spunky short hairdo.
Wallpaper: Waverly Cottage Emma’s Garden ER8180, York Wallcoverings
Wallpaper: Waverly Cottage Emma’s Garden ER8180, York Wallcoverings
Your turn: Do you imagine a particular homeowner when you look at photos on Houzz? Do you hear music playing or smell the gardenia perfume or bracing aftershave? Take a stab! We’ll call this one “A” …
Wallpaper: Palm Leaves, Cole & Son
Wallpaper: Palm Leaves, Cole & Son
… and this one “B.” Please share your descriptions in the Comments.
Wallpaper: Cowtan & Tout
More
Great Home Project: How to Add Wallpaper to a Room
Shop for wallpaper on Houzz
Wallpaper: Cowtan & Tout
More
Great Home Project: How to Add Wallpaper to a Room
Shop for wallpaper on Houzz
Related Stories
Powder Rooms
30 Powder Rooms With Wonderful Wallpaper
Wall coverings fill these rooms with color, pattern and pizzazz
Full Story
Events
What’s New in Tile for 2023
By Julie Sheer
Five trends in new tile collections were spotted at the recent International Surface Event 2023 trade show in Las Vegas
Full Story
Decorating Guides
10 Places to Use Paint or Wallpaper to Create a Fun Design Moment
By tidgboutique
Add a bright pop of color and pattern to these areas to bring a sense of whimsy and cheer
Full Story
Decorating Guides
40 Inspiring Wallpaper Ideas
See ways to add personality and visual texture to any room with this collection of wonderful wallcoverings
Full Story
Organizing
Pegboard Gets a Stylish Upgrade
See 25 modern takes on the classic organizational system that add style and function throughout the home
Full Story
Photo Flip
25 Fanciful Rooms Featuring Animal-Motif Wallpapers
Wallpapers covered in critters from land, sea and sky bring out the wild side of every room in the house
Full Story
Powder Rooms
20 Powder Rooms With Eye-Catching Wallpaper
See how wallpaper in various colors, patterns and textures transforms these powder rooms into jewel boxes
Full Story
Nursery Ideas
Colorful and Energetic Nursery for Newborn Twin Girls
Animal-inspired decor, geometric patterns and clever storage are among the highlights of this New Jersey nursery
Full Story
Decorating Guides
Gorgeous Details: How to Make Your Millwork Shine
By tidgboutique
A designer shares his tips for creating beautiful rooms with wainscoting, paneling, molding and more
Full Story
Design Details
9 Inspiring Ways With Wallpaper
A designer shares her tips on where to add wallpaper for the greatest visual impact
Full Story
Bath A is the master bath of a couple who like to curl up in bed munching on ginger scones after their Friday night swing dance classes. As they munch they binge watch their favorite Thin Man movies. William Holden and Myrna Loy, what is not to love...
Bath B belongs to a thirty-something lady who is a fan of Doris Day. Something about the room makes her smile mysteriously and hum "que sera sera" as she twirls to check the back of her hair in the mirror, then races out the door to make her yoga class on time.
Bath C is the haven of a high school English teacher. She really needs a haven as she spends her days attempting to push back the encroachment of the dark ages and her nights crafting her version of the great American novel.
We LOVE botanicals, verdure, and a garden of eden style...