An illuminated vanity by Neo-Metro and Fendi sconces made of Swarovski crystals play off rich brown walls.
Sometimes drama comes in small packages. Such is the case in a powder room designed by Dahlia Mahmood. Serving a masculine, clubby cigar lounge on the lower level of her client’s Great Falls home, the 50-square-foot bath needed to convey a strong statement. The designer’s challenge was “how to make it masculine yet give the space elegance and glamour,” she explains.
As a focal point, Mahmood selected the Ebb Console vanity by Neo-Metro. Complete with a stainless-steel frame and resin top, the piece is lit from within, casting a warm glow. “People are mesmerized by it,” says Mahmood. Sculptural HansaMurano faucets circulate water into the stainless-steel sink over round glass elements, creating a waterfall effect. Fendi sconces embedded with Swarovski crystals spray beads of light over the walls, further dressing up the space.
Painted a rich brown (Brownstone by BEHR), the walls counter the glam touches. “People have a misconception that you should never paint a small room in a dark color,” says Mahmood. “But if you have the right lighting—in this case the illuminated vanity and the gorgeous Fendi sconces—the color gives a sense of depth.” The ceiling, painted in Ralph Lauren’s Bronze Statue metallic, adds another “spark of interest,” she says. “Reflectivity also brings light into a small space.”
Dentil molding echoes the architecture found throughout the basement level, which is furnished entirely with custom Fendi furniture. Clearly, the powder room holds it own. “I really wanted it to be a jewel,” says Mahmood, “and I think we achieved that.”
INTERIOR DESIGN: DAHLIA MAHMOOD, Dahlia Design LLC, Ashburn, Virginia. PHOTOGRAPHY: ALAN GOLDSTEIN.