Botanical Beauty

Classic touches and a nod to nature enliven a formerly basic bathroom

Detailed trimwork “is a huge element of creating a space that doesn’t feel new,” designer Yana Bouchkanets says. A striking botanical wallpaper print adds depth and a sense of serenity. (See Before photo below)

This Ridgewood, New Jersey, powder room — part of a whole-home renovation by design/build firm MIF Design, also based in Ridgewood — reflects the charm and character the new homeowners treasured throughout their Bergen County neighborhood.

The primary objective? Design a home “that doesn’t feel new,” with a powder room full of little details that make it special, designer Yana Bouchkanets says. Layers of trimwork create a time-honored feel. “We added moldings found in traditional Ridgewood homes that this family loved,” the designer notes. A timeless pedestal sink with decorative edges that resemble crown molding perfectly complements the space.

Says Bouchkanets: “Our goal was to design a space that’s light and bright,” hence the choice to paint all woodwork in a crisp white semigloss hue from Benjamin Moore. Cues from nature also prevailed. “The property is full of mature trees, and we wanted to bring that feeling inside,” Bouchkanets says. Serena & Lily’s free-flowing vine wallpaper pattern in subtle variations of green “really brings the outside in,” she says. Brass accents, in turn, “add a little glamour” to the inviting space.