2026 Bathroom Design Tip #6: Turn a Problem Into a Design Feature

When the duo behind Knight Varga Interiors took on the renovation of this Vancouver home, the powder room wasn’t initially on the agenda—but the homeowner quickly realized how dysfunctional its original design was. “The countertop was so low,” says designer Trish Knight. “It was actually really funny—it was only 24 inches off the ground.” The homeowner added it to the list of rooms to tackle, and the team “managed to get a lot of big personality into this little afterthought of a room,” says Knight.

The Pietra Grigio marble counters were raised to a more standing-friendly height, but there wasn’t anything that could be done about the plumbing column behind the vanity—it bumped forward almost an inch into the room. So the team transformed it into a feature: lining it with teal fan-shaped tile from Pratt and Larson turned an inconvenience into a showstopper. “It’s a bold surprise for guests when they come in,” says Knight.

And, of course, that big and beautiful  Ellie Cashman wallpaper was very much on theme for the owner. “She’s got absolutely gorgeous gardens in front and back of her house,” says designer Nicole Varga. “Having this floral wallpaper was a nice nod to her love of her gardens.”

Flower Power

The Ellie Cashman wallpaper can change in scale on demand: Knight and Varga went for lush and oversize, but the same image can be printed tiny or even larger.

Curve Control

It’s all about the curves here: the clay sconce from Cedar and Moss, the mirror, the fan tile and the sink all bring a softness to the angular marble countertop and vanity.