As part of a long-term age-in-place plan, this black and beautiful powder room in Calgary also hosts a shower, for a time when the homeowner’s office might convert into a bedroom. “Because this was a powder room, we wanted to make an impact,” says designer Aly Velji of Alykhan Velji Designs. “But because there was a shower attached to it, we couldn’t wallpaper like we normally would—we wanted something more durable.”

(Credit: Joel Klassen)

To keep the drama focused on the walls, Velji went with a dark grey matte paint on the millwork for the vanity, while a splash of gold on the brass faucets and lighting warms up the room. “Everything in here is hard edged, so doing this circular mirror moment, plus the globe light fixture, helps to break up all of those hard lines. It makes it less masculine and gets a bit of that softness in there.”

Velji’s team worked with porcelain tile throughout that features dark blue and white veining, similar to a marble—but more durable and cost effective than natural stone. “It’s really unbelievable what porcelain tiles can do now,” he says. “The possibilities are endless with porcelain, and you have more budget to do what you want with it.”

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