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Uploaded on: March 12, 2026

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The Butterfly Room is a famous, lavishly decorated ladies' powder room and “character lounge” located within Sydney’s historic State Theatre. Often described as “Sydney’s most beautiful bathroom,”

it was designed to be a refined retreat where female patrons could socialize and “powder their noses” during intervals.

The image is of a large butterfly mounted on the bathroom door.

The room features a unique butterfly motif throughout, including butterfly-shaped lamps, mirrors, and eight rendered butterflies on the walls and ceiling.

Originally opened in 1929, the space is furnished with French Louis XIV-style furniture and designed in a palette of pink, pale green, and golden-buff.

A major conservation project completed around 2019-2020 returned the room to its original “Jazz Age” glory, uncovering original murals that had been painted over for decades and recreating the custom butterfly-patterned New Zealand wool carpet.

Location: It is one of several “Character Lounges” in the theatre.

Contributed by Greg Lynch -