Our house is pretty crazy in terms of projects right now. I say “right now”, but it does feel like it has been going on for quite a while. We are in the midst of a basement renovation that has included waterproofing basement walls, framing, insulation, drywall and electrical, and we are currently working on the walk-in pantry shelving project as well as painting the ceiling, walls, and floor (more on that in the future!). In addition to that, I have a whole “Master List” of projects I would love to get done one day, including putting up a kitchen backsplash, painting and finishing the guest suite and decorating our first floor powder room.
It will be really nice when all the dust settles and we can just enjoy all of our space, but for now I can dream about how beautiful our powder room could be one day!
1. A Neutral Color Palette
A beautiful black, gray and white color palette is what I am leaning towards right now. As in this photo above, it is a good idea to stick to more of a neutral color palette when a small space is involved. And our powder room is quite small!
2. A Chair Rail
I think a chair rail is a great way to add character to a smaller space. Like in this gorgeous powder room above, the woodwork detail allows for so much texture in such a small room. Love it!
3. Bead Board
And to go along with a chair rail, I’m also lusting after the possibility that we could finally have some bead board in the house! Because of the color I want to paint the walls (see #5 below), I think adding bead board below the chair rail will not only give some great texture to the walls, but provide the perfect balance to the room.
4. A Freestanding Vanity
Right now we have a pedestal sink, and I despise it. Talk about a waste of space! There is such a need for quality storage solutions when you have a small space like a powder room, and I would love to have a small freestanding vanity replace our pedestal. In the above powder room, this bathroom vanity provides a beautiful contrast piece: gorgeous dark wood with ivory counters and lovely brushed silver hardware. So sophisticated!
5. Dark Walls
I absolutely adore dark wall colors. If done in the right space and in the right shade, they can really make for a dramatic statement in a room. Since we plan on doing a white chair rail with white bead board below in our powder room, I would love to paint the top of the walls a dramatic color like dark or charcoal. As you can see in the photo above, it really makes for a breathtaking contrast.
6. Brass Hardware
Yes, brass hardware has been all the latest rage in the Pinterest-osphere. But it is crazy popular for a reason: there is something about brass that just adds an air of sophistication to any room. Pair it with a sleek concrete sink, and there you have it – the epitome of luxury.
7. A Porthole Mirror
In our small powder room, the previous owners installed a very odd-shaped mirror that hangs from a ribbon draped over a doorknob. It is not my favorite. But to avoid having to fill in holes in the wall, I think it would be really cool to replace the mirror with one of these roped porthole mirrors, as in the bathroom above.
8. Classic White Towels
I once read that towels and linens should always be white. They are easy to bleach when they become discolored, and they allow the rest of your design to pop. I strongly adhere to this guidance, and have made only one exception to it so far in our house (in our master bathroom). In a small powder room though, too many details can be confusing to the eye, therefore, I will definitely be sticking with classic, crisp white towels.
9. Layers of Artwork
I’m a big fan of layering different kinds of artwork that have a cohesive theme into a larger wall collage. In a bathroom, this could totally be fun with a few well-chosen, smaller pieces, as in the powder room above. The best part about small pieces like this is that it is easy (and less expensive!) to change them out from time to time.
Now it’s your turn: What is your favorite aspect of a small powder room? Is it the hardware? The accessories? The wall texture? Tell me what you think about these powder room ideas!