Since powder rooms are smaller areas, you want to make sure all elements of the space complement each other. This powder room is in a recently built home and opens into a large foyer with a grand staircase. My client obtained the 18^th Century French carved console, and we had it refurbished for the vanity. Luckily a local stone company was able to cut the hole for the sink without harming the original marble top! Though the room is small, the décor is a statement – just the way it should be! There are beautiful floral details in all facets of the décor from the sink to the wallpaper, and it all comes together with complementary tones of gold and green. Now, onto my tips and tricks!

Tip #1: Don’t let your fixtures ‘sink’ your timeline

Select your sink and faucet. Your plumber will need to know the manufacturer of the faucet before he starts to plumb the house and if you plan on having faucets that are on the vanity or come out from the wall.

The sink and/or the faucet that you choose may not be in-stock and you will need to know how long the delay will take.

This vessel sink from Kohler was perfect in the powder room pictured above as it worked beautifully with the wallpaper, and the gold accents are repeated in the mirror, faucet, and sconces.

A couple things to know about a vessel sink:

• There is no overflow hole in case the water is left running
• Consult your salesperson at the plumbing store for calculations to be sure the faucet’s water stream will strike the center of the vessel bowl and not splash at the rim or on the counter!

Tip #2: Don’t lose your footing when selecting the flooring

You will want to take care when selecting your flooring. You can choose to make it the same as the hallway or foyer outside the powder room or choose to do something entirely different!

Tip #3: Believe me when I say wallpaper is your best friend

Gone is the wallpaper that coated your grandma’s kitchen, wallpaper is not only convenient– it is cool. The wall treatment will set the tone for the powder room upon entering and a high-quality wallpaper makes it easier than ever. Wallpaper that is from ceiling to the floor should be wipeable, so choose a vinyl-coated paper, or solid vinyl. But practical doesn’t necessarily mean ordinary! The lovely vine-and-blossom wallpaper shown below is formal enough to suit the grand foyer but is vinyl-coated, so you get all the glamour without all the maintenance! Looking to make your small space seem larger? Look for wallpaper patterns that have a “negative-effect”, meaning that there is a solid color as the background of the wallpaper with the design on top.

Tip #4: Don’t make a glaring mistake with your lighting

When selecting your lighting, my first recommendation is always wall sconces with shades. This way the light will be at face level and the shades will filter the glare of a bare bulb. If there is a place for a centered ceiling fixture, choose a pretty flush mount rather than plain globe fixture.

Tip #5: Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize!

Finally, accessories will be the icing on the cake. Some of my favorite options are a wall-mounted hand towel ring and a small paper guest towel tray. If you have more room, add a mirror with a fun frame, an attractive waste basket, and inconspicuous storage for paper products because who said functional has to be boring?!

So take these tips and have some fun! Powder room design is so much more multi-faceted than people think! Stay tuned for my next blog, where we will dive into how to utilize the space in your larger bath and powder rooms!

See you next time!