Powder Room : Floors and Walls

Most of the time a Powder Room is a long and narrow space. Architects and builders don't get much square footage to these spaces, so they're really glorified closets - hence the term "water closet". Since this is typical, if you're in the process of planning, building, or completing a total redo of your powder room, take liberty with your floor - and spend money on expensive tile that you might not otherwise be able to afford in a larger space.

Mosaic:

Designer Credit: Phoebe Howard

Designer Credit: Phoebe Howard

Patterned Marble Mosaics are pricey, but can be worth the cost in a small powder room. Ann Sacks is a great place to get inspired, but most big box stores are getting more and more on shelf inventory of bianco marble mosaics for about $5-$10/square foot.

Another option is mixing on shelf mosaics to create custom mosaic patterns. Designer Sarah Richardson is notorious for this sort of budget savvy design:

Designer Credit: Sarah Richardson

Another tile option, slightly custom, and a little labor and artistic ability is required, but using shelf stock subway tile (3x6) and installing it in a subway pattern can create a gorgeous floor.

Found:  here (Get Down Flooring, Inc.)

But if you don't have the money - or don't want to rip up the existing hardwood, you can certainly get a few rolls of painters tape:

Designer Credit: Mary McDonald

Because painted floors that see so much use will typically look terrible over time, a rarely used powder room makes the perfect place to preserve the hard work that something like this takes. 

As for walls - typically, Powder rooms are a two piece bathroom (a toity and sink). But some of you might be using this as inspiration for a guest or hall bath that includes a shower or tub. Some of these won't work in bathrooms that have the moisture of a constant shower ... so keep that in mind; others might be too expensive to do in a large space, so note that these are suggestions for small baths. 

Designer Credit: Phoebe Howard

Solid surface stone slabs cut to 3/4 depth can make for stunning wainscoting. It's expensive - but remember, you won't need much in a small powder room.

Designer Credit: Courtney Hill Interiors

Fully paneled rooms, like this one with its judges paneling painted gray, are perfect for small bathrooms, and can be added to a bathroom that is in need of an update, but not a full overhaul. Of course, you don't have to take it to the ceiling. Using it as a wainscot is a simple alternative, and if beadboard fits your aesthetic, it makes a quick and easily resourced material.

Found: DecorPad

Another quick fix for a bathroom in need of a little update is boldly patterned wallpaper:

Found: Elle Decor

Unlike wallpaper wallpapers in foyers, a powder room can be a place to have fun with trendy patterns on papers, like the trellis pattern above. If you tire of it in a few years, it's likely not enough square footage to give you too much of a headache when removing it. Of course, who could ever tire of grasscloth?

Designer Credit: Benjamin Dhong

Powder Room : Lighting

Along with a toilet, and a sink with faucet, another important piece, and what we'll see next is lighting. I have some very definite ideas about lighting in a bathroom. First, Sconces:

Photography Credit: Susan Gilmore

Designer Credit: Tommy Smythe

Photography Credit: Andrew McKinney 

Designer Credit: Ginger Barber Found: Cote de Texas

Found: DecorPad

Found: Architectural Digest Home of  Ed Filipowski & Mark Lee

Designer Credit: Sarah Richardson

My biggest pet peeve in a bathroom is over the mirror lighting. Not only is it incredibly ugly - I mean, I've never seen a good looking option for over mirror lighting; but it's harsh lighting that makes everyone (and I mean everyone) look less than their best. Sure, I don't put make up on in the mirror - but I like to look my absolute best when I look in it! Sconces are so much better. Not only are there thousands of choices when it comes to good looking sconces to fit your aesthete, but the light you get is so much more flattering. Because sconces are typically hung at face level - there aren't any shadows casting down or up on your face, and instead give you an overall warm glow. An Artie's ABSOLUTE must in any bathroom! Especially powder rooms.

Next, overhead lighting. Most powder rooms are incredibly small spaces with low ceilings and not a lot of room for a hanging light. So, let's take a look at flush and semi-flush mounts. (By all means, if you have the space and the headroom, I'd go with hanging! Remember - the space will define the light.)

All lights available at Shades of Light.

Powder Room Week : Sinks

I don't have a powder room at CDLV, and most people with houses built prior to 1960 don't, unless they or a prior owner retrofitted a hall closet, or kitchen pantry, thereby rendering them without a place to hang coats, or store food. But, many of you have powder rooms, or some sort of secondary bath reserved for guests. This week is for you!

Of course, toilets are a necessary part of any bathroom - and I'll spare you a day of 10 pictures of toilets. Not only do I not want to source toilets, I don't want to bore you with a pictures of something we all would rather keep private. I will however give you a couple of notes about toilets.

• Buy the most expensive toilet you can afford. You won't regret it. You will, however, regret skimping on toilets in favor of the decorative. Cheap toilets don't have the water efficiency, or the lifespan of a good, well-made, and sometimes expensive toilet.
• Most people who are using your powder room will appreciate a comfort height toilet. A normal toilet has an overall seat height of 15-inches, a comfort height overall seat height is just under 18-inches, the height of a dining room chair. 
• Lastly, guess what trend is back? Wood toilet seats. But don't think of that old oak number your grandma had - think highly polished then lacquered mahogany and walnut toilet seats ala Michael S. Smith for Kallista, Kohler's high end sister.

Designer Credit: Phoebe Howard

Ok, Ok ... I said no toilets. But I couldn't resist showing you this bathroom with the trendy wood toilet seat by Phoebe Howard. (P.S., I bought her book today - enjoying each page.) Now that I've shown you - what do you think of it? Is it clicking now? You're probably thinking to yourself, I saw one of those in last month's Veranda. I told you - trendy! Now, sinks!!

First, I want to open your mind to console sinks. I have one, and I love it. And in a powder room, they make much more sense than in a daily use bath. Because you don't necessarily need storage of toothpaste, mouthwash, hairspray - the list goes on - in a powder room you can go with a prettier sink. 

Console Sinks

Designer Credit: Ted Tuttle

Designer Credit: Mark D Sikes from here

Here, metal leg porcelain console sinks, each of them with horizontal towel bars, the top photo with the towel bar in use, the bottom without - the beauty doesn't change. 

Found: Coastal Living

Found: Elle Decor

The second type of console sink is the all porcelain console. Not only is your sink porcelain, the legs are too. This is what we chose for our bathroom at CDLV. They can be expensive, but I got a great deal at Signature Hardware on a Nottingham Brass console sink. If you like the look, give them a gander. Lastly, a take on both the console sink and the vessel sink:

Designer Credit: Brooke & Steve Giannetti found here

Designer Credit: Melanie Pounds via HouseBeautiful

Pairing up a console table that fits your aesthetic, along with a vessel sink makes for the perfect powder room solution. If console won't fit, or isn't your thing, try this on for size:

Pedestal Sinks

Designer Credit: Rita Konig

pssst: There's that wood toilet seat again! I know, I know!

This is your traditional pedestal sink. A two piece sink made from porcelain with different designs or molds on the base and surrounding edge. But there are other types of console sinks that are a little more ... well, original:

Designer Credit: Barry Dixon

Here, Barry Dixon uses an antique marble urn as a bathroom sink. It's the PERFECT solution for those of you who (1) find this appealing and (2) are doing a total bath redo. Because the plumbing for your faucet must come from the wall - not a common plumbing grade in typical homes. Worth the effort though, wouldn't you agree? And lastly ...

Decorative and Hand Painted Under mount Sinks

Found: Kohler Catalog here

If you don't have a single piece, cultured marble top to your existing vanity, you likely have a removable under mount bowl attached to some sort of solid surface. You can get a whole new look, and have your guests asking: "where did you get that sink?" each and every time by switching out your current one for something hand painted or even hammered metal. 

LOVE ... White Painted Floors

Designer Credit: Mark D Sikes

 

Designer Credit: Darryl Carter

 

Designer Credit: Darryl Carter

Designer Credit: Darryl Carter

Designer Credit: Darryl Carter

Designer Credit: Darryl Carter

Designer Credit: Thomas O'Brien

There's nowhere in my house to have white floors, and even if there were, Scott would kill me! Even so - I do have a plan for white floors in the future ... just where, we shall see!!