7 Tips for the Perfect Powder Room

This (below) is your basic run of the mill powder room.  Seriously boring- actually painful!  But, you go in quick, you get your business done and you’re out.  Utilitarian, no great experience, just getting the job done.  But why just ”Get by” when you can really “LIVE”.  Spiffing up a powder room can be very affordable and easy due to it’s small size.  It the perfect room to “LIVE LARGE” even if you don’t have the courage to go big in the rest of the house.

Virginia sweet pea
I think Powder rooms are one of my favorite rooms to design.  They are usually small, cozy and you are generally only in them for a few minutes at a time.  Thus you can go all out and a few minutes of appreciation a day is not long enough to get sick of anything.  I think of them as the little jewel box in a house, they almost demand high drama and decadence.



Elle Decor

Veranda


Melissa Warner

Poebe Howard

Brook Giannetti

Brook Giannetti

Alina Apteker



Domino

Desire to inspire


The advice I have for you when thinking about Powder room design is:
1) Lighting- go crazy!  An awesome chandelier looks so fun in a tiny space (if you have the ceiling height).  Use a fixture over the mirror only as an absolute last resort (it makes you look like an old hag even when you’re not, highlighting all your bags and wrinkles)  First choice for sconce placement is 66-68” from the floor at the sides of the mirror- lighting the sides of the face evenly.
2) If you are limited on space don’t go for the elongated toilet- get the regular/standard bowl or even an in wall or tank-less option.  You can also find a plethora of ultra tiny sinks (you’re not washing your hair in it – just washing your hands, tiny is more than fine)
3) Big color or big/wild prints on wallpaper do well in a small powder room.  Make the experience really fun, let your imagination run wild!
4) Don’t forget about the ceiling- does it need wall paper?  How about a bright lacquered paint?  Or even better, how about a mural on the walls and ceiling?
5) Storage- you need storage (under the sink, over the toilet???)  Try to find somewhere to stash the basics- extra toilet paper, tampons/panty liners, room spray, dental floss, breath freshener- you get the gist.
6) A fan… preferably a loud one.  You read the book ”Everybody poops” right?  Well, you know where I’m going with this.  When you have to do your business the last thing you want is for anyone to hear.  Most people are so concerned with finding the quietest fan made - What?!?  No, No, No- wrong thinking!  You want loud.  Now I’m not talking jet engine loud but loud enough to drown out other mild noises without driving you crazy or sounding like the house is falling in.
7) Last but not least- stay away from rugs and carpets right by the toilet (bad memories of the 1970’s with the shag toilet covers and matching toilet surround rugs).  I have an eight year old son - so cute but the worst aim.  We do want the room sanitary and fresh smelling.

Porch drapes

Of course as the weather improves here in New England my mind dreams of outside.  I am obsessing over porch drapes and trellises with climbing roses.  Truth be told I have not given much thought to porch drapes until now.  Sunbrella makes some absolutely fabulous outdoor fabrics that really hold up to color bleaching by the sun and mold.  In years past when the sun was too intense on my front porch I just repositioned.  But I just bought 18 yards of black and white awning stripe sunbrella fabric for a great price on eBay.  I have always loved how fabric softened interior architecture.  Now I am going to try exterior drapes, no longer will I have to move when the sun is too bright.  And honestly, the exterior of my house can use all the decoration it can get- we are talking ugly ugly ugly!!!

I think drapes do such a great job of softening and lending an elegance to the outdoor spaces.

When the weather cooperates the porch can be like a seasonal addition to your house.  We literally live on ours.  I am out there reading even when it’s slightly chilly- that's what throws are for.  I have to admit, I'm out there even in my pajamas (they are kinda cute- matching at least)

I would show you before and after of my porch decoration but as I’ve said in the past I don’t want to stain your brain with the current house ugliness, so these pictures can be place holders in your mind of what it will look like someday.

The Big Reveal!

So here it is, my daughter Tyber is 10 years old – wow, the big double digit!  I think you all may remember (from Monday) the picture of Tyber’s old room.  Here it is below:

So girlie!!!  Well my girlie girl got a new room redo for her 10th birthday.  She asked for tonal cream and white with accents of silver.  She wanted traditional mixed with contemporary and a little ethnic for good measure.  This is what she got today:

Charli and Bella have a new hang out place!

It’s so much better then our room my husband Kevin is threatening to move in - maybe this will be the new punishment to pull out when bad behavior is looming.

Color

To me experiencing color can literally change my mood, my day and inspire my thoughts.  The idea that by giving my house “flow” and “continuity” might require me to have an overall color and style theme connecting all the rooms is such a kill joy!  Sometimes I need warm and cozy, or fun and wacky, or serene and tranquil all in the same house and all within the same day. 
Wake up to sunny and pretty:

Make the kids lunch and eat breakfast in sunny, uncluttered and clean:

Go to work in exciting and vivid:

OR

Then come home, Pour a glass of wine, read a magazine, open mail and return emails on the laptop in warm, familiar and sophisticated:

Homework with the kids and dinner in warm cozy and casual:

Kids in bed, watch your favorite TV show with Hubby, just before retiring for the night:

Then so sleepy you go to bed in the coziest bedroom ever:

Now how you go to sleep in dark, warm and cozy but wake up in Sunny and pretty………….well that’s why you hire a designer!