The Powder Room: A Diamond In The Rough

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I love powder rooms.  I won’t deny that my enthusiasm for powder rooms seems to take my clients by surprise but I see these tiny little spaces as wonderful opportunities to make a powerful impact.  Usually located near the heart or center of the home, I view powder rooms as an unassuming door just waiting to take the homeowner and his/her guests to a different dimension. 

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Powder rooms provide boundless opportunities for creativity while allowing the most bang for the buck.  In a powder room, you can take risks that you may not be inclined to take in a more open space within your home.  The powder room can provide a personal and intimate experience for all who venture in, an experience that the homeowner can craft from the moment the door closes.  

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Powder rooms are the ultimate fantasy space, they provide the opportunity to sample or create your ultimate dream home without spending all the dream home money.  An average DC powder room is anywhere from 15 to 25 sq. ft.  With such a small footprint, a homeowner can use custom finishes and treatments without spending a ton of money.  Custom finishes can include painted murals, bead board, handcrafted tiles, or any assortment of wallpapers or natural fiber papers.  A tile that retails for $30/sq. ft. becomes an affordable luxury in 15 square feet of space, as opposed to, in 80 square feet.

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Powder rooms also allow the use of fixtures and treatments that may not be practical in bathrooms or kitchens that get a lot of everyday use.  A high vessel bowl in a child’s bath or master bath might take up needed counter space but in a powder room, you can enjoy the novelty without sacrificing function.  Displaying rare art or artifacts in a bathroom with a bath or shower isn’t a good idea considering the long-term exposure to moisture but in a powder room where such exposure is not a problem, it becomes a great place to display these works of art. 

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Powder rooms are a great place to allow your inner creative spirit to shine.  The powder room is one of the best places to attempt interesting and unique design feats without taking on the toll and costs that could come with attempting such projects in a more sizeable room.  Powder rooms are also great places to experiment with color.  If there is a color that you gravitate toward but are afraid to use in the more prominent areas of your home, the powder room is great candidate for that color. 

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Powder rooms can be wonderful, little jewels for your creative inspirations.  Be bold.  Go out on a limb.  You just might find that the powder room becomes your favorite room in the house.