Powder Rooms 101

Whether we like it or not, we all have COVID on our minds (and hopefully off our hands!) these days. How can one catch it? How does one avoid it? It’s however not going anywhere in the near future and we’re going to have to live with it and around it in our daily lives going forward. And as well all know, handwashing has never seemed urgent…which brings me to my topic of the relatively small in size but mighty powder room.

Most of us have probably not given too much thought to our powder rooms besides building or renovating one, making sure it’s functional and possibly aesthetically pleasing. But before the early 20th century, the powder room - or half baths on the main floor of a house near the front door - did not exist. Bathrooms were buried deep within homes where we needed them most, such as near the bedrooms. (This could explain why many of the older homes, built in Toronto around 100 years ago, only feature baths on the second floor and basement levels instead of the ground floor). But with the Spanish flu pandemic a century ago as well as other disease outbreaks, powder rooms for washing up as soon as you enter the home became a common feature of our spaces as we know them today. Hence a classic example of our environment dictating design, in this case with a focus on cleanliness.

With the current pandemic becoming our new normal, our mighty powder rooms will likely get more visitors. Combined with the fact that they usually have a small footprint, they are the perfect place to go bold and inject personality. While there are many ways to achieve this, 3 easy and quick ways to change up your powder room are with the right lighting, paint and wallpaper.

In this powder room, the gold shine in the wallpaper plays off nicely with that of the sconce while the silver tones complement the bold dark-grey walls. Light wood vanity doors and white countertops balance out the darker colors and a single feature wall of wallpaper keeps the walls from looking busy. Designer: CC Interiors. Wallpaper by Cole & Sons. Photographer: Kiely Ramos Photography.

Lighting

Like in all spaces in a home, lighting can make or break a well-designed room. The same rules apply: one type of lighting is not enough. You should have a mix of overhead and accent lighting. Think of lighting as you would jewelry: it really is the finishing touch and can completely change the feel of a space.

Paint

While I know many who favor a clean white wall (and clean is definitely the catchword for the powder room), a plain white paint color is the not the way to go here if you ever contemplated experimenting with color. It is, after all, a small and enclosed space so why step out of your comfort zone and try something more bold?

Wallpaper

Wallpaper has definitely come a long way in the past few decades. There are literally endless patterns, textures and themes to suit anyone’s unique tastes. Even in terms of budget, the range is large with innovations that now include removable wallpaper that is affordable, will not ruin the paint underneath and are commitment-free for renters or commitment-phobics. It is so worth trying in that case. Wallpaper can be applied to all four walls, one accent wall or even just the ceiling. It can be mixed and matched with that fabulous paint you’ve chosen!

Here, a whimsical wallpaper featuring storks in flight breaks up the more classical colors of the powder room and injects calming color in the form of powder blue. The dark colors in the wallpaper complement the dark paint of the mirror frame and vanity.

Designer: CC Interiors. Wallpaper through Anthrolopologie. Photographer: Kiely Ramos Photography.

Do you have a powder room that could use revamping? Connect with us here to ask any questions or get started reimagining your powder room!