pssst…catch the full reveal video here + details about the project budget and a product list

  DESIGN goal

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his powder bath had all the essential practical elements but was lacking a sense of comfort and personality.

goal: Create a welcoming powder bath design that maximizes storage and makes the small space feel bigger.

The room needs to be redesigned without remodeling which means all structural, plumbing, and electrical elements will remain as is and all upgrades and additions will be cosmetic.

STYLE & mood 

  LIGHT & bright

[dropcap]S[/dropcap]paces with more light feel larger and more open, dark walls or paint colors give a dramatic vibe, but make spaces feel smaller.

❝ in order to make a small space feel bigger, keep it light and bright.❞

For this space, that meant keeping the walls light, but not boring. The wallpaper and wood accent wall selection achieved this through light tones that offered texture and pops of color.

The whitewashed faux wood wall adds interesting texture while keeping the space light. The creamy white base of the wallpaper keeps the space feeling bright and open, but still adds some subtle navy accents with the pattern.

A white and natural colored circular rug was also added to help further brighten the space, but also to add texture and a more cozy feel to the room.

Keeping the space light and bright also meant adding more light. The 2-bulb light fixture was swapped for one with three positionable bulbs – which not only brought more light into the space, but gives the ability to direct the light around the room and spread it out instead of having it all focused above the sink.

Lighting design 101 includes not only having enough light, but also having different levels of light – you don’t want all your light sources to be top-down. A mini lamp was added on the rustic shelving for an extra light source at a lower level.

This helps create vanity lighting in front of the mirror so that the guest’s face is well-lit for freshening up or makeup touchups. Without the lamp, the top-down lighting casts shadows which aren’t the most flattering.

 

I also added a tall mirror behind the garden stool to help fill in the blank space created by the wall.

Mirrors help small rooms feel bigger since they reflect light and feel like a window. This mirror also gives guests a lower-angle mirror to check or adjust their outfits.

I went with a navy and gold frame to tie into the wallpaper and compliment the wood tones. It also adds great contrast to the green garden stool while still following the cohesive color palette.

 

storage

This space needed storage. There was nowhere besides the sink and window sill to keep toiletries & other things guests might need, towels, or any sort of decor elements.

Make use of vertical space in small spaces 

There wasn’t have space for added furniture in this room, so that meant going vertical. Shelving was added via as a ledge across the room, just above the sink as well as two additional shelves above the toilet. These shelves help draw the eye upwards and put emphasis on the higher 9ft ceilings vs drawing attention to the fact that the room is small.

Successful small space storage finds a way to make functional elements part of the decor.

The circular mirror was built into the shelf by cutting a notch at the back for it to fit into. This creates space a place in front of the mirror for guests to set their drink or phone.

Incorporating the mirror into the shelving helped to maximize the volume of shelf space we were able to squeeze in while still ensuring it was all within reach. All the shelves now provide ample space for toiletries, towels & decor. The toilet paper holder provides an additional easy access shelf to hold a guest’s phone or drink.