All the Plans for our Powder Room

The next major design project in our home? Our powder room redesign! Right now, the first floor our home is about 90% completed with the exception of the half bath. Amelia, our interior designer, once told us, “once you’ve completed the full design of one room, everything in another will start to drive you crazy.” She was right!

At first, the powder room wasn’t a priority project. However, as time passes, and especially after finishing all other spaces on the first floor, it’s been pushed to the top of the list! Like most powder rooms, the space is relatively small. Funny enough, it was also almost a dealbreaker in buying the home (I’ll leave that story for another day, haha!).

Our Power Room Design Plans

We’ve decided to add classic beadboard to add visual interest to the room. First, beadboard is relatively inexpensive, especially in comparison to wainscoting. Plus, after seeing it in Mackenzie’s home, we were sold! She always has the best taste. As opposed to a crisp white, we’re going to paint ours a light blue to match the wallpaper.

Why We Chose our Wallpaper

It’s no secret I’m obsessed with wallpaper. I’d wallpaper our refrigerator if Bob and Amelia would let me, haha! Finding a print and pattern from the powder room took forever! Transparently, Amelia is phenomenal about sending options. I’m the issue! This decision was especially hard for me because the space is so small. Plus, I want the powder room to feel like a continuation of our family room.

Thankfully, we found the most amazing print courtesy of Rifle Paper Co. I’ve been wanting to work with the brand forever! This was the perfect opportunity; the wallpaper is EPIC. Hydrangeas also represent many important things in my life – it was my mom’s favorite flower, it reminds us of Nantucket, and the print is just SO fresh.

Also, my mom has a beautiful piece of hydrangea art that she purchased on Martha’s Vineyard that she had in her bathroom in my childhood home. We plan to incorporate it somehow in our powder room.

How to Make a Powder Room Feel Bigger

Since the powder room is so small, I’ve been doing research on a few ways to make the small space look bigger. After all, the last thing I want is for our guests to feel like the walls are caving in on them!

Tip #1: Choose light and bright colors

Amelia recommended “Grand Rapids by Benjamin Moore” for the beadboard. The blue is slightly lighter than the one in the wallpaper, which will keep things fresh and bright.

Tip #2: Lighting is key

It’s important to incorporate as much light as possible. I’m beyond excited to install this gorgeous wall sconce by Mitzi, one of my go-to lighting brands. The fixture feels slightly more modern compared to other aspects of the space.

Tip #3: Flooring

We’re holding off on new flooring for the time being, but I’m excited to possibly change it up in the future. When it comes to any room, the eye naturally follows the lines within a space. Tile is a great way to make the room feel more open and create an illusion of being bigger.

A Peek at the Before Photos

Currently, our powder room is where beige goes to die. Seriously. It’s a basic builder’s-grade space. In other words, boring! Since the powder room is just off of our family room, I’m looking to maintain the bright, cheerful vibe of that space. Plus, I’m excited the wallpaper will add green to the color scheme. To save on costs, we decided to keep the current toilet and hardwood floors. While we’d love to purchase a brand new commode to compliment the pedestal sink, it feels like a silly expense. As with any design decision, you have to make some financial compromises, so that was one for us.

The Finishing Touches

The bulk of the “major decisions” have taken place. Now, we just have a few final details to figure out. During most room designs, the final phase is always the toughest! Thankfully, Amelia is being patient with us (as always)!

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

The biggest decision? A vanity mirror. I’ve looked at hundred of mirrors, and I still can’t find one that I love. Originally, I was planning to use our Ballard Designs Atoll mirror, but we ended up placing it elsewhere.

Ideally, I’d love to splurge for this insanely gorgeous mirror in hinting blue, but I’m just not ready to take the plunge. As such, I’m leaning towards this beautiful pivot mirror. I love the shape and the dimensions are perfect. Plus, the metallic would be great in the space. Lastly, I also like this leafy option, but seems like it will be too busy against the wallpaper.

Bold as Brass

For hardware, Amelia suggested this fabulous brass faucet. We just need to decide on a new towel bar and toilet paper holder. I do love a subtle lucite accent. Therefore, this timeless towel bar at Anthropologie immediately caught my attention. Lastly, Amelia recommended this style for our toilet paper holder. It looks super sturdy and just easy.

Choosing Accent Pieces

It’s funny how small accent pieces can make a big difference. Right now, I’m trying to decide between two different waste baskets. I love this white ceramic version but also like the natural textures of this affordable style. Which one do you prefer?

On the other hand, I’m excited to personalize hand towels for our guests with our monogram. Countless brands offer styles, and I’m slightly leaning towards this brand, but that may change!

Art and Photography

Lastly, ART. Paintings and photography are like the icing on the cake of a room. I really want to take our time with picking the pieces. Part of me is leaning towards watercolor pieces from a fave artist like Meredith Hanson or a fantastic print like this version from Gray Malin.

Anyway, stay tuned for our final decisions and room reveal! I’m excited to share more in the weeks ahead.