Make Your Powder Room Spectacular
01/04/24 02:26 PM
Powder Rooms are typically the smallest room in the house and the only room your guest will use by themselves. A powder room is typically located on the main level of a home, it is smaller in size than a full 3 piece bathroom and can also be referred to as a half bath. It provides your guest to use a bathroom without going into the private areas of the home. With that in mind consider making it an adventure for anyone visiting your home.
Because the powder room is small, it requires the least amount of decorating but can have the a big impact and can provide a glimpse of your personality, creativity and maybe even incorporate an element of surprise. In fact in an article by Elle Decor says it is the "best room in the house to take decorating risks." I believe that statement to be true and encourage my clients if they want to be adventurous, the powder room is a great place to do so.
In my opinion one must have a foundation and understanding on the history of house design before you can begin making design decisions. History of architecture and furniture always holds a special place in my heart. I taught the subject matter for almost 15 years at local community colleges. What can I say…. I love historical design so here we go. This is a crash course on the beginnings of what we call and know today as the "bathroom". It is speculated that one of the earliest known flushing toilet was used by the Minoans from the island of Crete at the palace of Knossos. This toilet consisted of a wooden seat perched over a "flushing conduit" ( a tunnel that streamed water from rooftop reservoir to an underground sewer). Amazing to think such a mechanism was invented over 4,000 yrs ago! During ancient times we know Romans had large public baths and latrines. These baths were seen as far north as Bath, England where there were warm public baths fueled by coal beneath the pools of water used for bathing and also built over hot springs which were thought to have healing properties.
The modern day bathroom consists of 3 basic items; a sink(s), toilet and shower/tub and referred to as a "full bath". Prior to indoor plumbing these functions were independent of one another and in fact not located in the same area of the home. The washstand was typically placed in the bedroom. It consisted of a small chest with a drawer, a large bowl and a water pitcher. The bedroom provided the privacy to take a sponge bath in between a full bath as full baths were quite an elaborate and time consuming process so not done very often. When it was necessary to relieve one's self, it happened in a structure located outside the home in what was termed an outhouse. The alternative was a chamber pot placed in a discreet area of home if the outhouse was not convenient or if one was ill and could not make the journey outdoors. After the fall of Rome, bathing was considered a luxury in early times and not done daily or frequently, as it was quite labor intense. Unless of course you were of royalty or could afford to have hired help. The process of bathing included a large deep tub placed near a stove in the home so the water could be heated then to pour in the bathing tub. The fresh water had to be hauled in and the dirty water haul out after the bathing. The bath was cherished and enjoyed. Small children were usually bathed in the laundry tubs of the day. Nothing was fixed in one place (with the exception of the outhouse). The wash basin and tub were located where it was convenient and practical to use in the home. Powder rooms originally were first found in only wealthy estates dating back to the 1700's.
As time progressed, the toilet and tub also had evolved. These pieces were enhanced to look like pieces of furniture. When furniture became more affordable, commodes (which had no plumbing) were designed to hold the chamber pot. Basically a wooden box that held a chamber pot, had a hold in the seat and the more progressive commodes would even have a lid attached to hinges to cover the hole in the seat. Some fancier versions were built like chairs, had carvings and quite fancy almost resembling a throne. I am certain you have a good idea where I am going with that one. Have you heard the term "water closet" used to describe the toilet? The term was derived from the English where they would place the commode under the stairs or in a closet which also had a sink built into a wooden wash stand. This information helps to better understand why some folks may refer to a powder room as a "water closet". Bathtubs made specifically for bathing were made from galvanized tin and encased in wood, then cast iron replaced the tin which was the all purpose material of the Victorian Era and used for sinks and lavatories. The bathroom began to evolve and small spare rooms or large closets were converted into "bathrooms" where these new "furniture" like pieces could all be placed. Of course only the people with means could afford such a luxury. This was the period of the beautiful cast iron claw tubs that are much coveted today. The biggest disadvantage of a cast iron tub was its weight. The Industrial Revolution made an impact on everything used in the home as it could be mass produced and more affordable. Unfortunately, this did not happen immediately. In the United States farm houses went without plumbing for decades later. The powder room did not become a common feature in the home until the second half of the 20th century.
From personal experience I can verify the bathroom was not a luxury found in a common farm house in the MidWest. My Grandparents who lived on a farm in North Dakota did not have running water until the late 1960's! Their 3 bedroom farm house had all three facilities located in different areas. A wash basin was seen immediate when entering the house through the back door which was at the end of the hallway and near the kitchen. This location was selected for function. I have memories of my Grandfather coming in from working in the fields all day and washing up with a large bar of Lava soap before he did anything. The wash basin consisted of a lovely wood piece of furniture that resembled a chest. It had two drawers below to hold extra towels and a mirror was attached to the back of the chest. On the chest was a beautiful hand embroidered runner, a large bowl and a water pitcher. The outhouse was located several feet from the house nearest to the back door for convenience. A distinct memory of making that trek as a child in the dead of winter through knee deep snow was not one of the fondest memories visiting my Grandparents on the farm. When we were very small, I remember my Mom taking us into the basement to use a small chamber pot which was nothing more than a pot we squatted over so we did not have to go outdoors. When we reached elementary school age we had to tough it up like the adults and weather the trek. Bathing was done in the basement near the wood burning stove where an oversized wash tub was placed. The water was carried from the well that was about 1/3 of a mile from the main house. The buckets of water were carried down a flight of stairs, placed in large pots that were heated on the old wood stove. It took several buckets to get the water warm enough for the luxury of a bath and a great deal of time. My Grandmother would use the collected rainwater to wash our hair as she considered it to be "softer water" than well water.. The rainwater came from the tub that sat behind the house I'll let you take a moment to envision what bathing in metal tub in the dead of winter in the basement in North Dakota must of been like. When my Grandparents could afford indoor plumbing the tiny third bedroom that was closest to the back door and basement door became the bathroom. A proper sink, toilet and bathtub were installed. There was no shower by the way. Not sure why a shower head was never installed, probably due to an additional cost that could not be justified at the time. I think they were just happy to have a tub where water did not have to be carried in and water heated to take a bath.
How to Make Your Powder Room Spectacular
What can you do to make your powder room more interesting. This is a room where you can go for a bold design. Because it has smaller square footage and does not contain a shower or tub moisture is not much of a concern. This is a great place to experiment with wall paper. The smaller space means less wall paper to buy and less paper allows you to use more expensive paper or just fun paper that you would not use in other areas of the home.
Along with the wallpaper fancy wood trim is a great application for a powder room. It is a perfect room to add wainscoting, add crown molding and or larger baseboards then apply a bold paint color on the woodwork. To add visual interest and dimension look at the wallpaper and select a fun color to use on the woodwork.
The powder room is another area where you can go for bold or dark wall color. It is common misconception that a dark paint will make a smaller room look smaller when in fact it can make a statement and give a bold visual impact.
An important feature that can really have an impact in the powder room is lighting! Look for something dramatic or even funky. The lighting in this area does not have to be a bright as a main bathroom, just enough to do your business and move along. I love the idea of a small elegant chandelier or sconces flanking the mirror to be used in a powder room. Mirrors reflect light so it serves double duty in the small space. Combine a beautiful trimmed mirror and dramatic lighting and you have an inviting powder room.
If going for unique, big impact and you have the budget, consider a fabulous vessel sink placed on a beautiful chest. Remember the early wash basins? The chest can be ready made variety or it could be a fabulous antique that you want to refinish to coordinate with the other elements in the powder room. One note to make is the height of the chest. It should be at least the standard height of a bathroom vanity. Not all chests will work for this type of project so take your tape measure with you if shopping for a chest. The top drawers most likely will not be useable to allow for plumbing. I highly recommend you hire a licensed plumber for this project as it can get tricky and you don't want your beautiful bathroom or home ruined by a costly plumbing mistake.
Look to the past to inspire you! Hope you enjoyed this little journey through history and found my own personal history to have a better understanding of how the bathroom we know today evolved.
Because the powder room is small, it requires the least amount of decorating but can have the a big impact and can provide a glimpse of your personality, creativity and maybe even incorporate an element of surprise. In fact in an article by Elle Decor says it is the "best room in the house to take decorating risks." I believe that statement to be true and encourage my clients if they want to be adventurous, the powder room is a great place to do so.
In my opinion one must have a foundation and understanding on the history of house design before you can begin making design decisions. History of architecture and furniture always holds a special place in my heart. I taught the subject matter for almost 15 years at local community colleges. What can I say…. I love historical design so here we go. This is a crash course on the beginnings of what we call and know today as the "bathroom". It is speculated that one of the earliest known flushing toilet was used by the Minoans from the island of Crete at the palace of Knossos. This toilet consisted of a wooden seat perched over a "flushing conduit" ( a tunnel that streamed water from rooftop reservoir to an underground sewer). Amazing to think such a mechanism was invented over 4,000 yrs ago! During ancient times we know Romans had large public baths and latrines. These baths were seen as far north as Bath, England where there were warm public baths fueled by coal beneath the pools of water used for bathing and also built over hot springs which were thought to have healing properties.
The modern day bathroom consists of 3 basic items; a sink(s), toilet and shower/tub and referred to as a "full bath". Prior to indoor plumbing these functions were independent of one another and in fact not located in the same area of the home. The washstand was typically placed in the bedroom. It consisted of a small chest with a drawer, a large bowl and a water pitcher. The bedroom provided the privacy to take a sponge bath in between a full bath as full baths were quite an elaborate and time consuming process so not done very often. When it was necessary to relieve one's self, it happened in a structure located outside the home in what was termed an outhouse. The alternative was a chamber pot placed in a discreet area of home if the outhouse was not convenient or if one was ill and could not make the journey outdoors. After the fall of Rome, bathing was considered a luxury in early times and not done daily or frequently, as it was quite labor intense. Unless of course you were of royalty or could afford to have hired help. The process of bathing included a large deep tub placed near a stove in the home so the water could be heated then to pour in the bathing tub. The fresh water had to be hauled in and the dirty water haul out after the bathing. The bath was cherished and enjoyed. Small children were usually bathed in the laundry tubs of the day. Nothing was fixed in one place (with the exception of the outhouse). The wash basin and tub were located where it was convenient and practical to use in the home. Powder rooms originally were first found in only wealthy estates dating back to the 1700's.
As time progressed, the toilet and tub also had evolved. These pieces were enhanced to look like pieces of furniture. When furniture became more affordable, commodes (which had no plumbing) were designed to hold the chamber pot. Basically a wooden box that held a chamber pot, had a hold in the seat and the more progressive commodes would even have a lid attached to hinges to cover the hole in the seat. Some fancier versions were built like chairs, had carvings and quite fancy almost resembling a throne. I am certain you have a good idea where I am going with that one. Have you heard the term "water closet" used to describe the toilet? The term was derived from the English where they would place the commode under the stairs or in a closet which also had a sink built into a wooden wash stand. This information helps to better understand why some folks may refer to a powder room as a "water closet". Bathtubs made specifically for bathing were made from galvanized tin and encased in wood, then cast iron replaced the tin which was the all purpose material of the Victorian Era and used for sinks and lavatories. The bathroom began to evolve and small spare rooms or large closets were converted into "bathrooms" where these new "furniture" like pieces could all be placed. Of course only the people with means could afford such a luxury. This was the period of the beautiful cast iron claw tubs that are much coveted today. The biggest disadvantage of a cast iron tub was its weight. The Industrial Revolution made an impact on everything used in the home as it could be mass produced and more affordable. Unfortunately, this did not happen immediately. In the United States farm houses went without plumbing for decades later. The powder room did not become a common feature in the home until the second half of the 20th century.
From personal experience I can verify the bathroom was not a luxury found in a common farm house in the MidWest. My Grandparents who lived on a farm in North Dakota did not have running water until the late 1960's! Their 3 bedroom farm house had all three facilities located in different areas. A wash basin was seen immediate when entering the house through the back door which was at the end of the hallway and near the kitchen. This location was selected for function. I have memories of my Grandfather coming in from working in the fields all day and washing up with a large bar of Lava soap before he did anything. The wash basin consisted of a lovely wood piece of furniture that resembled a chest. It had two drawers below to hold extra towels and a mirror was attached to the back of the chest. On the chest was a beautiful hand embroidered runner, a large bowl and a water pitcher. The outhouse was located several feet from the house nearest to the back door for convenience. A distinct memory of making that trek as a child in the dead of winter through knee deep snow was not one of the fondest memories visiting my Grandparents on the farm. When we were very small, I remember my Mom taking us into the basement to use a small chamber pot which was nothing more than a pot we squatted over so we did not have to go outdoors. When we reached elementary school age we had to tough it up like the adults and weather the trek. Bathing was done in the basement near the wood burning stove where an oversized wash tub was placed. The water was carried from the well that was about 1/3 of a mile from the main house. The buckets of water were carried down a flight of stairs, placed in large pots that were heated on the old wood stove. It took several buckets to get the water warm enough for the luxury of a bath and a great deal of time. My Grandmother would use the collected rainwater to wash our hair as she considered it to be "softer water" than well water.. The rainwater came from the tub that sat behind the house I'll let you take a moment to envision what bathing in metal tub in the dead of winter in the basement in North Dakota must of been like. When my Grandparents could afford indoor plumbing the tiny third bedroom that was closest to the back door and basement door became the bathroom. A proper sink, toilet and bathtub were installed. There was no shower by the way. Not sure why a shower head was never installed, probably due to an additional cost that could not be justified at the time. I think they were just happy to have a tub where water did not have to be carried in and water heated to take a bath.
How to Make Your Powder Room Spectacular
What can you do to make your powder room more interesting. This is a room where you can go for a bold design. Because it has smaller square footage and does not contain a shower or tub moisture is not much of a concern. This is a great place to experiment with wall paper. The smaller space means less wall paper to buy and less paper allows you to use more expensive paper or just fun paper that you would not use in other areas of the home.
Along with the wallpaper fancy wood trim is a great application for a powder room. It is a perfect room to add wainscoting, add crown molding and or larger baseboards then apply a bold paint color on the woodwork. To add visual interest and dimension look at the wallpaper and select a fun color to use on the woodwork.
The powder room is another area where you can go for bold or dark wall color. It is common misconception that a dark paint will make a smaller room look smaller when in fact it can make a statement and give a bold visual impact.
An important feature that can really have an impact in the powder room is lighting! Look for something dramatic or even funky. The lighting in this area does not have to be a bright as a main bathroom, just enough to do your business and move along. I love the idea of a small elegant chandelier or sconces flanking the mirror to be used in a powder room. Mirrors reflect light so it serves double duty in the small space. Combine a beautiful trimmed mirror and dramatic lighting and you have an inviting powder room.
If going for unique, big impact and you have the budget, consider a fabulous vessel sink placed on a beautiful chest. Remember the early wash basins? The chest can be ready made variety or it could be a fabulous antique that you want to refinish to coordinate with the other elements in the powder room. One note to make is the height of the chest. It should be at least the standard height of a bathroom vanity. Not all chests will work for this type of project so take your tape measure with you if shopping for a chest. The top drawers most likely will not be useable to allow for plumbing. I highly recommend you hire a licensed plumber for this project as it can get tricky and you don't want your beautiful bathroom or home ruined by a costly plumbing mistake.
Look to the past to inspire you! Hope you enjoyed this little journey through history and found my own personal history to have a better understanding of how the bathroom we know today evolved.