The Essential Powder Room

One of the guilty pleasures of visiting anyone's homes is a trip to the Powder Room. To help you create the ultimate Powder Room, check out these tips.

• Eliminate
◦ Grooming products. This isn't the place to have personal grooming products on the counter. Get rid of brushes, toothpaste, and certainly any medications.
◦ Dirt and grime. Is the sink a little dirty? The floor in need of a good scrubbing? Get cleaning.
◦ Wear and Tear. Does the paint need a touch up? Are the cabinets scratched or in need of a new coat of stain? Taking a few snapshots can really help since it's a totally objective way of seeing the room.
◦ Rug. No rug around the toilet. It's not good from a hygiene—or aesthetic—perspective.

• Backgrounds
◦ Color. Do the walls need a new color? Here's your chance to gussy it up a bit. With the right lighting, deep color in a Powder Room. can be incredibly flattering and dramatic. Paint. Consider high gloss paint since it will make the room sparkle.
◦ Artwork. The Powder Room is a great spot for collections of smaller pieces. Large format pieces can overwhelm a small space. It works better with groupings of smaller, more intimate objects. A theme works well here, perhaps a focus on a particular flower or seascapes or portraits of different styles. One of my favorite Powder Rooms was done by a friend who collected small portrait paintings of women. The portrait styles ranged from traditional to modern, but as a grouping, they had tremendous impact.

• Countertop Display
◦ Keep it simple. A small floral arrangement or plant, some liquid soap (not in the store-bought package, but in a stylish dispenser you've selected), some paper towels. The heavy weight ones are effective. A scented candle is always good in the bathroom.
◦ It's as simple as that. No family pictures in silver frames, no cutesy soaps, just clean and straightforward.

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