Breathing New Life Into Our Powder Room

Bright, airy, welcoming—these are the feelings our home evokes the second you walk in. I couldn’t say the same for the half-bath or powder room on our main floor, but fortunately for us, we were able to transform it as soon as we moved in!

You would never be able to tell by looking at it now, but our house was built in the 1950s. The bathrooms told that mid-century story, and we would’ve kept them as they were if it wasn’t for the fact that some rooms needed layout changes. Right?

Okay, fine. I’ll admit it: I wasn’t a fan of the pink tiles, toilet, and sink, so they had to go. The vanity was kind of cheap, with a faux-marble veneer that was chipping away, and the window was old and falling apart.

Fast forward to today, and this is our new and improved powder room!

The Vanity

This bathroom renovation story starts with the vanity—the focal point of this design. I fell in love with it the moment I saw it. I mean, look at it! Reeded details, polished brass ring pulls, and a marble countertop—and to add to it, it fits perfectly into the space!

The bathroom vanity also has tons of storage, which I use to store essentials for ourselves and our guests, including feminine hygiene products, an emergency kit, extra napkins, toilet paper, and other goodies.

The Hardware

I’m never afraid to mix metals, in fact, I prefer it! I like having a cool metal as the base and a warmer one as the highlight to create balance. The faucet is pretty much the centerpiece for a bathroom of this size, so I pulled inspiration from the drawer pulls on the vanity and chose one in polished brass. The polished chrome wall sconces and mirror blend nicely with the wallpaper, and so do the towel and paper holder, allowing the faucet to shine.

The Walls

The powder room faces the front of the house, which has a brick facade. The structural support for the facade extends into the powder room in the form of an interior ledge that feels forced and unintentional. I made the forced ledge an intentional feature by adding board-and-batten to the lower half of the bathroom and wallpaper to the walls above it. I chose Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore for the boards and a beautiful black-and-white wallpaper from Lulu & Georgia for the wall. I don’t believe they have the wallpaper anymore, but there are many more like it if this look inspires you.

As for the window, I needed to replace it since it was square on the inside but round on the outside. It also must’ve been through a lot since it was cracked all over. I replaced it with a round one, which fits perfectly, gives nautical vibes, and looks beautiful inside and out.

The Toilet

Ah yes, the pink toilet! Don’t you love it? I’ve never been a fan of colorful toilets, so I replaced it with a standard one from Kohler. This toilet is pretty comfortable and is the perfect height for anyone who uses it.

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The Finishing Touches

With the essentials out of the way, it was time to add a few finishing touches to our bathroom. I was excited to incorporate decor pieces that would make the room feel warm and inviting, and after some trial and error, I think I got it right.

I started by adding a vase of artificial flowers to our vanity. These tulips from Amazon are beautiful and made of rubber instead of plastic, which makes them look like the real deal!

Now for the smell-good stuff, I purchased some scents from Brooklyn Candle in Santorini to set the mood and add a personal touch to the space. Samuel and I went to Santorini for our honeymoon, so not only do the candles and diffusers smell absolutely amazing, but they also bring you into a peaceful state, just like Santorini did for us years ago! I cover the candle with a cover from CB2, not only because I think it’s super cute but also because it keeps the candle from getting dusty when not in use.

I still had some odds and ends to incorporate into the bathroom, so I purchased a small tray to place above the toilet and accommodate a diffuser and other essentials.

And that’s our powder room renovation! It's night and day, isn’t it? This bathroom makeover is one of my favorites so far, and I’m so happy I can enjoy it every day.

I hope this bathroom makeover inspires you to renovate your own! Let me know your thoughts and questions in the comments below, and stay tuned for many more makeover stories on the blog.

Ciao!

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