Powder Rooms That Really Perform

Half baths are a great room for dramatic looks, and they can look so pretty with soft lighting and candles.

But your guests often use the powder room to apply lipstick (or to check whether they might have anything stuck between their teeth before flashing that happy smile with a piece of lettuce front-and-center).

Providing plenty of lighting and a good mirror are important. These lovely wall sconces placed on either side of the mirror provide great lighting.

Put your lights on a dimmer switch. The low level of lighting in this powder room looks so pretty glowing softly against the deep color of the walls.

But with a dimmer switch, your guest can turn up the light as needed to make sure they haven't pulled the wrong shade of lipstick out of their purse.

This stunning powder room positively bathes the guest in light from a chandelier, pendants on either side of the mirror and lighting in the niches.

A mirror that lets guests of any height check their faces is good, and the previous three powder rooms handled that very well with generously sized mirrors above their sinks.

I'm only 5' 2", and have been in powder rooms with small mirrors placed so high I had to stand on tiptoe to see my face.

This floor-to-ceiling mirror behind the vanity is a nice bonus, allowing guests to give their entire outfit a quick check.

Provide your guests with a place for their purses and other hand-held items. This vanity has a nice, wide countertop with plenty of room to place a purse or toiletries to freshen up.

Don't you hate going into a powder room and having to balance your purse on the edge of a pedestal sink while trying to rummage through it? Then you pull out an item or two you need to use and there is no place to set those down, either. I don't know about you, but I also don't like having to put my purse on the floor.

Tip: If your powder room already has a pedestal sink with no counter space, consider adding a couple of hooks on the wall for hanging up purses, jackets or sweaters.

If you have a pedestal sink, you might add a small table to provide space for your guests' personal items.

This powder room also has a nice full-length mirror.

Here's a luxurious touch. Click this photo to see below this gorgeous vanity and you will find a little upholstered stool. It is so nice to be able to perch on something other than the toilet seat if you need to.

It also offers another place to momentarily place a purse or sweater.

Am I the only one who has gone into a beautifully decorated powder room to find nothing but a jewel encrusted, be-ribboned and heavily tassled hand towel — and been so intimidated by it that I just let my hands air dry?

Provide your guests with hand towels they know they can use. Shared hand towels can spread germs; this stack of cloth towels is an opulent way of offering your guests a sanitary way to dry their hands. Provide a basket for the soiled towels and put one in — or label it so it isn't mistaken for a waste basket.

This tray filled with color-coordinated paper hand towels is attractive, convenient and sanitary. The box of tissues covered in a matching box is another helpful amenity for your guests. You can find coordinated containers at every price point. The presentation is so much nicer than plastic liquid soap dispensers and cardboard tissue boxes.

I love everything about this elegant powder room. The table lamps add an opulent feel while the ceiling lights provide additional illumination. There is plenty of counter space, and the tray with rolled guest towels is a gracious way to offer fresh towels for everyone. The lower shelf of the vanity provides a great spot to place additional amenities for your guests.

Tip: For a truly luxurious powder room, take a page from restrooms in high-end restaurants or clubs and provide any toiletries that would be helpful: liquid soap, air freshener, hand sanitizer, lotion, tissues, toothpicks, hair spray. Put them all in decorative containers. Place them on a beautiful tray to keep them corralled and tidy.

Keeping additional supplies close at hand makes it easy for you to quickly refresh the room. Having extra storage in a powder room can be tough if the room is really small, but there are very slim vanities available that provide a surprising amount of storage.

If you don't have a vanity with cabinet space, using a decorative chest like the one under this counter can provide just enough space for extra towels and toilet paper.

Another great little chest is under this corner shelf and vanity. Such a great instant storage idea!

You can tuck storage space in lots of places besides under the sink. This powder room has a little cabinet flush in the wall above the toilet.

The storage is all to one side of the sink on a floating shelf that serves as countertop in this long, narrow powder room. I don't know if that long shelf has any drawer space in it, but it is thick enough to have it. That would be a good place to keep additional supplies.

This little secret compartment is built into the wall so it takes up no precious floor space. I would leave it open, just like this, when guests are at the house.

We've been looking at the primping functions of the powder room and how to best accommodate them, but let's get down to the business end. Ladies, we've all been there: you are at someone else's home and too late, you notice the toilet paper has run out. Aaarghh! Don't let this happen to your guests. Have extra toilet paper within arm's reach of the toilet. This contemporary little powder room actually makes a decorative statement out of the stored rolls with nine niches just for the purpose.

T.P. can run out fast at a big party. This niche is perfectly placed and it holds several rolls so you can spend your time enjoying the party instead of checking supply levels.

You don't have to build in a niche to provide an attractive way to hold the extra rolls. I like this clear, tall cylinder for its minimal look. Baskets work too.

The freestanding holder next to this toilet holds one roll in an easy position for use, with extras below. Keep a waste basket next to it for a place to discard the empties.

No toilet paper in sight here. It looks to me like this may be one of those spectacular toilet and bidet combinations that cleans you and dries you too. If your guests are comfortable with a more European solution, you may just not need any toilet paper at all.

While I'm talking about automation, I just love those new super high-powered air dryers for your hands that I'm finding in public restrooms. They are fast, sanitary and they eliminate paper litter. If there is an attractive version for residential bathrooms, I'm going to get one and eliminate the need for hand towels altogether.

Tell us: Is there anything else you think should be in the perfect powder room?

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Powder Rooms for Dudes
Where to Keep the T.P.?
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