Spotlight on the Powder Room

I was watching an episode of my very favorite show – Rehab Addict on HGTV.  And host, Nicole Curtis, did a whole episode on the powder room of her latest house.  She made mention of how this is one room in your house that should really stand out as your guests will most likely visit at one point and have time to reflect on your personal style. 

I got to thinking about ours and how we had big plans for the powder room when we started the house build, but most of them were scratched off the list to save some money because we knew it was something that I could do on my own.  So with Nicole’s words on my mind- I set out on the journey to Jazz it up a bit!  

The main focus of the powder room is a 100 year old gold plated mirror that belonged to my Great Aunt Tina in her St. Joesph, MO home.  The intricate flower design of the mirror just demands a bit of fuss and drama to accompany it.  So we purchased Charleston fixtures for the french pedestal sink and a crystal chandelier to complete the look.  All items that could have been found in Aunt Tina’s house or any farm home built at the turn of the 1900’s.  

Even with these items, the room just felt like it needed something to pull it all together.  Once again, I looked to Nicole and thought about all of the powder rooms that she restores.  And realized that each of them has one of two things.  Wainscoting or subway tile.  Now I am a huge fan of wainscoting, but subway tile will always win in my heart.  There is something I love about tiling – its so easy and looks so great.  So it was decided that I would add some tile to the powder room.  

And that’s where the farmhouse inspiration meets my mother’s french country inspired bathroom – creating my own personal take on decorating.  Last year mom had her powder room renovated and she has one wall completely covered in antique mirrors with flower rosettes in the intersections.  I love the way that the light reflects off the mirrors and makes the whole room feel bigger and brighter.  

I combined the idea of a floor to ceiling wall and my love of subway tile for a floor to ceiling wall of subway tile.  And to keep it authentic I set the tiles in a dark grout – as white grout was not available “back in the day”.  

I knew I wanted to hang three wooden frames that Kelly gave me up in the bathroom over the loo, but had no idea what to put in them.  I feel like you cant put photos of people in the bathroom.  Just feels wrong for some reason.  So I ran this by Charles, and he came up with the wonderful idea of putting photos of the house during three phases of construction in the frames.  We converted them to black and white, and it’s perfect!  I love how when I really get stumped on something – he always has a helpful suggestion.  

The end result is better than I could have hoped for.  Aunt Tina’s mirror pop’s against the tile, the light dances over the tiles and reflects onto the walls, we have the creative photos of the house during construction, and best of all it no longer looks like a standard powder room.  It is full of little things that we love and reflects our style.