I’m so excited to share a recent Postbox Project I created for a client-a mom of two little boys who wanted to make over her builder grade powder room. Because it is off the garage, it is in a high use area, and she wanted to give it an update. I’m extra, extra excited to share this project because I happen to LOOOOOVE her tastes! I was at the breakfast table with a cup of coffee when I opened up the Pinterest boards she made for me and literally yelled out loud to my hubby “I love her style! This is going to be so much fun!”.
So let’s start with some of the sample powder rooms she shared with me for inspiration. As part of the Welcome Packet I send to all of my clients, I have them fill out a Design Questionnaire about their tastes and budget, but I also have them create a Pinterest or Houzz board. Becasue we all know a picture is worth a thousand words. Her style to me is elegant and traditional, without being the least bit stuffy:
Between her Questionnaire and photos, I saw a lot of light colored marble, on both the countertops and flooring. I saw a lot of white cabinets and polished chrome and nickel hardware. I also noticed she had a lot of sconces pinned for her bathroom vanities. And finally, she indicated she would be interested in possibly paneling, such as shiplap, or even wallpaper on her walls.
A powder room is a GREAT place to take some chances, such as a dramatic wallpaper or an amazing floor (less square footage means you can get a more expensive, dreamy tile). It is not a room you are in for long periods of time, so if you want to go bold with color or patten, try it out in a powder room.
I always give my clients TWO different versions of their space, so they have oodles of options-here is Version #1:
I took the essence of her photos and the feedback she gave me to create this powder room. I started with the classic white hex marble for her flooring (#1) . I am actually using this exact same tile in my own bathroom, so I was able to give her a personal recommendation on this brand (at only $10/SF no less!).
Whenever I can, I always include actual samples in my Postboxes, so she had a sample of this tile included.
To go from one light fixture to two, it is a fairly simple project for an electrician and it involves some drywall patching. But since she is planning on painting anyways, this would be a great time to make the switch. It gives a very custom look to have two scones (#2) on either side of your mirror instead of the basic single light.
If you have been on Pinterest lately you will see that the arched mirror is having a hey day right now (#3)…and for good reason! This is a classic, elegant design, and this mirror looks a lot more expensive than it actually is.
I’m currently having a love affair with polished nickel. It is so classy and timeless, and so, well….polished!
So I wanted to make sure to include some of these elements in her space.
(#4, 5, 7 & 8): Want to know a designer’s inside tip?
Here is a tip for you-when you are looking to do polished nickel in a kitchen or bathroom, you may not want to do it in your faucet. Using polished nickel in plumbing fixtures it is a HUGE upgrade. So when you are looking to incorporate this look, use it in your cabinet hardware and bath accessories. You get the same high-end look, but these items typically run the same costs as items in other finishes.
A classic white Shaker door is timeless and would look perfect in a space like this (#6). I am suggesting topping her cabinets with another classic piece-Carrara marble (#10). I don’t suggest ever putting marble into a kitchen, due to it being a softer material where it is more susceptible to staining. But marble is great for a bathroom (just don’t drink your red wine while doing your make-up in your bathroom!). Or you can use a similar looking quartz product if you want NO maintenance.
Remember the part about polished nickel being more expensive for plumbing fixtures? Try using polished CHROME instead. It is the most classic look, the most economical, and bonus points-it is the easiest finish to clean! This vintage inspired x-handle faucet beauty (#9) will be the jewel of the room.
And finally, I included an inspirational photo from A Well Dressed Home with this gorgeous shiplap wall treatment (#12) and included a recommendation for paint color (#11). She could do shiplap on all four walls, or just the back wall for a statement. In a bathroom, I would recommend at least an eggshell finish, or even semi-gloss which is easy to clean. Important for a bathroom with young boys learning how to potty train!
Okay, I hope she loves it. But what about another version? I always try to do two versions that my clients can mix and match so they have multiple options for their space:
This version gives her one of those super easy pre-done furniture style vanities (#2)-the cabinet, marble top, hardware, and sink come together pre-assembled! Plus I adore the turned leg cottage look, with an open shelf for extra storage. The only thing not included is the faucet, so I chose another polished chrome beauty (#1)-these widespread faucets also give a higher-end look as well.
In this case, if she wanted to skip the electrician and simply change out light fixtures, I found this polished nickel light fixture (#3) that will give her plenty of light while still high in the style.
Fun fact-I adore wallpaper in a bathroom (in fact, I wallpapered my last bathroom). This simple patterned wallpaper (#7) keeps the colors light in such a small space. But I also gave her a soft gray paint option if she wants to keep the walls without paneling or paper (#4).
To help fill out one of her bathroom walls, I suggested using a couple of black frames with large white mattes to frame some black and white photography (#5). These Etsy photos show vintage French faucets, which is quite appropriate for the space.
In this version, I pulled a white marble herringbone tile for the floor (#6). The elegant marble material in a more modern shape is perfect for this space.
I wanted to give her a bit of feminine in this scalloped mirror (#8), but the distressed metal finish gives it a masculine edge as well. The dark color of the mirror helps ground the space and mixes up the finishes.
Finally, it is not only okay to mix and match finishes, but I recommend it! It helps from making the room look too matchy-matchy. In this bathroom, there are actually three different finishes (polished chrome, polished nickel, and dark bronze). These polished nickel bath accessories (#9, #10) round out the space.
So how does this Mood Board translate into a real room?
Her package included a 3D rendering where I included all of her finishes into her actual floor plan so they can envision what their space will look like before starting:
I hope she loves it half as much as I do…I am totally tempted to snag that mirror for myself as well!
Stay tuned next week for another Real Postbox Project, but in the meantime, check out more of my Bathroom Boards on Pinterest. Or we can be friends on Facebook or Instagram where you are just as likely to see photos from my vacation as you are projects around my house!
As always, drop me a line and ask me any of your design questions at kristin@postboxdesigns.com,
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