How can I give my powder room more pizzazz?

Your half bath is one of the rooms of your home that every guest will see, so this small room makes a big impression. Make it pop by adding a few designer touches.
 
Some ideas:
 

• “Furnish” the room with a wood vanity and cabinets in a rich finish that would be nice enough to display in the bedroom or kitchen.
• Splurge on a granite or marble countertop. Select natural stone for the floor. Texture the backsplash with stone tiles or  a textured finish like troweled-on clay. Experiment with some finishes beyond paint. Still too pricey? Take a look at travertine, which has become popular for powder room floors and backsplashes.
• Hardwood floors also are popular. If the bathroom floor  matches the floor of the hallway outside of it, the room will appear larger when the door is open.
• Experiment with color. Play with rich, dark colors—or your favorite color—on walls and cabinets.
• Update hardware and fixtures. Shiny brass towel racks and faucets look dated. An enduring trend:: brushed nickel, antique bronze and anything “oil-rubbed.” These muted metals tone down the accessories and add a touch of sophistication. A tip: If you can afford only one upgrade, match all of the metals in the room with the same finish, from the doorknob to the medicine cabinet to the handles on cabinet doors.
• Buy a stylish sink. Rather than a bowl that’s built in to the vanity top, splurge on one that sits right on top. These high-style “vessel” sinks are made from painted china, chrome, stainless steel, marble or glass and become the room’s centerpiece.
• Consider glass tile for the backsplash. You can buy clear or colored glass to create a unique look that will dazzle your houseguests.
• Crown the walls with molding around the top of the walls and base boarding around the bottom. This architectural element will make the room look “finished.”
• If your powder room is on the top level of the house and has no windows, consider adding a tube-style solar light in the ceiling.

###