Powder room’s small size lets you transform space into jewel

"It's a small world after all. It's a small, small world." Lyrics from song written by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman

The smallest room in the house is usually the one seen by the most people -- and that's the powder room. In today's lifestyle and modern homes, the powder room is considered an essential. Most of us prefer not to have our guests using our personal bathrooms, hence the popularity of a powder room.

According to wisegeek.com, "the term powder room dates back to the early 18th century, when it was used to refer to a closet-sized room where people went to have their wigs repowdered. The expression carried through to Victorian times, when any reference to personal bodily functions was considered indelicate. Ladies of the era were embarrassed to speak of such things and would excuse themselves from mixed company to go to 'powder their noses.' In fact, many women still refer to a public ladies' room as a powder room."

Thank goodness for the Web. How else would we know these useful facts? (I'm joking!) And thank goodness we're not ladies of "that era."

Well anyway, past use aside, powder rooms are favorites of designers today. Several reasons account for this. The room is small, usually no more than 4 feet by 5 feet. The small size allows for more expensive materials to be used in the room and also gives designers the freedom to use a particularly loud or bold design.

A small space limits homeowners in some ways, but the tiny powder room opens up a lot of opportunities with color, pattern and accessories.

The small size also dictates content in the powder room, and most include only a toilet and sink. And this is where you can really have some fun. There are some awfully cool sinks that are just perfect for a small room. Because of their size, they are much more appropriate for a powder room than a personal bathroom.

One of my favorite sink manufacturers, Stone Forest, creates some of the most amazing bath sinks. The company uses brilliant and precious stones including multicolored onyx, Carrara marble and silver travertine. Each piece is truly a work of art, skillfully crafted by hand, using a hammer and chisel. Check out the accompanying photos.

If you have a tiny powder room, you might consider using some luscious paint or paper -- it doesn't have to break the bank -- and then splurge on a beautiful sink. Toilets don't cost that much, so for not very much money, you can make your little room a jewel box.

Hang a mirror, provide good lighting, include pretty towels and soaps, and by all means, make sure the room smells good!

With a little imagination and creativity, the tiny powder room will become the biggest star in your home. And whether you and your guests powder noses or wigs, the powder room will rock.

Carolyn Muse Grant is a founder and past president of the Architectural & Decorative Arts Society, as well as an interior design consultant/stylist specializing in home staging. Her Inside Spaces column appears weekly in the Home section of the Review-Journal. Send questions to creativemuse@cox.net.