UPDATE - Powder Rooms!

Powder rooms are one of the best places to express your creativity; go deep and rich in color, add bright fabrics and accessories, have fabulous mood lighting, and add character with an interesting mirror or unique artwork. It's not a room that you spend much time in so you don't need bright lights for make up and dressing. It's easy to make it a room where your personality takes center stage. 

ADD  COLOR
Add a fresh coat of a seasonally or personally inspired paint color. I encouraged  my client to paint the walls a rich eggplant because it was her favorite color and didn't fit in any other space in the house. Even her husband loved the result. If you don't have a vanity but a pedestal or basin on a stand, consider adding a sink skirt in a fabric that you thoroughly enjoy. For Beth, we created our own sink skirt from napkins for a warm country style. Attaching a band of Velcro to the base of the pedestal add to the back of the fabric made it very easy to install. It now covers all of the pipes under the sink and creates a wonderful storage space. A bold pattern and color tile on the walls is exciting and less costly to do than in a full bath.

USE FABULOUS WALL ART
From spectacularly framed mirrors to interesting artwork, this is a space where you can add drama and creativity. Lynda & Richard love architectural elements and we hung some antique saw blades that look dynamite with their newly repainted black vanity. 

USE BOLD LIGHTING
You don't need bright light in the powder room so you can have fabulous mood lighting, deep amber glass or fabric shades, and even colored bulbs. Don't forget candles. With all of the flameless versions with timers and remotes, they're are simple to use and safe in wall candelabras. Their realistic wax makes them appealing and the flickering glow of warm yellow candlelight is pleasing to almost everyone.

MAKE UNIQUE CHOICES
Use colored towels. Add a fabulous ceramic accessory to an over-toilet shelf. Paint your vanity in a color that complements your wall, and  use this as an opportunity for creative distressing, stencil embellishments, and very decorative or ornamental hardware.  If you have room, consider adding a small table. 

ADD DRAMA

A Spectacular floor tile or a unique sink will make the space dramatic and personal. The small scale of a powder room often makes a dynamic update affordable.

Don't forget bargain-hunting. Many of the big box stores, and discount home furnishings shops have fabulous items at reasonable prices. Oops paint is typically available at the big hardware stores. For about five dollars you can get a gallon of paint and experiment with color. Lamps Plus.com has wonderful pricing on light fixtures if you have a bit of time and our creative, you can wire your own fixture from unique findings.

Enjoy!

Do Color Right! Top mistakes to avoid.

Design professionals can't make mistakes in selecting colors.  The impact of a poorly chosen color scheme or patterns is costly and frustrating. When you're looking for ideas on what to do for your home, keep these tips in mind: 

1. Don't go on instinct. 

Test all colors in the room in which it will be used with its existing lighting conditions and surfaces (floors, counters, cabinetry).   Keep in mind that testing a color in an empty room will not be that useful. You should  have an idea of which furniture/fabrics are going into the room first. Choosing color without inspiration makes decisions difficult.  Once you select fabrics and surface materials,  your color options for walls are limitless. Going the other way is difficult and frustrating.

2. Keep options simple rather than go overboard.  

There are many 'overdone' walls and rooms - kitchen and baths in particular - with glaring colors and surfaces that leave their owners gasping in dismay.  Rather than add a flashy glass mosaic to an older bathroom, keeping the elements simpler and colors appropriate for the period or style of the home, will be more enduring.

3. When soliciting professional advice, use it.
Designers and colorists know the correct color(s) that will work with your interior or exterior.  An understanding of undertones is key to specifying the right color, and working with fixed and/or furnished elements often matter more than a color you "just love".  

4. Know which element is the most important and which to ignore.   Every interior is different and requires a custom solution.  Ignoring standout pieces and selecting colors that fit just some of your furnishings or surfaces would be a mistake. Knowing how to mitigate fixed colors  (floor tile, architectural elements and even a view) is of utmost importance in ending up with a satisfying result. 




5. Don't follow trends for your exterior.  
Painting your house the current 'hot' neutral will disappoint you when trends change. Instead, look at the era of your home, the architectural style, how your interior fits those elements, and use color choices that works all around. 


Take a look at our other color related posts at www.designfromca.blogspot.com

Color it Yours

When you're looking for a splash of color in your home, try a neutral palette with a yellow accent.  These colors are by Farrow & Ball.  Paint the ceiling and trim in All White and three walls in Cornforth White to create a beautiful neutral backdrop.  Add an accent wall and accessories in Babouche. Using the neutrals of Manor Hour Gray in accessories (mirrors and photos) and Down Pipe on fabrics, accessories and furniture, you'll have a soft yet warm space that is contemporary and relaxing.  To add a bit more drama, use Babouche on your largest seating pieces! Touch of Tradition has the right color choices for your space, and carries unique furnishings, lighting and artwork to complete the space.