The Jewel in the Parlor

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You basically have two choices when you have a powder room that is slightly larger than an airplane lavatory. You can try to lighten it up and use miniature fixtures — in the hopes that it looks bigger than it is, or you can romance the intimacy and smallness of its tininess by going dark, dark, dark.

I chose to do the latter. But let's go back to the beginning.

As we surveyed the parlor floor, we needed to add a unit that contained a coat closet, a powder room and a cleaning closet at the edge of the kitchen area. As we were laying it out, it became very clear that this was going to be one teeny, tiny, powder room.

Because of the size we decided to do a pocket door, so that we didn't have an obstacle course getting in and out. All of us tested the depth, width and turning radius.

But the most important part, was the view from the stairs. It had to provide me with a peek at something beautiful or special as I descended the stairs. Let's take a look at the parts that make this little room.

When all the pieces came together with the copper sink and fixtures (sadly I couldn't find a copper toilet that was under $5,000 — so I went with white!) The result is a very special room on the Parlor floor.

I painted the wainscotting dark navy and added delicate wallpaper above.

The wallpaper accents the copper ceiling and butts up against the wainscotting nicely.

My tile job held up to the glamour of the copper sink.

Of course we had to make room for a fabulous copper mirror.

 

The room turned out perfect, and the best part is that the view from the stairs... the very view that started it all, makes me smile every morning when I come down for my coffee.

—Laurie