If you ever get a chance to visit New York,  I highly recommend visiting the Metropolitan.  But make sure you leave plenty of time for it as you will not be able to see everything it has to offer in one, two, even three days!  We visited the museum three times and still haven’t seen everything.

As for fixtures, consider HOW the room will be used. Will your guests require the full storage that a regular bathroom calls for?  Is it just one of those rooms, you pop in and out of or will you be occupying it for extended periods at a time?  This will help a lot in the selection of sinks/vanities/seating/toilets.  No need to provide tons of storage if you don’t require them.  Spend your money where it’s needed & keep the rest for accessories & accents as they will pull the room together.  Have fun with tiles & wall treatment.  You can splurge a bit here because the space is small enough!  There are so many different patterns & finishes that you can really get lost in the selection so be warned!  If you are usually an undecided, don’t ask for too many “opinions” from friends or family members; they will just end up pulling you back & forth from one idea to another.  Select your fixtures and if you really need help with design then seek a professional to help you pull everything together.  It’s a small enough project that you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for professional services.

Consider art (even the written print).  It makes for a more interesting room & you give your guests something to look at.  Fresh flowers are always a nice touch.  Wouldn’t you want to feel like you’re at a hotel when you’re a guest a friend’s house?  Perhaps they would too!  Clean accessible linens are a nice touch for that added hotel atmosphere.

Some great examples of powder rooms done well:

Sarah Richardson

Like paint, choose a colour/pattern that is in harmony with the neighboring rooms.  However, if you want to make a bold statement, make sure the design is timeless and most importantly you love it: unlike paint, it is costly so choose a pattern you will not grow tired of in a year.

Good wallpaper ranges from $60-$150 per single roll.  At those prices, it is recommended that you hire a professional paper hanger & choose a pattern you can live with.  A good installer makes a huge difference.  It is not as easy as the experts make it look.  If it’s off just a smidge you will know and your eyes will zero in on it every time.

Consider lighting.  If you are contemplating a textured/metallic pattern, use indirect lighting or you will quickly learn to hate it.

Considering the room you’re installing it in.  I don’t recommend using wallpaper in your bathrooms due to the moisture but in a powder room where you’re not dealing with steam it can be stunning and adds a point of interest to what would be an ordinary room.

Powder Room, Brown Design Inc

Don’t substitute your crown moulding for wallpaper borders.  Don’t use borders around your windows or doors.  Don’t use it to make your painted wall interesting.  In fact, don’t use borders period.  It is tacky and just doesn’t work.

Consider the furniture in the room.  Pairing modern furniture with traditional patterns results in a spectacular space.  Your guests will be in awe and wonder who your designer is even though you told them you designed it yourself

Charles Rupert Designs, Victoria BC

Mix patterns but keep your colour scheme simple.  Adhering to this rule will balance the space and keep it habitable.

Wallpaper your bedroom!  With the right furniture pieces it is very glamourous, intimate and romantic.

House to Home, UK

Mixed Patterns, House to Home, UK

So have fun & know when you need help (before you swipe your credit card hopefully).  Here are a few more of my favourite rooms:

Tuxedo ready

Coop Residence, San Francisco

Fit for a Princess

Concrete is similar to granite in terms of physical properties.  It’s hard, durable and weighs about the same as granite. It’s templated and installed like granite and very practical in heavy use areas like kitchens and bathrooms.  The main difference is in the natural look and matte finish of concrete and the fact that it’s customizable.

If you appreciate natural materials, functionality and craftsmanship then you will love concrete.

Think of it this way: you are getting a natural material that has all the physical properties of granite but it is more affordable and most likely very unique because like this client, many others have also turned down the idea because it was too new to them.  There’s a yes waiting just around the corner I’m sure

Here are a few examples of concrete use in interior design.

It’s fun, it’s different and it has enough character to balance out any design-neutral room.  And if you really like to have fun with your designs, envision this in a boudoir with dramatic damask walls in say a black and white scheme.