Help me with my powder room! (PICS)

15 years ago

Hi guys...I'm facing a dilemma with my powder room. I'd post a pic but basically at the moment it's nothing but an empty room with white plaster.

I'm hitting a wall as to where to start with decorating it. I feel like I can't progress with things like art or color until I figure out what's going to be happening with the mirror.

The house is an 1850's Victorian. it's also a summer house. There will be 3.5" crown at the ceiling. The floors are quartersawn oak, with a walnut border. The floors in this room are being installed today so I don't have a pic, but here it is in the family room.

Since it's small, we're forced to have a corner sink. It will be this one, with the matching toilet. I think the fixtures will be chrome. I thought about bronze but the toilet lever will be chrome (no choice but that or brass) - could I mix the finishes?

This is the light, a small chandelier.

since it's in the corner, I don't know what to do about the mirror. There aren't many choices for corner medicine cabinets that aren't modern, so far the only contender is this, but I'm sort of "meh" about it. If I did get it, I'd change the knob.

Having storage would be nice but isn't a necessity. I'm thinking I'd want something a little more ornate. I was thinking of finding an oval mirror, maybe vintage with a carved or gesso frame and paint it white (cottage-y). Or finding an antiqued look gold gilt mirror, maybe something like this but not SO ornate. (I love this mirror btw, but it's too small for an over-the-sink mirror.)

Then making a bracket so it could be mounted in the corner. Would that look odd?

so those are my only ideas - what would you do if it were your powder room?

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Comments (13)

andee_gw
15 years ago
I don't think the sink is very cottage-y, nor the chandelier, and the floors are beautiful. So I'd go for the more dressed up look. I was already thinking of a corner mount covered by your favorite mirror (when you find it), rather than settling for the wooden cabinet you found, before reaching the end of your post. I don't think it would look odd, but maybe I'm overlooking some point?
kpaquette
Original Author
15 years ago
yeah after I posted I realized I wasn't clear...it's more of a vintage meets shabby chic look I'm going for - I shouldn't have said cottage, which to me says bead board. I refer to the house as a cottage (since it's teeny) and it slipped. ;-)
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Ok, so repainting the room is an option: that's your out! Or should I say "easy" solution? Repaint in a color more in keeping with the gorgeous rug (which is beautiful and valuable on many levels-honeymoon purchase being one of them!). Then your window treatments (panels-maybe) will be a much easier decision. I'm not loving the panel options mentioned above, which I think are nice, but a tad too informal for the direction you have taken with your room. Plus, they are very trendy, which again is not in keeping with your traditional style. You have heirloom quality pieces there! The rug and furniture should stay. Paint is cheap (compared to the investment in good quality furniture and the rug)! That's the way to make a significant impact without breaking the bank. Take a good look at the colors in the rug. On my monitor I see blue as the primary color, but monitors vary. Go to the paint store and bring some sample cards home, narrow it down and then go back and buy some paint samples and splotch away. In any case, have fun with this project!
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msrose
15 years ago
What a gorgeous chandelier. Where did you find it? For some reason, I don't like the gold mirror with it though. I think silver would look better.

Laurie
kpaquette
Original Author
15 years ago
I got it at Lowe's for $99! Can you believe it!?!

Yes silver would look nice too, or maybe that sort of champagne-y silver. I'll see what I can find online. :-)
msrose
15 years ago
Wow, if I had a place to put it, I'd run down to Lowes and get it right now.

Laurie
nanny2a
15 years ago
I collect quirky gilt mirrors, and absolutely love that little one. Although it would be too small for your powder room, it's darling.....would you mind sharing where you found it?
cooperbailey
15 years ago
I have the companion chandelier to that one in my kitchen! I love yours too, I thought to put it in the pantry area but too much bling, ya know. It will be exquisite in your powderroom.
I don't think the mirror is too small, it is not your main bath room after all so it would work for guests checking hair dos and for spinach in their teeth. Unless it looks bigger in the photo.
I love all that you have chosen, Even the white cab would work with a glass knob. I think chrome is more timeless for bathroom faucets.The original pedestal sink to our 1923 house had chrome fixtures. And you can find some that replicate the era of your house.
kpaquette
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks you guys! Cooperbailey I was tipped off to Lowe's lighting by the Just Beachy blog - I never would have tought it! I was eyeing the one you have in your kitchen for my dining area (small table.) But it won't work with what I'm doing for the kitchen island lighting, which is in very close proximity.

Nanna I bought the mirror years ago at a place in Boston called IN Home Furnishings. FANTASTIC store, albeit a tad pricey, usually only bought stuff on sale. It's hanging as an accent in my powder room in my PA house. It is pretty small and I'd be afraid the wrong scale for the sink - it's 11w x 15h at its furthest points, and the mirror itself is only 5x7.

There's a shop here in town that has lots of white washed mirrors with great gesso (or sometimes carved) frames, I'll take a peek at what they have. If I find one I like I could silver leaf it. Or not. ;-)
citytransplant(zone5)
15 years ago
How about having several, smaller mirrors on both walls. They could have similar or totally different frames, arrange them on the walls, then put a very large frame around each group.
kpaquette
Original Author
15 years ago
Trouble trouble. I went to my favorite store (place that sells whitewashed "vintage" furniture looking for a mirror for the powder room - they had tons, but not the right size. Instead I found these adorable bedside tables for our master bedroom at the beach house. :-)
caminnc
15 years ago
Oh how cute, I love those tables!!!
kpaquette
Original Author
15 years ago
NANNA my exact mirror is on Ebay!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: The exact same mirror!!!
kpaquette
Original Author
15 years ago
Hey guys, what do you think of this??? It's the right size. And at Target. :-)

I like it but my head is swimming right now because of decisions I'm trying to make in the kitchen. So be honest. LOL

Help me with my powder room! (PICS)

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