I am a member of the Tiny Powder Room club too. First, I would paint ceiling and walls the same color, including that angled piece from the stairs. This will help to "blur" the lines. I would also do something fun with the window. Can you maybe put decorative paper or something behind the glass, so it looks like you're looking outside, or I don't know...sky/clouds wallpaper or something? If you're not into whimsical, then maybe just use etched-glass (or faux stained glass) type window film so it's not obvious that the window looks onto...nothing.

I have done all kinds of wall colors in my tiny powder room, from dark to light. I was very much in the "jewel box" dark paint phase for a long time, but currently ours is a very pale sand-pink color, and I love it.

Crossed posts with Kippy -- I like his/her idea too!

Thanks Kippy and Sueb, the mirror in the window panes sounds like a good idea, also I like the etched glass suggestion too. I have thought about using it as a medicine cabinet, but there is no sink. The little bath is actually off of the laundry room and we have a sink there to use. We painted the ceiling black hoping it would disappear. I would like to get rid of the corner shelf, but my husband is afraid of what he may find it he takes it out, you never know with an older home.

Before you paint, the wall finish is not smooth. I would address that first by adding a coat of drywall compound and smoothing out the wall. I personally like the insects on the wall:-) It adds texture to the room. I would paint the room and the ceiling the same color. I would use a light color.

For the window, I would replace it with a painting. Since you are taking away the interest in the room by painting over the bugs, a painting of something fun and light in that space would help. What is the light fixture in the room? Maybe because of the dark ceiling, the lighting looks dim in the room. Can you add a brighter fixture that spreads the light more? Light quality is something to consider when picking a color for the space too.

Good luck!

So to clarify, right now there isn't anything in it except what is in the picture? The toilet is gone and the sink is in the laundry room?

I have a million ideas going through my mind, but a lot of them depend on how you live and what you need in your home; what rooms are right next to it, if you ever plan on turning it into a functional bathroom, etc.

An example, in my house I like to be able to do my daughter's hair for school downstairs, because I'm in the middle of making lunches, etc. and I hate having to run all of the way back upstairs after she's showered and dressed to help her dry her hair. So, that little room would be perfect for a mirror, a little stool, and a cabinet for the hair dryer below the corner shelf. And I would use the window like a decorative cabinet.

But I could also see it being used as "pretty" storage if you don't need it to function for a specific purpose. Especially if it's off your laundry room, you could add more corner shelves and store rolled up towels, etc.

Are the dragon flies decals? I would paint it all the same, I think you'll get it to disappear, like you said, if it's all the same.

Homepro I don't think we can ever get the walls smooth, there really is a lot of texture there, but will mention it to my husband. The light is an old fashioned style and will be replaced. I like the idea of a picture over the window, then I can have a hidden space behind it!

eliza The toilet is still in the bathroom, it is such a small space it is hard to get a good pic. You can see it right below the corner shelf. We need and use this little bath because it is the only bathroom on the first floor. So we are not considering using it for anything other than that. It opens up to the laundry room that is wallpapered in a wide black and cream stripe. I would love to her you ideas, I am wondering about a black bathroom, I have seen some very interesting ones. We have two full baths upstairs. The house is an antique 200 years + old. The dragon flies are stenciled on in a gold paint over the paint.

My first thought was to do something dark and dramatic, esp if you can get some sparkle via mirrored finishes in that little window.

I might look for a not so big corner shelf idea to extend it upwards for storage and decor.

I love that your house is so unique that way! So to the left is under the stairs? Do you have a little storage there or is it blocked off?

I actually really like the dragonflies a lot. It's such a great house for that kind of detail. But I imagine it was a lot of work and isn't practical when you have peeling paint you need to replace. I like the dragonflies even better when you describe the black and white laundry room because it's so perfect and clever with what you have. Whatever colors you choose, I think the graphic pattern in minimal, contrasting colors is what works. I especially love that the dragonfly motif itself is both vintage and classic but the application and pattern repeat is modern. Ahh, it's everything I love in a room!

I have seen black look good, and usually i say go for anything, but I'm having a hard time with the trend toward black paint. Usually I'm much more open-minded, I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm not opposed to dark, I love navy and I think dark can look fantastic. But something about a small, black room reminds me a little too much of a cloud of black, inescapable, angry thoughts. I might just need emotional help;) Even charcoal just feels moody, but black feels angry to me unless it's quite warm, which then isn't so much a true black. i know other people associate black more with fashion and style and even theater than anger, though. I think it's my anxiety, haha. if you really love it, do it, but if you're just thinking about it because you've seen it done well, I think you can do a lot of things really well in a room with that much character.

Can you take a photo of the old fashioned light?

This is is an old house and I am trying to keep it in that look. Our little main bath of under 50 square feet has beadboard up 5 feet. We used to have a very basic milk glass shade light. Combine the dark paint with the white beadboard (I would do the ceiling in beadboard too) and it might be really cute. But I like that look

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Thanks Oly, this is an inspiration photo, I like the contrast between black, white and gold frames and get the sparkle from a new mirror. I don't think I will be doing more shelves even though it is good idea, the room is so small that just by putting stuff on the shelves would take up too much space ( in my head anyway)

Hi Eliza, glad you like the dragon flies, I think they look better in person. The goal is tie in the laundry room, but I will be going for a modern light. Unfortunately with our walls the molding in the picture doesn't have a chance and I don't think high gloss will work either.

Thanks Kippy I will post a pic of the OLD light, bead board won't work on this ceiling as it is too cut up with the stairs etc. I just finish a old bathroom upstairs with the original beadboard and we love it!

I wish I knew more about the paint that was used in my house, I think could be perfect for your bathroom. It is really interesting, apparently our builder uses these painters because of the unique finish they do on the walls. It's actually a medium gloss paint, but it's heavy bodied, and it has a thick sort of texture to it. It reflects a lot of light, but it isn't really shiny, I actually thought it was matte. It has a very soft appearance. I love, love, love smooth plaster more than anything but I had it two houses ago and it was really hard to keep up with little nicks. In this house the texture is mostly smooth with a very light, knocked down texture here and there. I love it because it gives me the feel of old fashioned, smooth plaster, but it's much easier to fix because it has just enough texture here and there that touch ups aren't obvious. We tend to be hard on our walks :) The drywall texture, combined with the unique paint (unique to me, it's been around for ages but I don't know anyone who has it) is really beautiful. The roller also leaves the very slightest amount of texture, which they brushed out here and there to blend.

The reason I bring this up is because I imagine something similar would be so great in a really old room with imperfections because they blend in so beautifully. I wish I knew enough about the paint to know what it would look like if it wasn't white! I'm sure it can be mixed to any color, but I wonder if it would reflect in the same soft way in black.

Love those dragon flies! I too have a tiny powder room under the attic stairs. The dark wallpaper on the wall as well as the ceiling works in that space for us. Here are some pics.

I love your cozy bathroom tucked under the stairs, perfect with the ceiling wallpapered. I have a another bath that has a slanted ceiling, that is wallpapered also.