Powder Room Trends
Powder rooms are receiving more emphasis than in the past, according to industry professionals. While some powder rooms are actually larger in size or only appear to be so due to the thoughtful selection of surfaces and decor, the experts agree little is left to chance in today’s spaces.
Powder rooms today are becoming small Zen-like spaces, according to Melinda DuPree-Kewley of Celebrity Status Designs. “They are clean and clutter free. People are spending more and gaining so much in return. Powder rooms are a true reflection of the homeowner. Why not give a guest a little gift of tranquility to take with them,” she queries.
Saying that powder rooms are definitely gaining more focus in today’s homes, Halley Lamberth of Ta-Dah Design reports that clients are not necessarily spending more on the small spaces than on other bathrooms, but “they are making more conscious decisions and selections to create a room offering more of an impression and with impact.”
And while powder rooms may or may not be larger than in the past, “they are absolutely more elegant,” says Lambert.”And the clients are placing more emphasis on them. They want visitors’ first impression of the intimate space to be pleasing.”
Jackie Cox of Chris’s Custom Cabinets says, “While centrally located to the home’s public spaces, the powder bath should represent the 
best aspects of the house. Guests assume the rest of the house will be of the same style and elegance and often a guest’s only private impression is of this room.” She adds that guests enjoy the pampered feeling a well designed space can give them.
According to DuPree-Kewley, light, bright, and colorful glass sinks, tile, walls, and shelves give the powder room a larger feel. “Homeowners are using Asian-inspired Zen-like, five-star hotel luxury themes in these spaces,” she says. “We find natural stone, quartz, marble, and leather-look surfaces, as well as custom-crafted curved sinks of metal, glass, porcelain, and gold.
Jeff Hayden with Barber Cabinet Co. reports that amongst the company’s clients the powder room does receive more emphasis that in the past. “The homeowner usually establishes a more decorative look or makes a personal statement which might find expression through ornate cabinetry design, a simplistic straight-line contemporary cabinet, or a suspended granite slab with chiseled edges and a decorative top-mounted bowl.”
Powder rooms offer “a lot of bang for the buck,” according to Anna Aycock of Designs by Anna Aycock. Homeowners often use this space to ‘show off’ and they can be the fanciest room in the house,” she says, adding that upscale mirrors, fixtures and lighting as well as faux finishes and wallpapers are often used to get the desired effect.
Suggesting that powder rooms are featuring stylish textured wall coverings and elegant yet simple lighting fixtures, Lamberth adds that she has noted a trend toward black fixtures in the powder room combined often with hardwood or bamboo flooring.
Miles Steenberger of Steinhouse Supply reports that powder rooms are no longer an afterthought. He says homeowners may opt for more expensive and decorative fixtures and hardware, such as oil-rubbed bronze or antique nickel instead of chrome or brushed nickel.
“Hand selected wall papers and exotic tile floors have become the norm,” Steenberger says. “Even fabric walls have made a small comeback, and exotic stones such as onyx, mosaic, and travertines are quite popular countertops for these smaller spaces. And of course wood furniture pieces utilized as vanities complete the look.”
Hayden says that powder rooms today generally are large enough to accommodate a small storage or display space. “The storage may be simply for additional towels or toilet paper and a display space may be for decorative items.
There are a number of sources for powder room design in the Greater Nashville area including:
Barber Cabinet Co.
Nashville
615/ 604-2687
Brentwood Granite & Cabinet Design Center
Brentwood
615/ 376-6122
Celebrity Status Designs
Smyrna
615/ 445-0087
Chris’s Custom Cabinets
Nashville
615/ 385-4044
Designs by Anna Aycock
Brentwood
615/ 794-7561
Elite Countertop Products
Hendersonville
615/ 264-9370
Gunter Woodworking
Murfreesboro
615/ 893-5722
Hantel Kitchens & Baths
Nashvillle
615/ 292-3020
Hermitage Lighting Gallery
Nashville
615/ 843-3310
Mark Casserly, Inc.
Franklin
615/ 794-8045
Steinhouse Supply
Nashville
615/ 254-1612
Ta-Dah Design
Hendersonville
615/ 824-0888