45 Powder Room Ideas That Show How Much You Can Do in a Tiny Space (2024)

More than just an asset for resale value, a tiny powder room is a big design opportunity—and all you need is about 15 square feet. These small bathrooms are a chance to show off your personal style and experiment with bold or expensive materials you might not use elsewhere. When it comes to using high-impact design in a small space, you have to be strategic—but you can also have just as much fun. In a powder room, for example, experimenting with color and pattern is so much less intimidating than it is in a massive, wide-open space. The best part? Unlike with a luxurious primary bath, every guest will get to appreciate it.

These chic powder room ideas from designers demonstrate how to make the most of small or tucked-away areas such as a former butler pantry or coat closet, a small hallway half-bath, or even the space under the stairs. Indeed, powder rooms tend to be some of the most exciting rooms in the house to decorate. We're spotlighting the chicest powder rooms we've ever seen, each with accompanying decorating tips and clever storage solutions.

Expert Tip: If You Have Space Under Your Stairs...

Make it a powder room! You can avoid the cramped Harry Potter–cupboard vibe with a smart bathroom design. Position the toilet at the end where the ceiling is lowest—but not so far back that heads will bump. Mount a corner sink for maximum maneuverability, and choose a medium-scale wallpaper with a creamy background to lend a sense of openness; continuing it on the door and ceiling enhances the effect. Finally, install full-size versions of the things guests focus on, like sconces and mirrors, to trick the eye into thinking the space is bigger than it is.

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In designer Courtney Petit's Dallas home, an under-the-stairs bath is a nod to her late mother's beloved blue-and-white china. The durable quartz countertop continues behind the toilet, creating a useful ledge.

A Schumacher linen wallcovering and brass accents elevate the half bath in Ashley Gilbreath's Watersound, Florida, home. “It's not overpowering,” the designer explains. “But the texture makes it special.”

A Watermark Fixtures sink sets an “oceanfront but not kitschy” tone for this Cape Cod, Massachusetts, gem, says Kasie DiNella of Mend Interiors. The color can be matched to any Farrow & Ball hue. This one is Hague Blue.

To open up the first floor of an 1890s St. Paul, Minnesota, home, designer Bria Hammel painted millwork in Benjamin Moore Southern Vine, a grayish green that makes this charming half bath look bigger.

The marbled waves of latte-colored quartzite form the only pattern in this minimalist New Jersey room, designed by Brittany Wurzak Hakimfar of Far Studio. The custom floating sink hides the plumbing for a clean look in this powder room idea.

To make an odd configuration work, designer Chauncey Boothby designed a curved, wall-hung wood vanity (finished to look like walnut) and floated an Isabelle Home mirror from a brass hook using grosgrain ribbon.

The powder room pocket door in this narrow pied-à-terre atop the Apthorp echoes the famed building’s arched windows, as do a custom sink and an In Common With sconce. General Assembly designers Sarah Zames and Colin Stief chose Farrow & Ball wallpaper to contrast with the plaster walls in the rest of the apartment.

While this much pattern might feel like a big commitment to make in a master bath, it's totally fun in a powder room. Pair an abstract floor pattern with whimsical wallpaper, but keep them within the same color family. In this powder room designed by Chango & Co., calming and sophisticated blue tones balance out the fun prints.

Add a partial wall to enhance privacy and create more depth. In this powder room idea designed by Emily Henderson, the partition actually makes the space feel larger and more dynamic. The gold light fixtures break up the sea of white nicely.

Make your powder room stand out with a fun tile. In this pink bathroom designed by Arent & Pyke, the penny tiles on the upper half play up the circle motif, from the round mirror to the round wooden drawer handles, while pink subway tiles laid vertically add a pop of color and contrast.

In this bathroom designed by Studio Life/Style, the classic black-and-white marble floors, delicate sconces, and ornate antique-inspired vanity assert a old-world charm while modern accessories add a fresh spin.

There are so many ways to put old objects to functional, stylish use. For example, you could save wallpaper scraps from a previous project for instant art, or your could take note from Leanne Ford Interiors and turn a bucket into a rustic, one-of-a-kind sink.