Do you have enough space?

A powder room is ideal for homes that could use just one more restroom. There are multitudes of reasons people want to add powder baths, but one of the most popular is that older homes were not designed for today's entertaining style. There is no bath specially designed for dinner guests unless your home has been updated. If you live in an older home and like to entertain, your dinner guests may have to use your home's main bath, complete with a tub and shower combination, or even the master bath. Moisture, organization and privacy can become an issue. Your necessary items i.e. medications, toothbrushes, hairbrushes and other toiletries may not have enough space to be housed neatly inside a bath cabinet, and may be on display for all your guests to see. So what if there is no space to build a powder bath? What can be done?

Look at your home and determine the most ideal space for your powder bath. Using closets and utility spaces are the most popular choices. If you have a coat closet near the front door, but can't imagine quests seeing a toilet when they walk into your home, think about changing the door location of the closet. Many coat closets share a wall with a corridor where a door could be relocated. Consider where your plumbing is currently located. If you have a pier and beam foundation, you may have more options for the bath locale because it may be easier to tie in to existing plumbing. You may have a large closet that houses your hot water heater or HVAC unit that would be the perfect location, but what would you do with the furnace? Hot water heaters and HVAC units can be relocated in your home. Ductwork can be rerouted and the space cleared for a powder bath. So, how much space is the minimum necessary for a powder bath?

The size constraints for a powder bath really depend on your fixture configuration. Options are now available for corner toilet and sink installation which may give a more spacious feel. In our clients' bath, there were multiple constraints that had to be conquered: Previously the space was a coat closet with trick access to the furnace. A doorway was relocated around the corner in same closet, and the original door was modified to fit the new opening. The furnace is accessed thru an oversized grill cover in the main hallway or by removing the trick wall behind the toilet. The ceiling sloped to house the stairs so the plumbing and toilet wall had to coexist in the space. The main focal point features a compact open base bamboo vanity and a mirror lit with brass sconces. Other tricks to open the space included: a small brass sink set in the vanity and a wallpaper print that camouflages the different ceiling and wall heights. The mirror and brass sink steal lighting from the wall sconces reflecting it throughout the small space. The dark toilet hides its functionality and allows guests to focus on the beauty of the vanity, fixtures and lighting.

Remember when adding functionality to your home, specifically adding a powder bath, you will earn a return on your investment when it is time to sell your home. Have fun with a powder bath. It is a space small enough that will allow you to be extravagant with accessories and decor and still provide the functionality your guests need. It may become your favorite room in your home.

Bobby Sanders is a Certified Graduate Remodelor™ (CGR) with an exclusive professional designation designed to emphasize business management skills as the key to a professional remodeling operation.

The CGR designation requires that graduates meet prescribed standards of business practice, possess a minimum of five years remodeling industry experience, have a proven track record of  successful project management, complete a comprehensive education curriculum, and pledge to uphold the program's code of ethics.

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