10 Things to Enhance Your Powder Room for the Holidays or Anytime
Treat yourself and your guests to one of these special touches for the powder room
Laura Gaskill
30 November 2023
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance checklist. My favorite pieces to write center around the emotional aspects of home and savoring life's simple pleasures. Decluttering course + discount for Houzzers: https://www.lauragaskill.com/welcome-houzzers
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance... More
Holiday and party guests may never see your bedroom or home office, but they’ll likely make a stop in the powder room. With a little extra care, you can make this small but hardworking space welcoming, whether for a special occasion or drop-in visitors. Here are 10 touches to help dress up your powder room for company.
1. Orchids
Longer lasting than a bouquet of flowers and undeniably elegant, orchids make a smart choice for the powder room.
While rare varieties of orchids can be expensive, you can often find budget-friendly potted orchids right in your local grocery store.
Orchids like bright indirect light, so a sink by a shaded window would be ideal.
Find a designer to help you make over your powder room
Longer lasting than a bouquet of flowers and undeniably elegant, orchids make a smart choice for the powder room.
While rare varieties of orchids can be expensive, you can often find budget-friendly potted orchids right in your local grocery store.
Orchids like bright indirect light, so a sink by a shaded window would be ideal.
Find a designer to help you make over your powder room
2. Scent Diffuser
You may not feel comfortable leaving a lit candle in the powder room during a party, especially if children are present. But having a pleasing scent in the space is a gracious detail.
Choose a scent diffuser in a subtle fragrance and set it on the sink or a nearby shelf. You’ll get the good vibes without the flame. Choose the right size diffuser for the space and consider one made with pure essential oils.
You may not feel comfortable leaving a lit candle in the powder room during a party, especially if children are present. But having a pleasing scent in the space is a gracious detail.
Choose a scent diffuser in a subtle fragrance and set it on the sink or a nearby shelf. You’ll get the good vibes without the flame. Choose the right size diffuser for the space and consider one made with pure essential oils.
3. Nice Soap and Hand Lotion
Swap out your usual no-frills hand soap for a pretty matching set of liquid soap and lotion. It’s such a simple thing, but guests really appreciate it.
Bonus points if you pick a seasonally inspired scent like apple cider or pumpkin spice in fall and peppermint or pine in winter.
Swap out your usual no-frills hand soap for a pretty matching set of liquid soap and lotion. It’s such a simple thing, but guests really appreciate it.
Bonus points if you pick a seasonally inspired scent like apple cider or pumpkin spice in fall and peppermint or pine in winter.
4. Vase of Flowers
In the powder room (already a small space), a mini bouquet can make a big impression. Place a bud vase or other small vessel (cream pitchers and julep cups work well) on the sink and fill it with a few stems of freshly cut flowers. And if you have a bouquet in another room already, just pull out a few stems for the powder room — no need to buy anything extra.
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In the powder room (already a small space), a mini bouquet can make a big impression. Place a bud vase or other small vessel (cream pitchers and julep cups work well) on the sink and fill it with a few stems of freshly cut flowers. And if you have a bouquet in another room already, just pull out a few stems for the powder room — no need to buy anything extra.
Shop for bathroom vanities on Houzz
5. Pretty Little Tray
Corralling things on trays is a staple decorator trick. If you don’t already have a small tray you could use, keep an eye out at flea markets for vintage trays. Setting your soap and bud vase on a pretty little ceramic or silver tray will make your powder room setup look intentionally designed.
Corralling things on trays is a staple decorator trick. If you don’t already have a small tray you could use, keep an eye out at flea markets for vintage trays. Setting your soap and bud vase on a pretty little ceramic or silver tray will make your powder room setup look intentionally designed.
6. Statement-Making Mirror
If your powder room has an easily removable mirror, swapping it for something with more personality can be a great way to refresh the space.
Generally speaking, opting for a mirror the same size or larger than the old one makes for the easiest (that is, fewest holes to fill) swap.
If your powder room has an easily removable mirror, swapping it for something with more personality can be a great way to refresh the space.
Generally speaking, opting for a mirror the same size or larger than the old one makes for the easiest (that is, fewest holes to fill) swap.
8. Seasonal Wreath
Around the holidays, including a wreath in the powder room can make the space feel really festive. Pick up a wreath of fresh greenery, preserved olive branches, magnolia leaves or winter berries and hang it right over the mirror.
Find ready-made wreaths
Around the holidays, including a wreath in the powder room can make the space feel really festive. Pick up a wreath of fresh greenery, preserved olive branches, magnolia leaves or winter berries and hang it right over the mirror.
Find ready-made wreaths
9. Monogrammed Linens
Setting out fresh cloth hand towels with your monogram is a welcoming personal touch. For a budget-friendly option, go for a single-letter monogram. Triple-letter monograms are elegant but tend to cost more since they are made to order.
Find monogrammed hand towels in the Houzz Shop
Setting out fresh cloth hand towels with your monogram is a welcoming personal touch. For a budget-friendly option, go for a single-letter monogram. Triple-letter monograms are elegant but tend to cost more since they are made to order.
Find monogrammed hand towels in the Houzz Shop
10. New Paint Color
Have a free weekend in your future and want to give your powder room a whole new look? A new wall color can offer the biggest impact. Don’t be afraid to go bold: Navy, charcoal and even black look elegant in a bite-size space.
Have a free weekend in your future and want to give your powder room a whole new look? A new wall color can offer the biggest impact. Don’t be afraid to go bold: Navy, charcoal and even black look elegant in a bite-size space.
Your turn: How do you dress up your powder room? Share a photo in the Comments!
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JMpjmp-you’re right, there are some awful ones out there. I find that unless you’re willing to spend a pretty penny for the oil, you’re better off using fresh flowers (but that can be expensive too). But like perfumes, the more expensive ones smell better—if used sparingly. I pretty much stick to Nest or Aroma and control the scent in my small powder room by using a very small bottle with only one or two reeds.
I do many of these suggestions, tray with seasonal decor, monogrammed hand towels, flowers…. I’ve tried fragrances but the problem is, people are soooooo fragrance sensitive.. we keep a spray can of frebreeze in “fresh linen” so guests can spray all they need. Not very pretty, but effective!
Some of my favorite Christmas powder room ideas are: (1) A seasonal candle or spray (2) A ribbon tied around sconce lighting (3) A Christmas-themed night light (4) Layered artwork with a Christmas piece on top (5) A seasonal accent piece on the counter and (6) Garland around the mirror