Powder room renos to welcome back visitors with style

After three years of missed celebrations, smaller get-togethers and outdoor events, many Atlantans are ready to throw open their doors and entertain at home again. Whether a few hours or a few nights, welcoming guests means creating an environment that leans into our famed Southern hospitality—and the powder room is one place they’ll get up close and personal with. Often visited and not to be overlooked, these small rooms offer an exciting chance to bring in bold style—one you might not find in other parts of the home. Function is key, but the usual bathroom requirements (lots of storage, powerful lighting, etc.) can take a backseat, allowing the design to move to the forefront. And less square footage gives homeowners the chance to rev up the finishes—in these four bathrooms, it’s a lot of fun to see a little go a long way.

Classic Guest Bathroom by Level Craft Construction

Budget: $10,000 | Timeline: 6 months

The homeowners wanted this guest bath to offer visitors something special, according to Debbie Hollonbeck, co-owner of Level Craft Construction. Her team started by gutting the original bathroom and reconfiguring the plumbing, lighting and door position to create more useable space. They installed new finishes, from the floor tile and trim to the sink console and lighting. To improve functionality, Level Craft added upgraded features like a show stopping wallpaper from UK designer Juliet Travers, a gold faucet and a bidet. For guests who need it, there is even a bit of storage — the console has a small built-in cabinet and the mirror hides a medicine cabinet.

“You get to have fun in a small space,” said Hollonbeck. “The theme can stand alone. It doesn’t need to tie into the rest of the house’s aesthetic.”

Pro Tip: Choosing a wallpaper print that works with the size of the space does not mean a tiny pattern in a small bathroom. A large print on repeat will help expand the space.

www.levelcraftatlanta.com

Still Life Powder Room by Jeffrey Bruce Baker Design

Builder: BSPK, LLC
Budget: $40,000

Timeline: 6 weeks

This high-rise powder room was inspired by a 17th-century Dutch painting of a vase of flowers. A significant change from its original builder-basic finishes, it required Jeffrey Bruce Baker, founder and design director of Jeffrey Bruce Baker Designs, to reinvent the space to fit his client’s personality. Although no alterations were made to the walls, electrical or plumbing, incorporating one-of-a-kind features like the custom floral wallpaper and floating vanity created a new atmosphere. The ceiling was painted in a dark, high-gloss hue, resulting in a space that is dramatic and layered with rich finishes. Against this background, the vanity takes centerstage.

“This zebrawood vanity, where we placed the grain to angle spreading out downward like sunrays, to this day has been one of my favorite pieces we have designed and built,” said Baker.

Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid of the dark! Moody, bold colors work well in small spaces, and let you layer multiple and varying patterns to create an even more dramatic look.

www.jeffreybrucebaker.com | www.bspkhome.com/bath-design

Rock Springs Powder Room by Joel Kelly Design

Budget: $20,000-25,000

Timeline: 18 months (entire home)

Powder rooms offer the chance to break out of the more neutral or understated style you might choose for other areas of the home. Take this “reveal room” as an example – it provides an unexpected punch of design in an otherwise stately, serene project, according to designer
Joel Kelly, founder, Joel Kelly Design. He envisioned it as an evening space, one that calls to mind a cocktail or dinner party. It’s clear that going bold does not have to mean using bright colors. The enlarged pattern of the wallpaper heightens the scene, while the effect of pairing it with a rich vanity and slim black sconces and mirror is unquestionably elegant.   

“I think small spaces can have a lot of visual impact,” said Kelly. “I’m trying to elicit a fairly strong emotional response in this space. Everyone will have their own response, but the goal is to feel ‘something.’” 

Pro Tip: Splurge on lighting, but don’t worry if your powder room or guest bathroom is moody. Intimate spaces like these are meant to be.

www.joelkelly.com

Five-Star Resort Guest Bath by Musso Design Group

Budget: $50,000-60,000
Timeline: 12 months (entire home)

Part of an all-over renovation of a pied-a-terre in an Atlanta high-rise for clients whose main residence is in Florida, this project experienced pandemic delays and took a total of 12 months. But the resulting luxurious guest bathroom was worth the wait. The original look was dated, and everything had to go. Musso Design Group designers Bill Musso and Nick George and president and owner Todd Falconbury put in new tiles, lighting, cabinets and plumbing fixtures to create the resort style their clients wanted. Sealed walnut slats run down the wall and under the toilet, giving a custom twist to the already dramatic space. But they did not stop there. 

“Think about how you can incorporate ambient lighting into the space. Not all lights have to have a specific function in a bathroom,” said Falconbury. In this guest bath, they used under-cabinet lighting beneath the floating vanity and under the medicine cabinet to create even more drama.

www.mussodesigngroup.com