A small powder room at a bachelor pad gets packed with modern masculine style in a monochromatic navy blue color scheme.
It’s always a good day for a SURPRISE bathroom remodel! Actually, I take that back because this bathroom remodel I designed for a friend happened due to an unforeseen water leak much like we had in our own bathroom remodel last year.
So maybe surprise remodels actually aren’t super great after all. But the end result is pretty bomb when it turns out like this…
The Bachelor Pad Powder Room Before & After
This is one of our best friends Wes who had no idea I’d be blasting his picture in a before shot for roughly half a million people on the internet to see. (Sorry, Wes. Haha!)
How to Make a Small Powder Room Look Bigger
Wes has a pretty sweet bachelor pad in uptown Charlotte, so I had fun stepping out of my comfort zone to pull together a monochromatic navy blue modern look in this very small powder room under his stairs.
Last fall, while he had to work away from home for a few months, we helped oversee the unexpected remodel of his powder room that the contractors recently wrapped up.
It’s absolutely minuscule, and to be honest, it’s amazing I was able to squeeze a camera in here to photograph it.
But I pulled out as many design tricks as I could to help this space feel a little bit bigger.
First of all though, check out that totally rad purple toilet and those sponge painted walls. Snazzy stuff.
1. Paint Trim and Walls the Same Color and Sheen
Remember back when we painted our neighbors’ small bedroom for their teen girls all one color to make it look bigger?
We did the same in here. I would even go as far as to paint the ceiling the same color too, if you’re feeling brave. (I wish I’d had the ceiling painted navy blue here in hindsight.)
2. Choose Satin or Semi Gloss Sheen
By using a paint sheen that has more shine, it will help bounce light on the walls and give the illusion of a larger space. We used satin sheen.
Satin or semi gloss paint is especially good in bathrooms particularly because it’s more resistant to water stains and moisture. It’s easier to wipe clean than eggshell or flat sheen paint.
3. Use Gloss Tile as a Focal Wall
In the same concept as using a shinier paint sheen, gloss tile helps bounce light to create the illusion of adding space to a small powder room.
Adding a wall of tile draws the eye upward so that ceilings seem taller as well. I love how this linear stacked tile creates edginess that feels more masculine well suited for a bachelor pad.
4. Choose Light Colored Flooring
By using white or light colored tile flooring, it gives the room an open airy feeling and bounces light from the floor to add visual space.
I chose this weathered patterned tile to help hide any dirt or grime in the future requiring less maintenance in a bachelor pad. Because the tile already looks worn and vintage, dirt just blends in with the tile design.
5. Use Dark Paint Colors to Add Space in a Small Powder Room
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to paint a small room white to make it feel bigger.
In a dark, windowless room, painting it a dark color like black or navy blue will create depth. This is because dark paint colors tend to recede providing the illusion that the wall is further away from you than it really is.
We used the color Benjamin Moore Polo Blue here.
6. Hang Interesting Art to Carry the Masculine Bachelor Pad Vibe
I totally hung up a black and white print of The Big Lebowski because why not? This is a bachelor pad after all, and “The Dude” is the ultimate bachelor, of course. 😉
On the opposite wall, we added vintage Army football prints since Wes is an Army vet and football plays a big role at his condo.
A little art goes a long way to add interest to walls and make a big statement.
The contractors took my design and made it happen, so Robert and I can’t take credit for any of the actual work. But to see the mood boards I delivered for the project come to life before our eyes was really fun.
Who knows? Maybe one day I could design an entire modern urban loft completely different from our own home’s style since we’re right near the city. Adding that one to the bucket list anyway.
Room Sources
If you need more ideas to help your rooms feel larger, these past posts can help too.
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