Skip to content

Top Navigation

Midwest Living Midwest Living
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Home
  • Garden
  • Holidays
  • Videos
  • current issue
  • Sweepstakes
  • Road Rally

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Win Your Dream Getaway!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Magazine Issues
  • Destinations
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Midwest Living

Midwest Living Midwest Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 14 Fresh Places to Eat, Drink, Play & Stay This Summer

      14 Fresh Places to Eat, Drink, Play & Stay This Summer

      Hot off the minds of Midwest travel writers: a fresh look at where to eat, drink, play and stay around the region. Read More
    • Out Now: Best of the Midwest 2022

      Out Now: Best of the Midwest 2022

      Find your summer adventure with our new bookazine, available now in the magazine store! Read More
    • This Family's Garden Farm is a Nature-Filled Paradise

      This Family's Garden Farm is a Nature-Filled Paradise

      On land passed down through generations, a Wisconsin family experiences—and shares—the glory of gardening. Read More
  • Travel

    Travel

    See All Travel
    Urban-Pop Art, a New Boutique Hotel and More—Here's What to See and Do in Fort Wayne Right Now

    Urban-Pop Art, a New Boutique Hotel and More—Here's What to See and Do in Fort Wayne Right Now

    On a trip to Fort Wayne, Indiana, catch a colorful wave of fresh development, plus a new hotel from the cofounder of Vera Bradley.
    • Weekend Getaways
    • Family Travel
    • Around the Region
    • Beyond the Region
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Michigan
    • Minnesota
    • Missouri
    • Nebraska
    • North Dakota
    • Ohio
    • South Dakota
    • Wisconsin
    • Free Travel Info
  • Food

    Food

    See All Food
    Mango Toast with Prosciutto

    Mango Toast with Prosciutto

    • Comfort Foods
    • Desserts & Baking
    • Breakfast
    • Quick & Easy
    • Chicken
    • Soups & Stews
    • Midwest Favorites
    • Fruits & Vegetables
    • Fish
    • Grilling
  • Home

    Home

    See All Home
    5 Clever Tips for Repurposing a Potting Bench as a Bar Cart 

    5 Clever Tips for Repurposing a Potting Bench as a Bar Cart 

    With smart accessorizing, a potting bench becomes a celebration station for summer soirees.
    • Quick Decorating
    • Featured Homes
    • Organizing & Storage
    • Outdoor Living
    • Seasonal Decorating
    • Room Decorating
  • Garden

    Garden

    See All Garden
    Expert Tips for Growing a Window Box Garden

    Expert Tips for Growing a Window Box Garden

    Casey Lawrence’s lush window boxes were a revelation to her online followers. Use her tips to grow your own.
    • Container Gardens
    • Flowers
    • Featured Gardens
    • Midwest Gardening Calendar
    • Garden Ideas & Inspiration
  • Holidays

    Holidays

    See All Holidays
    Festive 4th of July Dessert Recipes

    Festive 4th of July Dessert Recipes

    Get out your red, white and blue for these patriotic dessert recipes.
    • Easter
    • July 4th
    • Thanksgiving
    • Halloween
    • Christmas
    • Valentine's Day
  • Videos

    Videos

    See All Videos
    These DIY Orange Beeswax Candles Will Make Your Home Smell Amazing

    These DIY Orange Beeswax Candles Will Make Your Home Smell Amazing

    Don't toss those orange peels! Instead, use them as vessels for our super-simple and fragrant candles.
    • Brighten Your Front Door with This Colorful Easter Egg Wreath
    • These DIY Orange Beeswax Candles Will Make Your Home Smell Amazing
    • Ring in the New Year with This Glam Star Garland
    • How to Make a Modern Fruit Cake Box
    • An Eye-Catching Oval Treat Box You Can Make
    • Make a Colorful Paper Raffia Wreath to Welcome Fall
    • How to Make a Dried Floral Arrangement
    • How to Make an Easy Pina Colada
    • How to Make an Amazing Pavlova
    • How to Make Pumpkin-Spice Icebox Cake
    • How to Make an All-Butter Pie Crust
  • current issue

    current issue

    See All current issue
    Midwest Living's Best of the Midwest Winners 2022

    Midwest Living's Best of the Midwest Winners 2022

    • March/April 2022 Issue
    • January/February 2022 Issue
    • November/December 2021 Issue
    • September/October 2021 Issue
    • July/August 2021 Issue
    • May/June 2021 Issue
    • Summer 2022 Issue
  • Sweepstakes
  • Road Rally

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Win Your Dream Getaway!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Magazine Issues
  • Destinations
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Midwest Living
  2. Homes
  3. 5 Amazing Powder Room Makeovers

5 Amazing Powder Room Makeovers

By Jody Garlock October 13, 2020
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Powder room makeovers
Credit: Alyssa Lee

Minimum effort, maximum impact: That's the allure of a powder room makeover. The Midwest creatives behind these five Instagram beauties dish on the details.

Start Slideshow

1 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Color Pops

Powder room makeovers
Credit: Alyssa Lee

Risky business Turquoise trim? Juicy lemons? Bring 'em on! Lively patterns or big colors won't overwhelm a tiny room as they might a large one. But do remember this rule of thumb: If you have bold or busy walls, calm them with neutral floors (and vice versa).

 Side show A wall-mount corner sink (or any petite model tucked in this spot) can allow you to shift a room's layout or open up what little space you have. Using a peg or hook versus a towel bar saves space, and an off-center mirror keeps things informal and playful.

"Powder rooms are spaces to be daring—almost anything goes!" says designer Sarah S. Larson. Less square footage means less intimidation, less expense—and more fun. We found all these rooms on Instagram, and have added the talented people behind them to our follows. You should too.

Meet the Designer SARAH S. LARSON Co-owns Twetten's Interior Design in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Spirit Lake, Iowa. Adds a vase of flowers for a pre-guest refresh. @twettens.interiordesign

1 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Stylish Mirror

Powder room makeovers
Credit: Spacecrafting Photography

Smokin' Mirror "Show off your personality!" says designer Bria Hammel. Swap a blah frameless mirror for a shapely one with a stylish finish. Go big, to bounce light and make the room seem larger and brighter.

Meet the Designer BRIA HAMMEL Founded Bria Hammel Interiors in Mendota Heights, Minnesota. Sneaks in personality with affordable antiques store art. @briahammelinteriors

2 of 8

3 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Vanity With Character

Powder room makeovers
Credit: Ashlee Kindred

Counter Weight Pedestal sinks have trended lately, but don't dismiss a vanity. Just choose one with character. Here, reed panels and an arched backsplash lend a traditional vibe, especially paired with botanical wallpaper and twin sconces. "Every powder room needs great mood lighting," designer Heidi Woodman says.

Meet the Designer HEIDI WOODMAN Leads Haus Love Interiors' design team in Indianapolis. Has a soft spot for quirky, creative powder rooms. @hauslove

3 of 8

Advertisement

4 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Rich Textures

Powder room makeovers
Credit: Nicole Franzen

Dark Matter Be real: White walls will never make a 3x5-foot room look big. Instead, embrace jewel-box intimacy. Designer Jennifer Bunsa chose this hand-painted Porter Teleo wallpaper to get more textural depth than she would have with flat paint.

Meet the Designer BRIDGETT COCHRAN Co-founder of Porter Teleo wallpapers in Kansas City, Missouri. Always lights a Trapp candle (also from KC) before visitors arrive. @porterteleo

4 of 8

5 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Add Surprises

Powder room makeovers
Credit: Laurie Kilgore Photography

Light Switch Crystal chandelier with shiplap? Sure! A surprise element is good. Or as Sara Noble, whose firm designed this room explains, "Oversize lights are like chandelier earrings paired with your best jeans. It adds sparkle to the outfit."

Twist and Shout Knobs and pulls are quick-change artists, like throw pillows in a living room. If your vanity is dated, a quart of paint will let the new hardware shine.

Meet the Designer SARA NOBLE Owns Noble Designs in Leawood, Kansas. Will never say no to statement wallpaper. @nobledesigns

5 of 8

6 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Editor Picks: Soap and Lotion

Powder room makeovers

Not ready for a full bathroom facelift right now? We hear you. Try a mini upgrade instead. 

Barr-Co Soap and Lotion Luxurious, oatmeal-enriched products, made in St. Louis. In various scents. Search for "Hand and Body Caddy." $44. khallstudio.com

6 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Editor Picks: Guest Towels

Powder room makeovers

Stationery Studio Guest Towels Paper is a germ-free alternative to cloth for these times we're in. This Chicago biz customizes towels with monograms or witty messages. From $36 for 50. thestationerystudio.com

7 of 8

8 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Editor Picks: Wall Mirror

Powder room makeovers

Aimee Wall Mirror Available in gold or rubbed bronze, this Art Deco-style steel-framed mirror measures 38x24 inches. $170. target.com

8 of 8

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Jody Garlock

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 8 Color Pops
    2 of 8 Stylish Mirror
    3 of 8 Vanity With Character
    4 of 8 Rich Textures
    5 of 8 Add Surprises
    6 of 8 Editor Picks: Soap and Lotion
    7 of 8 Editor Picks: Guest Towels
    8 of 8 Editor Picks: Wall Mirror

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Midwest Living

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Contact Us
    • Help
    • Free Newsletters this link opens in a new tab
    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Customer Service this link opens in a new tab
    • Renew this link opens in a new tab
    • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Affiliate Program
    • Free Travel Info this link opens in a new tab
    • Special Promotions this link opens in a new tab
    • Sweepstakes this link opens in a new tab
    • Video
    • Home Advisor this link opens in a new tab
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Follow Us
    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithMidwest Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Midwest Living. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.midwestliving.com

    Sign in

    View image

    5 Amazing Powder Room Makeovers
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.