The Complete Half Bath

By: Ashley Womble, This Old House magazine (Page 1 of 8)

Enlarge this image Photo: William P. Steele

Throwing a Curve
Architect Chris DiSunno commissioned a custom limestone-topped maple vanity to echo the curved wall in this under-the-stairs powder room. The commode sits at the opposite end of the room where the ceiling drops to 5 feet.

Enlarge this image Photo: Andrew Bordwin

New Traditional
A bulbous toilet and sink give this powder room vintage charm. The dresserlike vanity and radiator cover-as-window seat add to the half bath's old-fashioned appeal.

solid oak vanity w/ oil-rubbed bronze faucet

Enlarge this image Photo: Jim Franco

Finely Crafted
Wrapped in wainscoting that reflects the house's Craftsman feel, this half bath designed by architect Jay Haverson is "furnished" with a solid oak vanity topped and backed with limestone, and an oil-rubbed bronze faucet by Rohl mounted on the wall.

Enlarge this image Photo: Eric Piasecki

Cozy Classic
A petite Kohler pedestal sink keeps a snug 4-by-5-foot space designed by Steven Lecher from seeming cramped. The edges of the basin and pedestal base echo the moldings in and around the half bath.

Enlarge this image Photo: William P. Steele

Rich in Detail
A column of granite literally puts this copper vessel sink on a pedestal. At the other end of the room, the gray Kohler toilet is barely visible behind a half-wall partition. Dark wainscoting plays the mosaic tile border and floor, emphasizing the shape of the space, designed by architect Jay Haverson.

Photo: Courtesy Austin Patterson Diston

In the Round
Located on a staircase landing between two floors, this cylindrical powder room serves as the intriguing architectural centerpiece of the grand staircase in a formal home designed by architect McKee Patterson. The marble console sink—on view when you push open the curved door—sits along the same wall as the commode in the 22-square-foot space.

Browse Images

Browse Bathrooms Galleries:

View All

On Newsstands Now

In the Magazine

Reinvent your rooms with color

What You'll Learn:

Evoking the Past

Located off of the main entrance in a lake house, this powder room has a low-key feel. Designer Dave Heigl used a distressed cherry cabinet with a zinc countertop and rounded backsplash to evoke the spirit of an old-fashioned washstand. A Waterworks vessel sink is filled by a wall-mounted brushed nickel faucet; over time, the zinc counter will develop a deep patina.

The earliest powder rooms didn't have sinks or even a commode. Their sole purpose was to provide a place for servants to add talcum powder to the white wigs of respectable men. But even though the hairpieces of the 18th century have long ago fallen by the wayside, the powder room (which now, thankfully, includes indoor plumbing) remains an indispensable place to freshen up.

While a first-floor WC was a rarity in the 1880s, seen only in the wealthiest homes, by the 1930s, powder rooms as we know them could be found in many houses of the day. Still, it wasn't until the mid-20th century that the amenity became standard fare in suburbia.

Powder rooms are generally situated near a home's public rooms (the foyer, the living and dining rooms) as a convenience to guests. As a result, these half baths are now one of the most frequently remodeled and updated rooms in the house, according to a recent survey by Moen, Inc.—and adding one to an existing home can increase resale value by as much as $20,000. Because they're so much on display, powder rooms are often treated today as small showplaces and decked out with sculptural sinks, handcrafted fittings, and decorative tile or paneling. After all, given their small scale, they offer a good opportunity to make a big style statement without a huge outlay of cash. But before you go investing in that hand-hammered copper sink or inlaid cherry vanity, here are some things to consider.