Create a British Colonial-Style Powder Room

The average half bath may measure only about 20 square feet, but you can still give it a well-furnished look. Consider the space shown here: Its crewel rug, cane chair, and fancy grained mirror could just as easily adorn a living room or den. "Though it serves its purpose, the room goes beyond utilitarian; it feels warm and clubby," says color expert Eve Ashcraft, author of The Right Color (Artisan). Working with architect and interior designer Gil Schafer, Ashcraft devised a rich palette of golden walls and creamy wainscoting to play up the bath's furnishings, which blend bamboo with more traditional antiques, including a mahogany table vanity and ceramic bust. Nickel and brass fixtures add a 19th-century glow.