No-Demo, Builder-Grade Powder Room Makeover Into a Vibrant, Personality-Packed Thinking Room

P.S. Every product used in this powder room transformation—from the sink to the sconce—is linked for you to shop right here

It's been 3 years since we moved into this house, and for the life of me, I can't figure out what was going on in the head of the builder when they were making these decisions—clearly, they were not thinking at all.

As you know, proportion is a fundamental principle of good design. Everything in a space should be proportional to the size of the room and to each other. When something is disproportionate, you can feel it—even if you can't pinpoint why. These subtle imbalances trigger your subconscious, making a space feel "off."

In a powder room, the sink is the focal point, and in this bathroom, the sink was completely out of proportion to both the size of the room and the negative space. Clearly, the builder didn’t care. They bulk purchased pedestal sinks and installed the same sink in every house without considering scale.

BEFORE - Bland, boring builder-beige power bathroom

The smaller size of the sink also meant that the basin width wasn’t wide enough to contain water, so water splashed everywhere.

The first thing I did was order a pedestal sink that was the right size for this room and wide enough to contain water and prevent it from splashing onto the floor.

Brass faucet to add warmth and personality to the new pedestal sink. Shop here

BEFORE - Awkward placement and size of towel rod for a powder bathroom

I still wonder why there was a bath towel rod in the powder room. I mean—no one’s taking a shower in a powder room, so there isn’t a need for a full-sized towel rod?

Not only did I replace it with a hand towel rod, but I also relocated it next to the sink for easy and close access. BTW, this brass and lucite towel rod is a stunner in itself. It’s like a piece of jewelry that elevates the powder room!

The brass and lucite towel rod is really a piece of jewelry

I also matched the toilet paper holder to go with it.

And yes—that dollar toilet paper is a pleasure to use. I love sprinkling unexpected elements like this into my spaces and always encourage my clients to do so. They add fun and quirk to an otherwise very functional space.

Brass and lucite toilet paper holder. Shop here

Another blunder I can’t wrap my head around is putting a window right next to the toilet. While I wouldn’t mind enjoying the view while minding business, someone on the outside can also enjoy the inside view.

Since I didn’t want to block all the natural light, I opted for a custom café curtain for the powder room. It gives the much-needed privacy while still letting the light in.

Shop cafe curtain hanging hardware here

Other than these major blunders, this builder-grade powder room had no charm, no character, and no personality (not even the builder's).

It was a lifeless, boring beige space with a whole lot of builder-grade blah.

If you're thinking, “It's just a bathroom, why does it need character?”—it does. Because let’s be honest: isn’t the throne the place where most people sit and make big plans? Come up with their best ideas? Even life-changing decisions—or, at the very least, plan out their day?

All the moms would agree with me: this is the room where we all escape to for some me-time?

So, in a place where all the important decisions are being made, shouldn’t your surroundings feel good? Inspiring?

Shop this whimsical wallpaper from G P & J here.

That’s exactly what I did—used plenty of color, pattern, and design details to add charm, character, and personality to this thinking room.

And yes, I think “thinking room” is the right name!

The rich shade of blue painted on the woodwork is Farrow and Ball’s Stiffkey. Shop here

My goal was that when the doors are closed, you feel a disconnect from the rest of the world. And that’s where this wallpaper from GP & J Baker came in. The pattern truly transports you to a whole different world.

I papered the top two-thirds of the walls and used beadboard paneling for its original purpose—to protect the wall and wallpaper from water splashes.

A classic brass and lucite wall sconce with a custom shade in a quirky pattern.

The lighting plan was key here. I wanted the room to glow, and for that, a thoughtful lighting plan is a must. Because without it, even the most exquisite finishes and details look dull.

I opted for sconces to create that ambiance, because that’s what produces the most flattering light—where everyone looks good.

Also, don’t forget to replace those plain white shades with custom shades to personalize your fixture and the whole room.

In this thinking room, the fifth wall has as much personality as any other wall!

The ceiling fixture isn’t to light the room, but to act as the jewelry. Overhead lighting creates ugly shadows—and no one looks good in it. But that doesn’t mean you can ignore the fifth wall.

The bright pink mirror with the bobble detail became the shop-stopper!

Now let’s take a moment to appreciate that mirror. The shape, the detail, the color—everything about that mirror is mesmerizing. I was on the lookout for an interesting mirror in a bold color but couldn’t find something that worked for the wallet. Then I came across this mirror, but the color wasn’t right for this project. So I decided I had nothing to lose and just spray-painted it.

I was actually going to paint it a light pink. It was my husband who encouraged me to go bold. I can’t take any credit for this star of the show—it was his idea. And boy, was he right. The mirror stole everyone’s heart.

You can shop the pedestal and bust lamp here.

Lastly, I want to tell you my favorite part about this transformation.

You must have heard the saying—you are who you surround yourself with. That’s exactly true here.

The tile that was already in there looked extremely builder-grade—but not because it was. It was everything else around it that was so mediocre, it made the tile look the same way.

By elevating everything else in the room, the tile got an upgrade itself. It feels like it belongs in the room now—in fact, it has a luxurious vibe.

Want to shop everything from this powder? I’ve used all the products I used right here.

It was important to mention this because oftentimes, what we think the problem is… is not the real problem. And as you can imagine, what a hefty price tag that would’ve come with if I had gone on to replace the tile.

This is a very common dilemma that comes up in my design consultations. Clients mention something they dislike in their home—but removing that element is not always the solution (or even feasible). In this case, even if I had replaced the tile, the problem wouldn’t have been solved—the room would still be bland.

So, in such situations, you want to emphasize the other things around it, so that piece fades into the background. Or—like here—when the whole vibe is lifted, that one element that felt ugly gets an upgrade too.

Leave a comment with any questions you have about the thinking room or if you have a design dilemma of your won and will appreciate some expert advice check out my virtual design consultations

P.S Click here to checkout the new artwork I added to the powder room and how I styled