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By Edward S. Pell
FROM THE MID 1600s UNTIL THE EARLY 1800s, IT WAS THE FASHION FOR MEN AND WOMEN TO WEAR WIGS. BECAUSE THEIR WIGS TENDED TO GET OILY, PEOPLE SET ASIDE A ROOM IN THEIR HOMES TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM. THERE, A SHEET WAS DRAPED OVER ONE’S CLOTHING AND THE PERSON WOULD HOLD A PAPER CONE OVER THEIR FACE WHILE A SERVANT SHOOK TALCOM OVER THE WIG TO KEEP IT PRESENTABLE.
Today the wigs and the servants are gone, but the powder room, or half-bath remains in the home as a small bathroom primarily meant for guests.
“Someone said, ‘Great things come in small packages,’ and that certainly applies to powder rooms,” said Tony Hunt, CKD, CBD, a designer at Binns Kitchen & Bath Design in Pickering, Ontario. “Just because it is a smaller room does not mean it does not require the same attention as a space far larger. The same attention to detail is invested in choosing style and color of faucets, cabinetry, counters, tiling, fittings, toilet, basin, lighting, accessories, etc.”
Hunt, who is a member of the NKBA Ontario chapter, added “It seems to be a 50-50 split on the powder room being done at the same time as another project or all by itself. I find kitchen renovations often lead into powder room renovations; changing the kitchen floor, which leads into changing the hall floor, which leads to the powder room. The particular brands and services we provide, and the design advice we give, tend to keep a powder room renovation a bit on the expensive side. Gone are the days of a plain pedestal; now we see the introduction of unique bathroom furniture and vessels, lighting, mosaic tile and faucets.”
The powder room by Hunt seen here was one of two bathrooms remodelled in a condominium owned by a single professional woman. “Originally these were two bathrooms separated by a pocket door,” Hunt said.
Both of the bathrooms were outdated, visually confining and inconvenient. In addition, the client did not like people using her powder room to have access to her bedroom. She wanted to separate the rooms, using all natural materials and contemporary styling. Because the condo allowed for very minimal changes to the mechanical systems, the drains had to stay in their existing locations. Hunt covered the existing doorway to the shower and opened up its back wall, making the shower part of the master bath. The two rooms were separated with a glass block wall that separated the two spaces from each other but still allows light from the bedroom window to flow into the new powder room.
The client provided an art mirror and a comfort height toilet imported from Australia with a dual flush low volume system. Hunt selected a glass and stainless steel pedestal lav from Gammadecor. Wall tiles are 4” x 4” Travertine Ivory Melange tumbled marble, and floor tiles are 12” x 12” Earth Slate. |
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