by: Bonnie P Carrier

Typically a small space consisting of just a sink and toilet, you most likely know them by a more common term "half-bath" or "guest bath.

Ever wonder where the term "powder room" came from? It's derived from Victorian times, when women needed to "powder their noses".

Why consider them a jewel when it comes to decorating, also why bother decorating them, it is after all only a bathroom.

A bathroom is a room in your home, in fact depending on the number of baths you have it can become a public room, which means from time to time other people besides yourself will be passing through. So why not dress it up, even if guest only use it occasionally make it pretty for you.

Due to their size, a complete make over can be done in as little as a weekend and at little cost. This is also what makes them a jewel; being small you can really have fun decorating them, plus by not requiring a big budget you're able to change the look more often.

The following are a few ideas to get started with.

Start with the walls. Paint, wallpaper, stenciling what ever treatment you like. With the small size of the room, the cost will be a lot lower.

Here is the perfect opportunity to experiment with bolder colors, some type of theme or maybe you've been dying to try one of the many painting techniques.

Using a theme to decorate the bath can be really fun. If your not sure what to use take a look around your home for inspiration. It could be an extension of a collection you may have or a take off on a vacation.

Example of a theme, based on a vacation: Do you love the beach and vacation each year at the ocean? If so here is your inspiration. Use a wallpaper border around the room with shells or boats on it. Hunt around discount stores, flea markets or garage sales for beach related accessories; use a lightweight natural color window treatment. But before you purchase anything new, take a walk around the house, if you love the beach chances are you may already have items that you can use.

Add some sparkle with a new light fixture, mirror or towel racks in finishes of chrome, gold and bronze.

With limited floor space, look for storage solutions that perform double duty. Shelves with a towel rack provide not only a place to hang pretty towels; it's the perfect place for extra toiletries and accessories.

New flooring can add drama however; if this is not currently in the budget an area rug in a bold color or a geometric pattern will do the trick.

Of course a complete make over is not always necessary, sometimes just simple changes could be all that's needed. How about a vase of fresh flowers, some new towels, a whimsical piece of art or new window treatments.

Have some fun - get creative – and turn that often passed over half-bath into something special. Let it become the jewel in your home decorating projects box.

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