Stylish New Ways to Take a Powder
The smallest room in the house can present some of the biggest problems. Powder rooms--a mere toilet and sink in a closet-size space off a hallway, next to the kitchen, even under a stair--are a valued convenience. They can even be quite luxurious. But it can be a challenge to find fixtures that fit.
Despite the trend toward ever-bigger bathrooms in American homes, “the need for small fixtures is a real issue,” says Gary Uhl, director of product design for New Jersey-based American Standard. “We’ve always made small sinks, but we’re working on a whole lot more.”
His company currently offers one of the smallest sinks on the U.S. market--the wall-hung Corner Minette, a petite 11 inches wide ([800] 524-9797, or https://www.americanstandard-us.com). And next year, he says, more styles will be getting smaller, with some sinks shrinking by as much as 30%. “Anytime you can still have a workable sink, but gain more room,” says Uhl, “you can upgrade the smallest of spaces to a luxury bathroom.”
Pedestal sinks and scaled-down cabinet-style vanities are space-saving solutions typically used in tiny bathrooms. But even small cabinets gobble physical and visual space. And pedestals take floor space without providing storage; the daintiest models offer scant room for even a bar of soap. But, designers say, there are plenty of alternatives, including updated versions of two old standbys--wall-hung sinks and Victorian-style washstands topped by free-standing bowls, these days called basins, vessels or “lavs,” depending on the manufacturer.
Interior designer Sarah Purdy of SPI Design in Alexandria, Va., often opts for a full-size pedestal when space in a bathroom is more generous, but she thinks some scaled-down versions for tiny spaces can look dinky. “They’re out of proportion,” she says, “too much pedestal and not enough sink.
“Wall-hung units or vessels are the most practical solution for very small spaces,” she says. “They free up floor space, and you don’t get all tangled up with that pedestal leg.”
Today, there are more styles of wall-hung sinks on the market than ever, ranging from retro to contemporary, and in avant-garde materials including spun glass, hammered copper, stone or flexible rubberlike materials like polyurethane, which was used by Dutch designer Hella Jongerius for her award-winning Soft Sink (https://www.agidesigns.com).
American Standard and its French subsidiary, Porcher, offer a number of traditional wall-hung models, including Porcher’s new Novella, designed to be mounted in a corner. It has a built-in ledge, towel rack and a wicker storage drawer. But Uhl and others say the real push these days is for contemporary vessels. Although most models are designed to rise above a countertop, many now can be mounted directly to the wall or to decorative brackets.
Vessel sinks are relatively expensive. A few styles are available in the $200 range, but many--especially fancy glass models and European imports--run considerably more. And on high-end home furnishings Web sites like https://www.homeportfolio.com, $2,000-plus vessels are abundant.
Purdy says a bracket-held vessel like the chunky blue ceramic model made by Kohler is particularly versatile. Just 141/2 inches wide, the Conical Bell works in the narrowest of powder rooms and comes in a wide range of colors (starts at $343; [800] 456-4537; https://www.kohler.com).
McLean, Va., designer Jennifer Sell of JS Designs for Interiors likes Kohler’s glass vessel, particularly the cobalt blue one, at a slim 16 inches in diameter.
Sell also suggests a more-affordable substitute: bar sinks. “Some are only 12 inches wide.” Bar sinks are widely available for less than $100; Sell advises having a carpenter build a ledge and set it on top. (One designer even turned a $12 Ikea mixing bowl into a vessel.)
Sell also has converted old side tables to vessel stands. “If it has fluted legs, you can paint it white and have a Swedish country look,” she says. “You could get an Asian feeling with a Zen-style bowl on a Chinese red cabinet.”