Inspiration for a large contemporary powder room in Denver with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a vessel sink, onyx benchtops and brown floor.

Thatch House

Timberline Construction

Design ideas for a small contemporary powder room in Orange County with open cabinets, medium wood cabinets, gray tile, ceramic tile, grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a vessel sink, wood benchtops, brown floor and brown benchtops.

Powder Room

A Design Art & House

A small space with lots of style. We combined classic elements like wainscoting with modern fixtures in brushed gold and graphic wallpaper.
Small contemporary powder room in New York with a two-piece toilet, white walls, dark hardwood floors, a wall-mount sink, brown floor, a floating vanity and wallpaper.

Scott's Work

Scott Laslie & Associates

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary powder room in Chicago with yellow walls, dark hardwood floors, an undermount sink, marble benchtops and brown floor.

Seashell

Oasis Architecture & Design

This is an example of a contemporary powder room in San Diego with a wall-mount toilet, gray tile, brown walls, a vessel sink, marble benchtops, brown floor, white benchtops, matchstick tile and dark hardwood floors.

The Griffith Residence

KES Studio

Inspired by the Griffith Observatory perched atop the Hollywood Hills, this luxury 5,078 square foot penthouse is like a mansion in the sky. Suffused by natural light, this penthouse has a unique, upscale industrial style with rough-hewn wood finishes, polished marble and fixtures reflecting a hand-made European craftsmanship.

Spring Drive

Niemand Interiors LLC

Design ideas for a small contemporary powder room in Houston with brown floor, grey walls, open cabinets, gray tile, glass tile, dark hardwood floors, a vessel sink and marble benchtops.

Westgate Residence

Jodie Rosen Design

Stephani Buchman
Large contemporary powder room in Toronto with an integrated sink, gray tile, dark hardwood floors and grey walls.

Russian Hill residence

Tres McKinney Design

The powder room's rich mix of materials and finishes compliments the color scheme and funishings of the entry foyer. Photography: E. Andrew McKinney

Transitional Kitchen on Sarahills Dr

Spaces By Juliana Linssen, Inc.

Interior Design by Juliana Linssen Photographed by Mitchell Shenker
Design ideas for a small contemporary powder room in San Francisco with a vessel sink, furniture-like cabinets, granite benchtops, a one-piece toilet, multi-coloured tile, stone tile, beige walls and dark hardwood floors.

Dupont Circle Rowhouse Addition

Landis Architects | Builders

We completely gutted and renovated this DC rowhouse and added a three-story rear addition and a roof deck. On the main floor the new powder room has a freestanding sink and a mirrored back wall behind the vanity.

Extension to a Family House - Highbury

CRAFT Architects

An elegantly decorated toilet has been positioned underneath the stairs
Design ideas for a small contemporary powder room in London with white walls, dark hardwood floors, wood benchtops, brown floor, brown benchtops and a built-in vanity.

Powder Room Geometrics

A Curated Room

Mid-sized contemporary powder room in Atlanta with a one-piece toilet, blue tile, ceramic tile, blue walls, dark hardwood floors, a pedestal sink, brown floor, white cabinets, solid surface benchtops and white benchtops.

Harbor Blues

Christopher Burns Interiors

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary powder room in New York with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, multi-coloured walls, dark hardwood floors and marble benchtops.

Ein Smart Home muss nicht teuer sein

Gira Giersiepen GmbH & Co. KG

Im Gästebad ist ebenfalls ein Bewegungsmelder installiert, so geht automatisch das Licht an und Musik beginnt zu spielen. Foto: Ulrich Beuttenmüller für Gira

2012 HGTV Green Home

J Steven Kemp Architect

Photos copyright 2012 Scripps Network, LLC. Used with permission, all rights reserved.
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary powder room in Atlanta with a vessel sink, green walls, furniture-like cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, green tile, mosaic tile, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

Bona Flooring

Kapalua Floors

Inspiration for a large contemporary powder room in Detroit with furniture-like cabinets, dark wood cabinets, mirror tile, grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a vessel sink and brown floor.

Modern Ozarks Warmth

Cabinet Concepts by Design

Design ideas for a contemporary powder room in Other with medium wood cabinets, gray tile, white walls, dark hardwood floors, a vessel sink, brown floor and white benchtops.

Gardenhill

User

Small contemporary powder room in Toronto with a two-piece toilet, blue walls, dark hardwood floors and a pedestal sink.

Contemporary New construction

Kimberly Tomas Designs

This is an example of a contemporary powder room in Detroit with furniture-like cabinets, distressed cabinets, dark hardwood floors, a vessel sink and black benchtops.

Contemporary Powder Room Design Ideas with Dark Hardwood Floors

Think of your powder room as a small bathroom that’s always on display. Likely to be frequented by guests or used as a second bathroom by family members, it should always look its best. Consisting of little more than a vanity, toilet and sink, you could be mistaken that contemporary powder room designs are easy to execute, but the tight space can be tricky to get right. As you plan your bathroom renovation, consider the following.

What’s the best way to collate small bathroom ideas?

Browse the photos on Houzz for small bathroom designs, and get acquainted with the specialist behind your favourite picks. You can bookmark and share your favourite photos with everyone involved in your renovation, and click through to Related Photos to broaden your scope. For even more contemporary powder room and small bathroom ideas, check out the Stories section on Houzz.

How do I plan the layout of my powder room?

If you're building from scratch, an architect may be the best person to ask. There are three main objects to consider when planning the layout of your contemporary powder room: the door, toilet and sink. Pocket, sliding or folding doors will give you more options for toilet and sink placement, while wall-mounted toilets will help save you a few inches of floor space, and make the room feel more spacious. To ensure ease of use, make sure the toilet has at least 38 centimetres of unobstructed space on either side, and 61 centimetres at the front. Powder rooms are primarily a place to use the toilet and quickly wash your hands, so unless you have the square meterage, you don’t need a full-blown vanity. Look for compact options, like a pedestal or wall-mounted sink instead.

What materials should I use in my powder room?

There’s not much space to work with when designing a contemporary powder room, so keep your design fairly simple. Otherwise, too many different patterns and textures will quickly overwhelm the space. To avoid a disjointed design, opt for one statement piece or element, such as a fun splashback, benchtop or vanity, and choose subtle materials like stone, marble or granite for everything else. If you fear you haven’t created enough visual interest, fill the void with bathroom accessories such as hand towels and soap dispensers. High-quality bathroom fixtures – including everything from your toilet roll holder to faucet – with matching lines and style, will make a big difference in a such a small space, so if you have the budget, splurge a little!