Powder Rooms are great fun to decorate because of the general small size of them, which allows you to make a great statement with a small investment of time and money.  These small bathrooms are strategically placed for guests and lend well to fun themes.  One such theme you can use in your powder room is a nautical theme. 

You can accomplish a nautical themed bathroom quickly and inexpensively.  The best place to start is with paint.  Paint the walls a crisp white color.  When the white paint has dried, use navy blue paint and painters tape to make vertical pinstripes.  You can choose to skip this step and wallpaper the upper portion of the room in a blue stripe while leaving the lower portion of the room white.  Regardless of which option you choose, accent the room with a nautical rope themed wallpaper border.

Next, purchase nautical accessories for the room.  Purchase nautical theme hand towels to use in the bedroom.  These typically come in blue or white and are embroidered with a gold anchor.  You can also find nautical theme bathroom rugs for your bathroom.  Finally hang a unique nautical themed mirror in your bathroom.  Something in a porthole shape would be fun.  Another great idea for a nautical theme mirror for your powder room is this Sandomar Yacht metal Wall art with Mirror.   This three-dimensional 32"W x 32"H metal yacht has a mirror big enough to allow your guests to check themselves in it.  You can use it as the main mirror in your powder room, or you can also use it as a secondary mirror / wall art, placing it by the door to allow guest to take a second look before leaving the bathroom.

• November 2007