Go dark…with light.

Designer Stephanie Brown converted an odd-shaped study into a 110-square-foot bathroom in her Vancouver townhome—and created a space her husband would also find comfortable. The resulting masculine-yet-warm bathroom includes grey hues, leather-like floor tiles and an onyx mosaic wall, but these rich tones “are offset with lots of white—tub, countertop, walls, ceiling—to prevent the space from feeling dark,” says the designer. A skylight, pot lights and attentiongrabbing pendant light fixture also keep the space bright.

Do more with less.

The diminutive dimensions of a powder room mean less square footage to cover and thus more freedom to indulge in otherwise- prohibitive tile or wallcovering. “The powder room is the perfect place to use finishes that you love but consider too pricey, trendy or even risqué,” says designer Reena Sotropa. In this 35-squarefoot Calgary bathroom, she added a “riot of colour” with whimsical butterfly-adorned wallpaper. Bonus: “The powder room is a ‘public space’ in your home—the perfect opportunity to show off your big splurge!”

“The powder room is the perfect place to use finishes that you love but consider too pricey, trendy or even risqué,” says designer Reena Sotropa.