Your powder room may be one of the smallest spaces in your home, but it’s an area where you can go big on design. These days, the trend is to bring ultra-luxurious finishes, gorgeous wall treatments, and other super-stylish elements into half baths. If you are interested in trying new decorating trends in your home, updating a half bath is a good place to start because you can create a lot of impact with just a few changes. Follow these tips to make a big splash with your powder room.

Patterned walls

Today’s trends in powder room decor are anything but boring, and half-bath walls can be embellished with eye-catching patterns that are either stenciled or pasted on in the form of elaborate wallpaper designs. Because half baths lack a tub or shower, they are less likely to get steamy, making them more suitable for wallpaper. Modern-day wallpaper is nothing like what it was in the 1980s and 1990s—its patterns are more sophisticated, its materials tend to be more eco-friendly, and it’s easier to hang and remove; there are even peel and stick options. Papering your walls can instantly add style, color, and texture to your space. Some trendy patterns include graphic prints, florals, botanicals, and updated chinoiserie designs. You can also create a wallpapered look by stenciling your walls with paint and the help of a wall stencil from companies like Cutting Edge Stencils and Royal Design Studio Stencils.

Ornate tiles

Tiles that mimic the style of old-world encaustic tile, in which colorful patterns are inlaid into it, are now being used to add fabulous style to powder room walls and floors. You could also go with a bold black-and-white theme in your bathroom. Hexagon or triangular tiles are gaining popularity, as are ones made of real or faux marble and subway tiles hung vertically instead of horizontally. While tile is an excellent way to make your room highly personal and unique, it is also a durable water-resistant material for a bathroom.

Rich hues

Don’t be afraid to use color in your powder room—walls painted in deep, vivid hues are trending in powder room design. While white has long been a classic choice, shades of green, black, and blue now cover half-bath walls. White beadboard is commonly used in powder rooms, but beadboard painted in grays, greens, and blues is also popular. Instead of featuring traditional wood or painted-white vanities, some homeowners are installing bright-and-bold-colored vanities.

A stylish mirror

The mirror you choose can infuse personality and style into your space. A classic round mirror framed in white or black can complement a farmhouse-style half bath, a copper, hexagon-shaped one can accessorize a glamorous powder room, and an asymmetrical-shaped mirror can help define a modern bathroom. Besides incorporating style into the space, a mirror can reflect additional light, giving the room a larger appearance.

Powder room bling

Gleaming bathroom hardware and fixtures, such as faucets, vanity handles, towel rods, and doorknobs, are the jewelry of your space. Traditional chrome continues to be a time-honored choice, but nickel, brass, bronze, and black finishes are in vogue too. You can also choose to match these finishes with the mirror in your space. Brass can lend a vintage vibe, oil-rubbed bronze and polished or brushed nickel can create a traditional feel, and copper can impart a rich look. Polished chrome is a good choice for a classic appearance while lending a hint of modernity.

Brilliant lights

Finally, you’ll want to select half-bath lighting that accentuates your style. You could pick matte black or white fixtures to complement a farmhouse-style or modern half bath, a delicate crystal chandelier to accentuate a feminine powder room, or light fixtures that match the other finishes in the room. To create a dramatic effect, you can layer lighting by hanging a dimmable chandelier and over-the-vanity task lights or sconces.

If you’re ready to go bigger and bolder with your powder room, use these tips to achieve a fresh and modern look.