The Challenge

Although it's likely to be the tiniest room in your house, your powder room can offer a big welcome to guests. With the tight quarters comes the opportunity to concentrate luxurious appointments for maximum design impact.

The number of products, however, is daunting -- and how do you combine them? For help with this decorating question, we called in a professional, who agrees that even a small space offers room for design missteps.

"A strong deviation from your design scheme can make the small room look out of balance," says interior designer Linda Stotts. "Too much clutter causes uneasiness in the visitors who are using the room."

To put you and your guests at ease, we asked Stotts to design three sure-bet powder rooms, each with the same floor plan and pedestal sink (Memoirs from Kohler, about $700). See the results on the next three pages.

The Designer: Stotts sees diminutive room dimensions as opportunities to layer on elegance. "I love small rooms!" she says. "Expensive fabrics and wall coverings can be affordable when you're dealing in small quantities." She shows us how to best combine elements for a polished look.

The floor plan: At just over 45 square feet, the floor plan represents a typically small and boxy powder room, 7 feet long by 6 1/2 feet wide, with the sink and toilet facing each other.

True-Blue Glamour

Worldly Riches

Formal Flair