Powder Room

A powder room is usually a small bathroom that contains only a toilet and a sink. The powder room can also be considered the guest bathroom, or the half bath. There is no shower or tub in a powder room and they are almost always located on the first floor of a home.

The first floor positioning of the bathroom allows guests to utilize the facilities without having to feel as though they have intruded in your home. The powder room is normally a very small room that is conveniently located in the home and rarely contains a window.

Where Did the Term Powder Room Come From?

The term powder room has been around since the 18th century and was considered a closet sized room where people were able to go and have their wigs re-powdered. The Victorian times kept the term powder room to discreetly excuse yourself to relive your bodily functions.

Women still refer to the bathroom as the powder room, where powdering your nose was a phrase used instead of the embarrassing other terms that could be used.