Before we get to the Reader Redesign highlights, a quick update about Burger. Yesterday was a frightening day for our family. Burger was sitting on Sherry’s lap when Clara and I arrived home. He jumped off her lap as he always does, but this time he somehow lost his balance, flipped in the air, and landed on his back and neck. He yelped. Sherry scooped him up and he seemed okay at first—he shook his head and behaved normally—but when we set him down he couldn’t walk properly. He had no balance, kept walking into walls, wouldn’t put weight on his hind legs, and kept falling over.

While we were rushing everyone into the car to take him to the vet, Sherry called ahead to let them know we were coming. During that call Burger appeared to have a brief seizure: he went rigid, his eyes were open but unfocused, and he shook violently. It lasted about twenty seconds. By the time we reached the clinic he seemed back to normal. He could walk, his vitals looked good, and the vet suggested the stumbling, loss of balance, and the short episode might have been a reaction to the shock of the fall. All tests they ran came back fine. They asked us to watch him closely for the next 24 hours for any signs of trouble. We’re still within that window, but he’s been acting like his usual energetic self—jumping and running around as hyper as ever. We were truly terrified for a while, and we’re so relieved he’s okay.

Now, back to the Reader Redesign. As our focus shifts from kitchen ideas to bathroom inspiration, we’ve been enjoying the makeover submissions landing in our inbox. We especially love projects that aren’t full gut jobs but instead use a few thoughtful updates to make a big visual impact. Michelle’s powder room is a perfect example: simple changes in paint, pattern, and molding transformed the space without a complete overhaul. Her approach shows how a few deliberate moves can completely refresh a small room.

Michelle shared her experience with stenciling and molding in a compact powder room makeover she completed using the Nova Trellis stencil from Royal Design Studios.

She used Ultra White by Valspar for the white areas and Black Leather by Dutch Boy for the dark stencil and accent color. The contrast creates a crisp, modern feel while the trellis pattern adds personality to the small space.

Michelle mentioned she still plans to add crown molding and hang wall art. She’s considering swapping the mirror and changing the window treatment. This room is bolder than her usual, more conservative style, but she’s pleased with the result and enjoys the dramatic change.

We’re big fans of the direction Michelle chose. Bold patterns can be especially effective in small spaces like powder rooms—embracing the room’s proportions and turning them into a feature makes sense because these rooms will never feel cavernous anyway. The stencil wakes the room up, and the crisp white molding frames the look and adds instant polish. The rich wood floors balance the black-and-white palette with a warm, grounded feel, and a pedestal sink helps keep the space feeling open and uncluttered.

What stands out to you most in Michelle’s redesign? Is it the clean white molding that defines the space, the warmth of the wood floors, the simplicity of the pedestal sink, or the bold stencil pattern? Small, well-chosen updates like these demonstrate how thoughtful design choices can transform a compact bathroom into a stylish, memorable room.