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We’re flushed with inspiration! Bathroom Brush Holder Set
Sometimes the “less is more” adage holds true. When it comes to your bathroom, though, “less” can quite literally be a pain in the keister. But as designers prove time and time again in the pages of ELLE DECOR, small bathrooms can indeed be turned into good things within diminutive packages. In fact, a half bath, powder room, or teeny studio apartment water closet can offer a chance to experiment with a bold wallpaper, eye-catching tiles, or an unexpected paint color. And while you may not be able to tack on additional square footage, you can certainly maximize your storage options.
Just ask New York–based designer Kati Curtis, who has designed numerous small bathrooms. “They’re actually some of my favorite spaces to work with,” she says. “With a small, dark space, I have the freedom to be bold with dark colors and patterns.” Contrary to popular belief, per Curtis, dark colors can actually make a small room feel more expansive and dimensional. Vintage light fixtures and unique hardware, meanwhile, “can transform a small bathroom into a destination rather than a drawback,” she adds.
If you’re looking for inspiration, you’re in luck: we’ve combed through our archives to showcase our favorite small bathroom ideas. With dozens of rooms to browse, there’s bound to be some clever solutions that inspire you to transform your loo into a looker.
There’s no question that a statement wallpaper can transform your small bathroom into a jewel box moment...or a Missoni scarf, if you’re hospitality designer Eric Egan. Here, in his Milan apartment, he wrapped the primary bathroom in a custom Fromental wallpaper. With patterned tiles, ornate molding, and a smoldering stare from Grace Jones, we’d say this bathroom is as immersive as it gets.
You’d never believe that this Paris apartment—which sat untouched for decades—once used to boast squat toilets. That is until designer Sarah Dray worked her magic. Here, the bathroom received space-saving upgrades, such as the narrow inset vanity and an oblong tub. And though it’s clad in luxe materials like pink onyx and travertine, for this bathroom Dray used one of the oldest tricks in the book: placing a mirror on the back wall to double the drama.
Nope, you’re not losing your marbles—you’re simply gazing at the chic marbled backdrop of this perfectly polished powder room, courtesy interior designer Georgia Tapert Howe. Not only is this space a lesson in the power of a dynamic pattern, but it also shows how trim has the power to tie a room together—in this case, it’s in a glossy leaf green. A skinny mirror and small bathroom vanity ensure every square inch is maximized.
It may seem counterintuitive to have a window smack-dab in the middle of one’s bathroom, but this strategy—in a gorgeous Craftsman-style home designed by Ashley Lavonne Walker—helped save space and create a showstopping backdrop for the sink. The original stained glass window features a rippled texture, preventing any awkward views for passersby.
If you’re one to shudder at the thought of bathroom storage, get a load of this small space, courtesy Toronto-based designer Sam Sacks. A cylindrical storage compartment from Kartell makes up for the lack of undersink storage, while complementing the round shapes seen all over the room.
French aristocracy used to inhabit Robert Couturier’s incredible Normandy estate. No surprise, then, that his bathroom is equally regal. Though the footprint is small, the designer made use of every inch, with a narrow shelf placed behind the tub, and a grand artwork and chandelier to accentuate those tall ceilings. At the end, there was even room to squeeze in a velvet chair—a fitting throne for decorating royalty.
If you’re short on space, why not try dazzling guests with a visual decoy? In the case of Marc Valeanu’s Parisian bathroom, blue-and-white tile gets top billing while a pair of classic Fortuny pendants keep the eye darting around. A soft undersink basket, meanwhile, is a chic storage alternative.
Good ol’ fashioned wainscoting can help you accomplish numerous bathroom decorating goals: Not only does it create an aesthetic border around your room, it also prevents splishes and splashes from ruining your gorgeous wallpaper. In the case of this farmhouse powder room, the team at Frederick Tang Architecture did not monkey around, with dramatic wainscoting in Benjamin Moore’s Pacific Sea Teal paint and a jungle-themed wallpaper from Cole & Sons.
We love color blocking an outfit. Why not apply the same to your bathroom? Let designer Patrick Mele show you how its done in this Manhattan water closet. The individual “panels” of saturated hues also create a nice frame for artwork.
This bathroom might be small in square footage, but it’s mighty in impact. Nestled in a vacation rental that sits on 12 acres of land in Maine, this charming teal-accented space offers rest and reprieve for someone who has spent the day outdoors. The porcelain hexagonal tiles from Casablanca give the shower walls added dimension and intrigue. Our favorite detail? The chair is by the architect and artist Emily Muir, who also designed the whole cottage.
A small bathroom is a perfect opportunity to let your maximalist self run wild. In this charming historic Australian house, a Gubi mirror and Studio Henry Wilson sconce pop out against the delightfully lush botanical wallpaper—proof that letting your garden grow doesn’t always necessitate a green thumb.
Don’t let the pretty pink hues fool you: The bathroom of this Chelsea, New York City, apartment, belonging to artist and accessories designer Christina Wang, is badass. With one of Wang’s own paintings, a depiction of a Momofuku Milk Bar treat, a sultry black sink fixture, and Italian tiled flooring that references Phoebe Philo stores for Céline, her style is anything but dainty. “Christina pulled a really early reference to it,” says Le Whit’s Liza Curtiss, who designed the space. “Because of the diamond shape, we thought it created a really fun pattern, and it mimicked Murano glass.”
We love a tile moment. When half of the bathroom is white space, you can be as bold as you want with the other half, no matter how small your washroom. Taking cues from ancient Rome, Filippo Chia installed an eclectic 18th-century Murano mirror and 19th-century Riggiole tile in the guest bathroom of this fairy-tale tower in the Italian countryside. A happy place, if we ever saw one.
Welcome to the sherbert-hued bathroom that you may want to stay in forever. This open-air bathroom, home to fashion-world bon vivants Sally and Michel Perrin, evokes the sand-colored hues of nearby beaches with a pop of electric color. As it turns out, paradise is more a matter of style over space.
Why settle for one piece of art when you can enjoy a few? In her New Orleans home, the writer Julia Reed filled her bathroom gallery wall with early-19th-century prints of Napoléon and Pope Pius VII.
Natural light can make a space feel more open. Take, for instance, this children’s bathroom in Keith McNally’s Martha’s Vineyard farm, which is awash in both light and charm. Its Mexican terra-cotta tiles and tongue-and-groove paneling come together for a look that is sophisticated without feeling overly precious.
“We wanted this jewel box of a space to feel dark and moody,” says designer Lucy Doswell of this patterned half bath, which is enveloped in a graphic honeycomb-pattern wallpaper from Robert Kime. The small space, which features a 19th-century Dutch mirror that was a find at Avery & Dash, reflects designer Doswell’s ability to mix elements from multiple periods.
This half bath, just off the entry of a loft in TriBeCa, achieves a delicate balance of textures and materials that come together in a fun-loving elegance. This hand-painted Porter Teleo floral wallpaper and coordinating ink-blue ceiling are the stuff of small-space magic. If you’re short on counter (and floor) space, a small corner cabinet can serve as a welcome landing pad for those extra necessities.
Take notes from Ashe Leandro’s design scheme for Coldplay guitarist Jonny Buckland, which takes full advantage of architectural idiosyncrasies. A classic standing bathtub is perfectly nestled into an elegant archway, overseen by a vintage light fixture from JF Chen. Here, home is where the tub is.
“It’s plaid city in here!” Victoria Sass jokes of this playful half bath. “It’s check on check on check.” To achieve the look—which is echoed throughout the rest of this happy lakeside hideaway—Sass worked closely with a Minneapolis tile company called Clay Squared to Infinity for this custom glaze and pattern. The plaid fun continues in a complementary Pierre Frey wallpaper that is as spirited as it is sophisticated.
Anna Fixsen, Deputy Digital Editor at ELLE DECOR, focuses on how to share the best of the design world through in-depth reportage and online storytelling. Prior to joining the staff, she has held positions at Architectural Digest, Metropolis, and Architectural Record magazines. elledecor.com
Rachel Silva, the Assistant Digital Editor at ELLE DECOR, covers design, architecture, trends, and anything to do with haute couture. She has previously written for Time, The Wall Street Journal, and Citywire.
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