No matter whether you’re decorating a cute and compact powder room or an expansive primary bath, the right choices can help you keep everything organized while maximizing the space you have to work with and cultivating a truly serene atmosphere.
This guide offers suggestions for clever storage solutions, budget-friendly tips, modern bathroom decor trends, and ideal bathroom color palettes—read on for our top advice on transforming your bathroom into the stylish retreat you deserve.
Small Bathroom Decor That Maximizes Space
When you’re making the most of a smaller bathroom, it’s especially important to make smart decor choices that double as storage solutions, combining style with function.
One of our favorite small bathroom decor ideas is to stay organized by incorporating natural rattan wicker baskets, rather than unsightly plastic or metal alternatives. For instance, you can place baskets on open shelves to keep bottles and other toiletries contained, use them to corral extra items under the sink, or mount them on the wall to hold towels or extra rolls of toilet paper. Compared to synthetic materials, the natural texture of rattan adds warmth and can contribute to a spa-like atmosphere, while also minimizing clutter extremely effectively.
How to Style a Bathroom Shelf
Floating bathroom shelves are another ideal choice for organization and display in smaller spaces, because they make it easy to use vertical space efficiently without taking up any of the limited floor area in your bathroom.
In addition to providing easy access to your daily essentials, like skincare products and toothbrushes, you can also use floating shelves as a form of bathroom wall decor by adding decorative items like candles and houseplants. Just don’t add too many pieces of decor to avoid creating a cluttered feeling—you don’t want to have so much extra clutter that it ends up gathering dust and making the room feel messy or cramped.
Budget-Friendly Bathroom Decor Tips
If you’re decorating on a budget, don’t worry—there are lots of options that won’t break your budget, especially as decor trends have begun to embrace the realities of renting with renter-friendly decor ideas that are easy to reverse when it’s time to move out.
An easy fix is to paint the bathroom with light-colored paint to make the space feel brighter and, by extension, larger. Peel-and-stick wallpaper or tiles are an easy and affordable option that allow for tons of customization and creativity. In addition, consider thrifting your wall art or even making it yourself for unique decor additions at a minimal cost.
Modern Bathroom Decor Trends to Try
There are lots of ways to give the illusion of having more space in the bathroom without actually changing the room’s square footage.
One of these is to decorate with light colors (more specifics on color palettes later in the post!) and mirrors, as these make the room feel bigger by reflecting the available light. We’d also recommend choosing sleek furnishings that have multiple functions in one, like a vanity with abundant built-in storage.
For those seeking to maximize the feeling of spaciousness, many modern bathrooms use glass shower doors instead of curtains—because the glass is transparent, it makes the room feel bigger overall.
If possible, using wall-mounted fixtures (like floating vanities and toilets) is another great idea, because freeing up as much floor space as possible can make the bathroom feel bigger than it is. An additional suggestion that works for many small bathrooms is choosing larger tiles for the floors and walls, as having fewer grout lines overall can create an optical illusion that makes the space feel more visually seamless.
Best Colors for Bathroom Decor
We’ve already mentioned that lighter shades tend to be the best choice for making a bathroom that’s on the smaller side feel bigger. But there are a lot of light colors to choose from—which are the best options?
Although it depends on what your aesthetic preferences are and on the feel (and color palette) of the rest of your home, soft whites, pastels, and warm beiges are some of our favorite choices for these spaces. Cool tones in particular (for instance, pale blue or seafoam green) can help give your bathroom the feel of a spa. If you prefer a more modern vibe, muted gray hues might be a better fit.
As you plan out your bathroom color palette, make sure to consider possible accent colors, whether you go for a fun yet calming blush pink hue or a simple matte black.
Wicker Baskets for Bathroom Storage and Decor
Combining style and storage in one beautiful, sustainable solution, wicker baskets are an excellent choice for corralling clutter in bathrooms of all sizes.
The Basket Lady offers a wide selection of high-quality wicker baskets in a range of sizes and shapes that will work perfectly in bathrooms. You can also search their selection of baskets according to their type, room, or size, depending on what you’re looking for.