44 Stunning Bathroom Decor Ideas You Can Pull Off with Any Budget
Bathrooms are often neglected when decorating a home because they’re such utilitarian spaces. While it’s true that bathrooms are hardworking rooms, that doesn’t mean they can be beautiful and show off your style. Whether it’s hanging wallpaper, adding houseplants, or switching out light fixtures, updating your bathroom and adding fresh decor can be a low-lift project you can finish in a weekend.
Keep reading to learn about our favorite bathroom decor ideas ranging across DIY skill levels, time constraints, and budgets.
Install an Antique Vanity
Brie Williams
Instead of keeping a builder-grade vanity, switch it out for an antique dresser. Not only do dressers offer plenty of storage space, but they stylishly hide plumbing. Purchase a custom-cut piece of marble for an elegant and waterproof countertop.
Add Pattern to Shelves
EDMUND BARR
Add a surprise pop of pattern and color behind basic bathroom shelves. Hang peel-and-stick wallpaper or use tile or stencils to achieve a similar look.
Use a Bold Wallpaper
Nicole LaMotte
Because they’re typically smaller spaces you don’t spend as much time living in, bathrooms are great rooms for fun and bold wallpaper. Use a large graphic wallpaper on the upper half of the walls and install beadboard on the bottom half. Or, use the wallpaper on one wall and cover the others in a moody paint color you’ve been wanting to try.
Display Your Jewelry
Edmund Barr
You don’t have to sacrifice function for form when it comes to bathroom decor ideas. Display jewelry items you reach for every day on your counter on a functional necklace stand or tray.
Lay a Vintage Rug
Ann VanderWiel Wilde
Even brand-new bathrooms can use a touch of vintage charm. Lay a vintage rug or runner in your bathroom to balance out the clean and sleek lines of tile, hardware, and stone. If you want the vintage look without purchasing a vintage rug, consider trying a washable rug that’s both stylish and water-resistant.
Mix Metals with Bathroom Decor
Hardware is one of the easiest and low-commitment changes you can make in a bathroom. From handles and pulls to sconces and faucets, mixing up your bathroom’s hardware can make a huge difference. If you can’t decide on a singular finish, mix different metals and finishes for an eclectic look.
Paint Your Trim
Rachel McGinn
If you don’t want to paint your entire bathroom but still want to incorporate color, try painting the trim. Paint the baseboards, crown molding, or trim around doors and windows. Choose to match the color to existing wallpaper or paint, or use a complementary color to make the trim stand out.
Decorate with Trays
David A. Land
Sometimes the most simple decor changes make the biggest difference. Instead of placing jars, soap dispensers, and plants directly on your counter, place them on a tray to give your vanity a more elevated and intentional look. Plus, keeping items on trays reduces the look of clutter.
Style Different Surfaces
Adam Albright
The difference between a styled and bare shelf is vast. Instead of leaving surfaces like shelves, counters, and the back of the toilet, decorate them to elevate your bathroom experience. Pair decorative items, like picture frames, with practical ones, like room spray or cotton balls, to create a stylish and functional display.
Picture Rail Bathroom Decor Ideas
Sypsie Designs
A simple way to add decor to your bathroom is by installing picture rails. They are inexpensive and easy to install and won’t take up precious surface space on counters and shelves in small powder bathrooms.
Floral Bathroom Decor Ideas
KIM CORNELISON
Flowers are often associated with beauty and luxury, making them a great choice for spa-like bathroom decor. Whether it’s through wallpaper, artwork, or a dried floral bouquet, incorporating florals (or floral motifs) is a no-fail way to dress up your bathroom.
Decorative Tile Accents
Jessica Bratter
While tile is a key player in bathroom functionality, it’s also a great way to add color and pattern to your space. During your next bathroom makeover, consider adding decorative tile accents not only for function but also as a design focal piece. Use different materials, colors, and install patterns to differentiate it from the rest of your space.
Work With Original Details
Meredith Corporation
We continually see vintage home design trends coming back in style, so think twice before you replace your home’s pastel bathtubs and sinks. Instead of getting rid of the item, embrace the color by using a matching color for tile or grout.
Tile Your Counter
Chad R. Mellon
Tile isn’t only for showers and floors. Tile the wall behind your mirror and the top of your bathroom vanity for a clean and seamless look. Choose a bright color if your bathroom doesn’t have a window, or opt for a neutral hue for a more subtle statement.
Decorate with Houseplants
Kritsada Panichgul
Due to humidity and light levels, your plants may thrive in your bathroom. Choose to decorate your counter with houseplants, or hang a plant in your shower. If putting plants in your shower, make sure your plant can tolerate high humidity.
Install Large Sconces
Kim Cornelison
Installing sconces is easier than it looks, and they can make a huge difference in a small or dark bathroom. If you want to avoid hardwiring new sconces, try installing renter-friendly versions and using either rechargeable lightbulbs or puck lights. That way, you will have the same look as traditional sconces without having to wire lights or hide pesky cords.
Install Sliding Doors
Stacey Brandford
Installing sliding doors is a great option for bathroom decor if your closet is connected to your bathroom or if you have a separate toilet room. Not only will they add style and color to your space, but they also hide clutter. Choose to install new doors or use antique ones found at a thrift store or flea market.
Add a Brass Shelf Rail
Alisa Bovino
Install brass railings to your bathroom shelves to make them feel custom. Match the rails to the other metal elements in your bathroom like your faucet, showerhead, and cabinet pulls and knobs.
Play With Tile Install Patterns
Emily Followill
Subway tile is a timeless choice for bathrooms and kitchens, but it’s not the only option. If you want to make a subtle change in your bathroom decor, consider using other tile patterns. Options like stacked grids, chevron, or herringbone will instantly elevate your shower or bathroom wall.
Add Pattern to Tile
Stacey Brandford
Upgrade your tile shower niches by adding pieces of artwork. Fit a piece of waterproof wallpaper in the niche, or use tiles that depict a mural or decorative pattern.
Decorate with Cafe Curtains
Julie Soefer
Instead of installing blinds or hanging long floor-length curtains, use airy cafe curtains in your bathroom. Use a sheer, light-filtering fabric to provide privacy while still allowing natural light in the bathroom.
Use a Desk as a Vanity
Hector Sanchez
Romanticize your daily skincare or makeup routine by adding a vanity to your bathroom. Better yet, use a vintage desk instead of a builder-grade vanity to add color and character to your bathroom. If the desk is next to the shower, apply a layer of varnish to protect the wood from humidity and water damage.
Natural Bathroom Decor Ideas
Annie Schlechter
Use natural materials in your bathroom decor to give a calming and spa-like look. Place towels in wicker baskets, use a rattan laundry hamper, or install bamboo shades for your bathroom windows.
Install Swing Arm Sconces
Nathan Schroder Photography
Swing arm sconces add decor and functionality to your bathroom. Install matching sconces above double vanity mirrors, and match the finish of the sconce to the mirror and faucet for a clean, industrial look.
Build a Ladder Shelf
Adam Albright
Build or purchase a wooden ladder shelf to add a rustic element to your bathroom decor. Use the shelves to hold towels, washcloths, and vases of sage or eucalyptus. For a more cohesive look, match the wooden ladder to a wooden shower bench and a colorful bathroom rug.
Combine Tile and Wallpaper
Josh Grubbs
Installing floor-to-ceiling tile can be expensive and time-consuming. Instead, tile the bottom half of a wall and apply wallpaper on the upper half for a less expensive option. Match the wallpaper to the tile for a cohesive look, or use contrasting colors for a bolder accent wall.
Add Functional Shower Decor
Werner Straube
Add items to your bathroom that are both stylish and practical. Here, a wooden stool placed in the shower serves as simple decor that also doubles as shower storage. Place a small stool or bench in or next to your shower to hold washcloths or a shower plant.
Play With Patterns
John Bessler
Mix patterned wallpaper, shower tile, and flooring in your bathroom. If you’re worried the patterns will clash, choose faded or muted patterns so they won’t compete with each other.
Add a Decorative Light Fixture
JULIE SOEFER
Swap out a typical bathroom light fixture for one that shows your style and levels up the space. Here, an industrial-style light with gold accents balances out a vintage-inspired bathroom. While the styles of the elements are different, the matching gold finishing through the room tie the light fixture into the design.
Bathroom Decor Details
ADAM ALBRIGHT
Don’t forget to pay attention to small details when decorating your bathroom. Add hints of texture and color through baskets, trinkets, photos, and florals. Whether it’s placing a jewelry tray on the counter or a sprig of eucalyptus in a vase, the little details are what tie an entire space together.
Hang Removable Wallpaper
If you don’t want to commit to painting a wall or hanging traditional wallpaper, try using peel-and-stick wallpaper. Removable wallpaper is easy and quick to hang, and if you decide you don’t like the style, you can easily remove it. Look for heat- and moisture-resistant varieties to ensure the wallpaper doesn’t peel when exposed to heat and moisture.
Create Contrast with Decor Elements
Jay Wilde
If your bathroom has white walls, add visual contrast by using darker paint and stains on the cabinets and floors. Here, white bathroom walls are set off by charcoal cabinets, black metal sconces, and a colorful rug.
Keep Your Surfaces Minimal
Stacy Zarin Goldberg Photography LLC
Sometimes less decor is more. If your bathroom’s counter space is limited, keep the surfaces clean and clear of clutter. Place necessities like a soap dispenser or tissues on the counter, and add small decor pieces like candles or flowers if you have space.
Color-Coordinating Bathroom Decor
Frances Janisch
Choose to match your towels with your wallpaper or paint in your bathroom to create a cohesive, monochromatic look. Add pops of other colors through rugs, flowers, and canisters.
Give Your Vanity a Mini-Makeover
Kim Cornelison
Instead of redoing your entire bathroom, give your vanity a light refresh. If you like the shape and style of the vanity, give it a new coat of paint and replace the hardware for an easy and quick makeover.
Antique Bathroom Decor Ideas
Jared Kuzia
Incorporate antique items in your bathroom to give it a vintage charm. Pair brushed metal sconces with a wood vanity to give the space a variety of textures. Hang a vintage, gold mirror to tie the warm tones together.
Add a Small Bathroom Table
Emily Followill
Adding a small cocktail table to your bathroom provides another surface for decor and bath supplies without taking up much floor space. Place the table next to your bathtub to hold a drink, book, or sponge for your next at-home spa night.
Mix Materials
Werner Straube
Add different colors and textures to your walls by using different types of wall treatments. Pair tile with shiplap, wallpaper with beadboard, or paint with grasscloth. Use the treatments on different walls, or use one on the lower half and one on the upper half.
Paint (or Hang) a Mural
Emily Followill
Adding large-scale artwork is a unique way to dress up your bathroom. Hang printed wallpaper in your bathroom, or install tiles that create a mural. If you want an authentic painted look, consider commissioning an artist to paint a mural.
Decorate for the Seasons
Jay Wilde
Don’t forget about your bathrooms when decorating for different seasons and holidays. While you don’t have to go all-out, adding a few seasonal decor items to your bathroom shelves and vanity adds a festive touch.
Add Ambiance With Eucalyptus
Erica Van Slyke
Whether it’s hanging from your showerhead or in a vase on your vanity, eucalyptus adds a calming and spa-like feeling to bathrooms. Place sprigs of eucalyptus in a vase by your bathtub to add calming scents the next time you take a soaking bath.
Install Beadboard
Werner Straube
Pair beadboard with wallpaper on your bathroom walls. Install the beadboard on the lower half of the walls, and hang wallpaper on the upper half to create a visually interesting look. Match the color of the beadboard to the wallpaper so the two halves of the walls tie together seamlessly.
Replace Old Hardware
Swap out your bathroom’s old hardware for hardware with different finishes, polishes, or metals. Instead of traditional silver hardware, use brass, matte black, or brushed nickel. Make sure to match the hardware to light fixtures and shower rods for a cohesive look.
Stylish Organization
Save time and stress when getting ready in the morning by organizing your bathroom necessities. If your bathroom has open shelving, use woven baskets to give an organized look and hide clutter. Use larger baskets for towels, washcloths, and hair tools, and use small trays and caddies for makeup and skincare items. s
