To help, we searched our house tours high and low and rounded up some of the savviest small bathroom ideas we could find. From floating shelves to mosaic tile, here are 50 ways to maximize even the smallest of bathroom spaces—without sacrificing an inch of style.
Photo by Jacqueline Marque.
1. Pick a Bold Paint Color
Bright turquoise blue walls provide a stylish contrast to traditional white tile floors in a tiny bathroom, as we saw in Tami Hills’ colorful New Orleans home.
Photo by Liz Calka.
2. Mount a Few Floating Shelves
A pair of wall-mounted shelves turn a cramped bathroom corner into a storage-savvy scene. Let Mariana Cotlear’s Washington, D.C. apartment show you how it’s done.
Photo by Rikki Snyder.
3. Give Your Space the Tiled Treatment
Add mosaic tile to the walls surrounding your bathtub or shower to create an artful display in your small bathroom, just like we saw in Shana Cohen’s cozy cottage in Florida.
Photo by Marisa Vitale.
4. Play With Texture
Take a cue from Sadie and Dana Solomon’s Santa Barbara home by bringing some boho flair to a small bathroom. The duo used a mix of textures and textiles, like the woven rug, linen shower curtain, and rattan baskets.
Photo by Esteban Cortez.
5. Swap Out Your Mirror
Looking for an easy way to upgrade your small bathroom in a pinch? Replace your current mirror with a more sophisticated one—like the round floral bone mirror we found in Jane’s San Francisco apartment—to elevate the entire ambiance of your bathroom. No renovations necessary!
Photo by Carina Romano.
6. Work Wonders With Wallpaper
As Rachael, Rob and Frankie Wetherington’s maximalist Philadelphia home proves, sprightly floral wallpaper brightens up a tiny powder room with style.
Photo by Diana Paulson.
7. Fake it ‘til You Make It
An oversized mirror, like the round one we spotted in Kathy Davies’ Michigan home, reflects light and creates the illusion of more space in a tiny bathroom.
Photo by Morgan Schemel.
8. Picture Ledge Power
Working with little to no surface space for storage on your pedestal sink? Mount a floating picture ledge above your sink to store cosmetics, perfume bottles, and other small bathroom necessities, as we saw in Anne-Aurelie’s Paris apartment.
Photo by Chinasa Cooper.
9. Make a Splash With a Shower Curtain
The cheery shower curtain in Patricia ChaCha Garcia’s boho-style Bronx apartment creates an artful display in her tiny bathroom.
Photo by Adrienne Breaux.
10. Gallery Walls Galore
A pair of gallery walls filled with eclectic artwork brings color and personality to a small bathroom—no floor space required, as we found in Apartment Therapy editor Adrienne Breaux’s New Orleans home.
Photo by Diana Paulson.
11. Wow With a Wreath
No room for a house plant? Take a cue from this farmhouse and hang a wreath for an organic touch.
Photo by Diana Paulson.
12. Spice it Up With Sconces
Searching for a stylish way to free up space around your sink? Swingarm sconces—like the ones we saw in Diana Marsh’s Michigan home—will provide plenty of accent lighting without taking up an inch of surface space.
Photo by Jacqueline Marque.
13. Be Bold and Bohemian
Usher some boho vibes into your small bathroom by switching out the mirror above your sink with a more eye-catching style, like the colorful one we spotted in Brian and Emily’s art-filled New Orleans home.
Photo by Jacqueline Marque.
14. Create a Chalkboard Wall
Cover a single wall in a fresh coat of chalkboard paint to make an artful statement in a small bathroom, which will also keep you entertained while you’re in there. Let Antena and Miles David’s Rhode Island home serve as the perfect bathroom inspo.
Photo by Katie Currid.
15. The Trimmed Treatment
Bring a pop of color and contrast to your small bathroom by painting your baseboards and door trim in a bright hue. Emily Farris nailed this design trick in her Kansas City home.
Photographed by Susie Lowe, Designed by The Pink House.
16. Embrace the Awkward
Maximize a small, awkwardly shaped bathroom by covering the walls with some playful wallpaper, as we saw in Emily Murray’s house in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Photo by Bethany Nauert.
17. Go Green
Place a few gorgeous leafy green houseplants in your small bathroom to naturally energize the space—and purify the air. Latisha Carlson’s Albuquerque, New Mexico home proves that it’s very easy being green (her vibrant shower curtain that’s beloved by Apartment Therapy editors doesn’t hurt, either!).
Photo by Jessica Isaac.
18. Lean In
Not working with a ton of wall space to hang art in your tiny bathroom? Learn from Cupcakes and Cashmere founder Emily Schuman and prop a piece of art above your toilet tank. Let it lean against the wall for a sleek, nails-free display like she did inside her Los Angeles home.
Photo by Emma Fiala.
19. Think Pink
A bold shade of bright fuchsia wall paint turns even the smallest of powder rooms into a glamorous scene, as we saw in Brooke Voss’ Minneapolis, Minnesota loft.
Photo by Nancy Mitchell.
20. Make Mirror Magic
In this dramatic Brooklyn brownstone, a gallery wall composed of small but stately mirrors brings a touch of grandeur to a tiny powder room.
Photo by Brit Arnesen.
21. Dive Into the Decor Deep End
Dark walls allow flashy gold-finished fixtures to shine in a small bathroom, as we found in Brit Arnesen’s Art Deco-inspired Indiana home, which hits a high note in our book.
Photo by Carolyn Purnell.
22. Collect Toiletries in a Cute Tray
A well-placed tray instantly creates storage opportunity on top of your toilet tank, as we saw in Marti and Jarrod’s modern Chicago home.
Photo by Max Maloney.
23. Create a Glamorous Glow
Switch out your humdrum flush mount for a more striking overhead style, like the pendant light we spotted in Gina and Max’s San Francisco remodel, to upgrade a small bathroom in seconds.
Photo by Bethany Nauert.
24. Work With Your Window Treatments
Hang an eye-catching curtain panel or two in place of traditional shades or drapes to make a bold statement with your window coverings in a small bathroom. Let Carrie and Patrick’s Los Angeles rental show you how it’s done.
Photo by Pratt Deutsch Interiors.
25. Wallpaper FTW
Install vibrantly patterned wallpaper in a petite powder room to bring a touch of drama to a hard-to-decorate space, as we saw in Andrea Isabelle Lucas’ Boston abode.
Photo by Diana Paulson.
26. Work Your Wainscoting
Create contrast in a compact bathroom by painting the wainscoting in a rich neutral shade. In her Michigan powder room, Diana Marsh used a navy blue that doesn’t overwhelm the small space.
Photo by Monique Larroux.
27. Be Bold
Too much of a good thing can be wonderful, and gallery walls in a small bathroom are no exception. Take a cue from Thomas and Tara Steffen and install floor-to-ceiling gallery displays on every wall of your bathroom for an impactful maximalist scene.
Photo by Jessica Isaac.
28. Hang Out
An extra-long hanging plant—like the wall-length heartleaf philodendron we spotted in this Los Angeles bathroom—naturally draws the eye up so a cramped space seems larger than it actually is.
Photo by Minette Hand.
29. Dare to be Woodsy
You can always count on wood-paneled walls to create an outdoorsy atmosphere in your tiny bathroom, just like we saw in Adam Jones and Amenity Applewhite’s Austin, Texas abode.
Photo by Carina Romano.
30. Wall to Wall Color
An eye-catching coral-hued curtain panel, as seen in Jes and Caleb Plain’s Pennsylvania home, brightens up a small, neutral bathroom in seconds.
Photo by Hannah Puechmarin.
31. Try an Atypical Towel Rack
Score some extra sink-side storage space by replacing your wall-mounted towel rack with a multifunctional leaning ladder, as we saw in Michelle Grayson’s Australia-based bathroom.
Photo by Marisa Vitale.
32. Fashion Flower Power
In Anthony Conley and Elizabeth Hall’s Highland Park, California home, a commanding shower curtain creates a colorful centerpiece in a tiny white-tiled bathroom.
Photo by Hayley Lawrence.
33. Forge Some Floating Storage
Invest in a sleek and slender hanging rail system, like the FINTORP series at IKEA, so you won’t waste an inch of precious sink space on toiletries. Jordan and Brittany Griggs take their storage strategy to the next level with this hack.
Photo by Lauren Kolyn.
34. Consider a Chair
In Adam and Rachel Jones’ Brooklyn brownstone, a pretty porcelain stool brings a burst of color and some extra surface space for storage into a tiny neutral bathroom.
Photo by Bridget Pizzo.
35. Go Mad With Mosaic Tile
Divert attention away from an awkward bathroom layout with colorful mosaic tiled floors and walls, as we saw in Erin and Nathan’s Los Angeles bungalow.
Photo by Ryan Garvin.
36. Be Bold and Botanical
When you don’t have enough room to place houseplants in your powder room, consider vibrant leaf-patterned wallpaper. This trick pops in Jerrod Blandino and Jeremy Johnson’s Beverly Hills home.
Photo by Minette Hand.
37. Make a Mirrored Marvel
An eye-catching full-length mirror brings an artful touch to a small bathroom while creating the illusion of more space, as we saw in Kristin Laing’s Texan house.
Photo by Jessica Isaac.
38. Embrace the Extra
A floor-to-ceiling gallery wall gives a compact bathroom a maximalist upgrade when displayed against a bright green-painted wall. Look Mila Moraga-Holz’s Los Angeles home for some inspiration.
Photo by Esteban Cortez.
39. Shop for Slim Storage
A super-slim rolling cart with shelves, like the one we spotted in Jennifer Li’s Oakland apartment, turns the sliver of space between your wall and toilet seat into ample storage opportunity.
Photo by Ana Kamin.
40. Try Textured Walls
Chevron-style marble walls a la Brian Mitchell and Ericka James’ San Francisco home bring a touch of texture and movement to a tiny bathroom without taking up any floor space.
Photo by Bethany Nauert.
41. Beautify With Baskets
A good-looking woven basket provides more than enough storage room for rolled towels, bathtub toys, and other bathroom accessories. Let Simran Winkelstern’s West Hollywood apartment show you how it’s done.
Photo by Nancy Mitchell.
42. Raise a Glass (Shelf)
No sink storage in your small bathroom? No worries. In this Brooklyn brownstone, a slender floating glass shelf offers up space for stashing a range of toiletries without cramping up a small bathroom.
Photo by Diana Paulson.
43. Color Your Cabinets
Bring a burst of color into a small, minimalist bathroom by painting your sink cabinets in a vibrant hue, as we saw in Kelly Sean Karcher’s Michigan kit home.
Photo by Catherine & Michael Frawley.
44. Take a Seat
A petite side chair provides a place to perch and surface space for tub-side storage in a small bathroom, as seen in Rachelle Blondel’s English farmhouse.
Photo by Esteban Cortez.
45. Go Geometric
A shapely wall-mounted storage unit, like the floating brass circle shelf we spotted inside Jimmy Brower and Damien Merino’s Oakland apartment, adds some geometric flair (and storage opportunity) to a tiny bathroom.
Photo by Apartment Therapy.
46. Find Functional Furniture
An unexpected but multifunctional piece of furniture, as seen in Noemi’s Berlin apartment, offers up some much-needed storage space in a small bathroom.
Photo by Max Maloney.
47. Create Contrast
In Gina Gutierrez and Max Maloney’s San Francisco home, clean-lined black accents create depth and contrast in a small earth-toned bathroom.
Photo by Federico Paul.
48. Float On
If you’re working with little to no storage space around your shower or bathtub, mount a floating shelf or picture ledge on the wall above the tub to store your shampoo, conditioner, and soap. Fernando and Maximiliano’s Buenos Aires home strikes a balance between form and function.
Photo by Minette Hand.
49. Keep a Low Profile
When you don’t have any surface space around your pedestal sink, consider employing a petite, tiered side table to create some instant storage opportunity. Emily Waldmann’s Austin abode gets the job done in style.
Photo by Lauren Naimola.
