50 Small Bathroom & Shower Room Ideas for 2023

One of the favourite rooms of the home, the bathroom is our safe haven, a place in which we complete many tasks. Getting inspiration and ideas for a small bathroom can be difficult when you don't know where to start.

Dealing with any small space can be challenging, especially for those who are new to interior design and DIY as a whole.

• Storage Ideas
• Walls & Tiles
• Flooring Ideas
• Bathroom Lighting
• Accessories
• Bath Ideas
• Shower Ideas

STORAGE IDEAS

1. Stacking Storage Units

Stacking storage units are convenient and a great way to add a decorative element. Keep your soaps, shampoos and other accessories out of the way and easily accessible.

2. Small Bathroom Shelves

Consider a small shelf to keep your accessories on, perhaps one with drawers to store your toiletries in. This helps to keep your bathroom organised and will make it easier to find the items you may need.

3. Shower Towel Racks & Rails

Towel racks are usually found on the wall or attached to a radiator, but with a small bathroom, it can be frustrating to have to use up precious space for a towel rack. Why not try installing a towel rack on the back of the bathroom door or even the shower door? Not only are they practical, but they look great too!

4. Bathroom Storage Cubes

Storage cubes come in all shapes and sizes, they are ideal for small bathrooms or shower rooms, and they won't break the bank. They are available in a range of materials and styles, you can easily match them to your overall theme. You could even try installing a few on your walls for an easy grab and go lifestyle.

5. Bathroom Wall Cabinets

Wall cabinets are a must for space-saving, because they’re compact and will give you plenty of storage space. Whether you opt for a traditional wall cabinet or a modern alternative, like a mirror with a shelf, they’re a fantastic way to store items in a small bath or shower room.

6. Storage Baskets

Storage baskets are another way of saving space and organising the accessories in your small bathroom. They look great on shelves, window ledges, on top of the toilet and even beside your bath, the options are endless.

7. Sleek Bathroom Shelving

Industrial style shelves are often skinny and fit perfectly into corners, which is often wasted space in the bathroom. You can fill the shelves with towels, bathroom essentials, and even storage baskets to make the most of the bathroom space you have.

8. Shower Caddies

Just think about the amount of space your shower takes and how much of it is going to waste, that's where shower storage comes to the rescue. Simple over the shower racks are effective and easy to install. However, if you’d like something more on-trend, how about a hole in the wall storage space?

9. Contemporary Door Storage

Your bathroom door is another space just waiting to be filled, perfect for a makeshift shelving unit or storage console. The woven storage consoles are usually the most popular, but there are a number of different shapes, styles and materials readily available to suit your bathroom décor.

10. Floating Shelves

The shape and layout of your bathroom will determine whether floating shelves are suitable for your space. Floating shelves have become increasingly popular over the last few years and help you to maximise the space you have. Available in different shapes, styles and sizes, there is an abundance of options on the market for every bathroom.

WALLS & TILES

11. Light Blue Walls

Decorating your walls with blue shades naturally creates a calming atmosphere for any small bathroom or shower room, and when the above storage hacks are put to use, naturally the entire space feels greater. The opportunities are endless with the serene colour and blue pairs perfectly with metallics, such as brass and copper.

12. Colour Consistency

Keeping the theme simple and consistent often makes a small bathroom feel more spacious, perhaps consider a simple all-white scheme. When teamed together with glossy wall tiles and industrial accessories, it can feel much more welcoming.

13. One Tile Wonder

A consistent tile throughout the whole of the bathroom makes the space seem more open and less restricted. Glass features like a shower door enhance this technique also, as it allows the light to cascade more across the room, opening it up and creating the illusion of more space.

14. Tile Vertically

Adding vertical tiles to the entire surface gives the illusion of greater space. Especially by incorporating mosaic tiles, as they help create visual interest.

15. Iridescent Backsplash

Enlarge the space in your bath or shower room with the use of an iridescent back splash, the changing of the colours will create visual interest and create the illusion of a larger area.

16. Earthy Colours

Nature-inspired colours give off a calming and organic feel, perfect for your small bathroom. We’d advise opting for light grey, pale green or beige, to ensure the colour doesn’t consume the room, which could make the space smaller in appearance.

17. Striped Wallpaper

Thick-striped wallpapers will give the illusion of a much taller room, but beware that thin stripes and busy patterns will actually make the room appear smaller.

Alternatively, dual colours and textures will also produce the same effect as striped wallpaper. The difference in the shades will fool the eye and also break up the space. We’d advise sticking to lighter colours if your bathroom is on the smaller size, as dark colours can consume a room and make it look smaller than it actually is.

18. Matching Bathroom Tiles

Ever tried tiling the side of your bath to match the tiles on the walls? You'd be surprised how much this plays with our boundaries of perception, plus when using the right tiles can make the space look incredibly stylish too!

19. Mirrored Tiles

Mirrors help to enhance the surrounding space in any room, and mirrored tiles take this a step further. Even just using these types of tiles on one wall in the room will increase space perception.

Alternatively, why not make an on-trend statement and invest in a mirrored bath? By incorporating one of these into your bathroom, you can replicate the look of a spa or hotel interior, and light can reflect from the bath, again helping with the illusion of a larger room.

20. Make a Water-Resistant Statement

Wallpaper that makes a statement and catches our attention also enhances our space perception, plus it can help transform a bathroom completely. Find a style which works for you and your décor; we’d advise pairing a statement wall with a block colour, which again will help with the perception of space.

21. Tile Horizontally

We've mentioned tiling vertically, but if you decide against it, plain tiles with a horizontal line of tiles will help to break the room up and visually enhance the surrounding space. It looks clean and simplistic, and you can focus more on your accessories to add visual interest.

22. Character Colour

Adding just a hint of colour can make all the difference in creating a larger feeling bathroom. This works best with predominantly white bathrooms, as only a hint of colour can add visual interest but not make the space feel overwhelming.

FLOORING IDEAS

23. Bathroom Wooden Floors

Wooden floors help to restore the image of the bathroom and also increase the width of the room. To keep it consistent throughout the space, you could opt for wooden accessories too, for example, a wooden toilet seat.

24. Tiled Floors

Tiled floors have an elaborate effect on the bathroom, and if you keep the rest of the space simple, it will help the room to appear larger. Our advice would be to keep your walls a neutral colour and make your floor the statement!

25. Match the Shower

Having matching shower and floor tiles help make the room appear larger as it keeps the design consistent, rather than breaking the room up with separate designs. This is one of the best tips for those with tiny bathrooms.

26. Floor & Walls

Another smart way of making your bathroom appear larger is by using the same tiles on the walls and the floor. This helps to keep the design consistent and draws your eyes across the whole room, you’ll find many spas do this, and it helps create a clean and crisp look.

BATHROOM LIGHTING

27. Mirror Lighting

Adding lighting above your main mirror will help enlarge the space in the room and make it easier to complete bathroom tasks. If you thought a large mirror alone was enough, try adding some industrial bathroom lighting and see the difference it makes.

28. Wall Lights

Simple yet effective, wall lights enable us to make the entire space feel bright; they’re also a great space-saving tool. We’d advise placing wall lights either side of the mirror to ensure the light is evenly cascaded for tasks which require even lighting, such as applying makeup.

29. Sconces

Lighting makes a huge difference to any bathroom but particularly those lacking in space. Consider wall sconces, perfect for those looking to portray a vintage or antique style feel, industrial lights are perfect for this.

30. Ceiling Lights

Ceiling lights, such as pendants and flush mounts, can make a huge difference in illuminating features and more importantly, the space in the room. There is no need to sacrifice style for safety; there are many waterproof bathroom lights on the market, including our range here at Industville.

These types of lights can also come with a dimming switch if you're looking to create a relaxing spa-like atmosphere, perfect for creating a relaxing space for a soak in the bath!

31. Natural Light

When space is cramped, natural light is too important to block out, make the most of the natural light the room receives. However, it is also important to ensure there are sufficient lighting fixtures, to ensure the correct amount of light is placed to sufficiently light the room in the evenings and during the darker months.

ACCESSORIES

32. Brass

Brass is a texture that makes an entire space feel much larger due to the warmer tones. Everything from fixtures to features and accessories will make a huge difference to a small bathroom, while also adding a touch of luxury to the space!

Why not keep it consistent through the room? Incorporate brass through your lighting choices, taps and shower, for an on-trend and elegant look.

33. Large Mirrors

In tight spaces, having a large mirror stretched across the wall instead of just the width of your sink can enable more people to use it at once. Plus, a larger reflection will influence an increased sense of space perception.

34. Tall & Oval

Searches and sales for oval-shaped mirrors have become increasingly popular over the last few years. Not only do they look great, but they help add shape and texture to the room. These types of mirrors usually stretch upwards, which means they make the ceiling feel taller and therefore, the overall space.

35. Sliding Entrance

Rather than going with a traditional door on a hinge, why not opt for a door that slides side to side? Simple to install yourself and will stay parallel to the wall, will allow you to make more of your space.

36. Themed Accessories

For those who have a smaller budget or who aren't ready to completely renovate, accessories can do wonders for compact spaces, specifically when choosing a theme. This will help in choosing and shopping for lighting, mirrors and small furnishings that will instantly transform the space.

37. Corner Features

Oddly shaped bathrooms can be slightly more challenging, but you can make the most of them by adding small storage features for your toiletries and accessories, or simple ornaments to add character to the room.

Art is being used more frequently in bathrooms nowadays, and they help to introduce a pop of colour.

BATH IDEAS

38. Bath/Shower Combo

When space is at its tightest, kill two birds with one stone and opt for an over-shower bath that offers the best of both.

39. Freestanding

If you want a focal feature to stand out in a small space, freestanding baths can work a treat. They add an elegant and luxurious touch and are available in all different shapes and sizes, so you can find the perfect one to fit into your bathroom space.

40. Slipper

Who said that small bathrooms can't be comfortable? Slipper style baths, which are given their name by the roll-top shape, allow you to rest your back. Like freestanding baths, they come in all different sizes and work well as a focal bathroom feature.

41. Sunken

If you want to add a wow factor and a modernised touch to your bathroom that will save tons of space, consider a sunken bath. Providing you have the space for such a feature below your floorboards, they look incredible and can be customised to the size you want.

SHOWER IDEAS

42. Wet Room

Wet rooms look luxurious, but importantly they help save space in tiny bathrooms. Ensure you have a decent extractor fan installed to avoid any potential damp and mould problems if you do decide to install a wet room.

43. Shower Screen

Shower screens offer a simple and decorative solution to increase space. Try matching the colour of the screen with the colour of your ceiling; this will help to make the shower room appear bigger.

44. Corner Shower

In many instances, there isn't enough room for a bath, therefore making use of a corner with a shower works wonders. Corner showers take up very little room and opting for a sliding door rather than a hinged one will also save on space.

45. Just Glass

A full glass shower allows your small bathroom to appear more spacious, allowing light to reflect against the surface directly.

46. Floating Vanity

Floating units allow us to visually maximise the space in our bathroom and save precious floor space that could easily be used for storage. They look great, and they’re very practical!

47. Corner Sink

Make the most of those awkward corners and install a sink. The oval style shape often helps to widen the surrounding space, and installing in front of your toilet is advised rather than the shower.

48. Trough

Trough sinks are a narrow and stylish solution for those lacking space. Similar in style to a floating vanity means for a healthy dose of storage space below. There are many styles available, meaning you are able to find the perfect trough to fit into your interior style.

49. Wall-mounted Tap

Mounting a tap on your wall means your sink can be much narrower, which naturally saves overall space. Even if your bathroom is traditional, taps work in any environment and add a touch of class.

50. Go Long

Long sinks work well even in small spaces. Often, you'll be able to store your toiletries either side of the sink and could even install a lengthy cupboard beneath to keep your bathroom organised and clutter-free. The possibilities are endless!

It can be difficult to make the most of your space if it’s on the smaller side. Therefore, we hope that these 50 small bathroom ideas help you to maximise the potential of your space.

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