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3 IDEAS: Add Style to a Small Bathroom

Posted on September 28, 2021 by KylieMawdsley

How to Make a Small Bathroom Look FABULOUS! 

Unless you’re one of the lucky ones (darn you!), your bathroom has somewhere between 25-60 sq ft of floor space. And while this doesn’t leave a ton of room for ye ole tooshie squirter bidet, there’s ALWAYS room for some serious WOW factor!

Benjamin Moore Trout Gray small powder room, rustic wood feature wall, shiplap in gray wash stain. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, diy online paint colour consultant

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A wood shiplap wall is a GREAT way to make a small bathroom look gorgeous! 

You’ll find that most small bathroom articles focus on making small bathrooms look BIGGER – which is an admirable topic. But we’re focusing on the FREAKIN’ FABULOUS here people, which means that sometimes you need to EMBRACE your small space and make it come to LIFE with CONTRAST, TEXTURE & VISUAL INTEREST.

Small bathroom beige tile and granite countertop. Paint colour Sherwin Williams Gauntlet Gray, Kylie M Interiors Edesign

But before we get into the good stuff (I know you’re just using me for the photos and my charming wit) I want to chat about contrast and how it can affect your small bathroom…

HIGH CONTRAST VS LOW CONTRAST

HIGH CONTRAST

One item is drastically different from the other (in colour, depth or texture). High contrast can…

  • make a space or item look smaller than it is (which is why I wear black underwear)
  • be dramatic looking depending on how it’s used
  • allow you to accent key pieces/features in your room
  • be busy looking
  • liven a space up
  • have more personality than a low contrast space – but not always (just anticipating angry emails from those with low contrast spaces with personality)

Before, this bathroom didn’t really have a lot to say (except ‘get me a fresh roll, will ya?‘)…

bathroom before it was painted

After, the paint colour (Sherwin Williams Anonymous) and dark vanity contrast with the lighter elements in the space, adding visual interest…

Small bathroom or powder room with Sherwin Williams Anonymous dark walls, dark wood vanity, tile floor. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, diy update ideas

LOW CONTRAST

Items in a room have a similar depth and are similar in colour. Low contrast can…

  • make a room or items appear bigger than they actually are (which is why I wear a white bra…)
  • seem calming and soothing
  • sometimes be boring without a shift in sheen level, pattern, texture and variations in depth
  • be a soft and subtle approach to decorating compared to high contrast

This next photo shows a low contrast bathroom. Even though there are different sheen levels, patterns and products, the overall look is low impact and subtle as it relates to contrast in DEPTH. INTEREST was added via pattern and texture. While this is a slightly LARGER bathroom, it gets the point across…

Bathroom remodel, Moen Glyde fixtures, Bianco Drift quartz countertop Caesarstone, subway tile wall, Gray painted vanity by Kylie M Interiors

This next bathroom also has a low contrast approach, but you’ll see interest added in SEVERAL ways…

Small bathroom or powder room ideas. Marble hexagon floor, blue green vanity, white wainscoting, Stonington Gray paint color. Kylie M Interiors Edesign

  • blue-green vanity colour
  • hexagon pattern tile floor with a varied marble
  • wainscoting (Benjamin Moore White Dove) that offers a soft contrast with the Stonington Gray walls

So what does this mean to you and your loo?

a) You know WAY more about the colour of my gonch than the average person and…

b) If you have a small bathroom and want a subtle look, you might prefer a low contrast look as it relates to DEPTH; adding interest with variation in texture and sheen. However, if you’re looking for some impact and personality then high contrast might be the way to go!

The 3 Best Small Bathroom Ideas

Small spaces can have fun too! Just because you have a small bathroom doesn’t mean it needs to be plain, white and potentially boring JUST so that it ‘looks’ bigger. Personally, I’d rather my bathroom be small and have a GREAT personality than boring…and still small.

IDEA 1  ADD CONTRAST WITH PAINT COLOUR

If you’re finding your bathroom a little underwhelming, consider painting the walls an interesting colour that adds CONTRAST or drama to the space…

Dark room, bathroom with the best paint colour Dior Gray, Benjamin Moore. Clawfoot tub, porcelain tile floor. Kylie M E-design, color expert

In the above photo, Benjamin Moore Dior Gray is low contrast with the floor, but high contrast with the trim and white fixtures. Also, notice how the yellow/gold in the artwork pops against the cool wall colour (warm vs cool creates contrast).

This next bathroom looks STRIKING in Sherwin Williams Moody Blue as it contrasts with the white fixtures (but I can see a wink of wood trim around that window – that should be white, but anyway). Also, notice how the black fixtures and hardware contrast with the white.

Sherwin Williams Moody Blue eggshell finish in small bathroom with white vanity and tile floor. Kylie M Interiors Edesign

If you wanted to make the above bathroom look BIGGER, you’d use polished nickel/chrome fixtures/hardware and a bright wall colour, something like Benjamin Moore Classic Gray…but remember, looking bigger can also mean looking BORING!

Adding shiplap or board and batten to a bathroom and painting it a great colour is another great way to add interest without going over the top on colour OR budget. In this next space, notice how the walls and board and batten are medium contrast, but the black fixtures add some SERIOUS energy to what was previously a sad little space…

bathroom before remodel (2)

Sherwin Williams Light French Gray, Pure White, wainscoting, beadboard in small bathroom. Kylie M INteriors Edesign, client photos.

And paint colour doesn’t refer to JUST your walls either – don’t forget about that vanity! This next powder room has a stunning personality with a striking green vanity (Sherwin Williams Isle of Pines) and a fun hexagon tile on the floor which adds pattern. This is not a boring little powder room that you’d casually walk by – you’d stop in to say hello (but if I see you talking to the toilet, we have a problem)…

Kylie M Interiors Edesign, powder room, small bathroom with gray hexagon tile floor and green painted vanity with gold accents. Sherwin Williams Pure White. Online paint colour advice and blog

The 6 Best Paint Colours for a Bathroom Vanity

See more of the above home HERE

Budget friendly affordable bathroom update ideas. Painted vanity, home decor accents, shower curtain. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, online paint color consulting and diy advice

IDEA 2  ADD CONTRAST & INTEREST WITH DECOR

Would you hang a plastic see-through drape over your bedroom window (if so, what IS your address)? Would you have this plastic drape hanging from an old chrome rod that has rust on it? Probably not. What I’m trying to say is that you need to pay JUST as much attention to your shower curtain as you would do those hanging in your bedroom or living room!

And items like shower curtains, towels and decor are GREAT if you prefer ‘short-term visual interest’.

What does this mean?

Well, there are those of us who get bored with things quickly (I fondly refer to it as DBD – Decor Boredom Disorder). We quickly tire of one thing and CRAVE a new colour, pattern, or husband every time our monthly comes around. This means that if we’ve committed to a particular colour or pattern on a surface that’s costly to replace, this compulsion can get pretty expensive when it comes time for a fresh new look. This is why it’s often best to add interest on SMALL replaceable pieces, rather than expensive permanent ones.

White and gray quartz countertop in small bathrom, green accents, Balboa Mist paint colour on wall. Client photo, Kylie M Interiors Edesign,

Bathroom, white wainscoting, BEnjamin Moore Ocean Air, best blue paint colour on walls with blue and white shower curtain. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, online paint color consultant

And while PERSONALLY, I’m a big fan of white towels, you can definitely add some interest with colourful towels. And yes, I know this next bathroom is NOT small, but it sure puts those towels to work visually!

PLEASE REMEMBER, I rely 100% on my Online Paint Colour Consulting clients for their photos in an effort to show you REAL HOMES with REAL BUDGETS. Thank you to everyone who sends them in! 

bathroom-with-marble-floor-teal-accents-freestanding-tub-benjamin-moore-balboa-mist-a-warm-gray-greige-paint-colour-with-undertones-kylie-m-interiors-e-decor-and-color-consulting

Remember, you can also add low contrast interest by layering the same neutral in different products/decor and changing the textures as well…

Benjamin Moore Classic Gray, porcelain greige subway tile, gray linen tower with bathroom decor and design by Kylie M Interiors

How to Decorate a Bookshelf – 4 Guidelines to Follow

PLACES TO ADD COLOUR TO YOUR SMALL BATHROOM

  • towels
  • soap/soap dispenser
  • artwork
  • shower curtain
  • simple accessories
  • floor mat
  • baskets

Sherwin Williams First Star in bathroom with hexagon marble floor and floatin vanity. Kylie M INteriors Edesign, onine paint color consultant

Actually, one of the best ways to add colour AND texture to your bathroom is with those carpets that go in front of the toilet and around the toilet seat lid…SAID NO ONE EVER! Nothing gives me the heebie-jeebies more than mats in front of or ON a toilet, just thinking of them makes my toes curl – OH THE HUMANITY!

IDEA 3  ADD INTEREST WITH TEXTURE OR PATTERN

This idea is one of my faves. Adding texture or pattern to a small bathroom is an AWESOME way to give it personality, especially if you’re not a big fan of drastic shifts in colour.

In this next bathroom, while the black faucet and mirror add CONTRAST to the warm gray of the quartz countertop, the penny tile adds a fun pattern to the scene and picks up on the shape of the mirror and curved black faucet…

Small powder room bathroom with penny tile accent behind wood vanity, concrete look quartz countertop. Black fixtures and round mirror. Kylie M Edesign

In this next white on white bathroom, you’ll see contrast and visual interest in SEVERAL different places…

Benjamin Moore Super White, small bathroom or powder room, white silestone calacatta quartz, black round mirro and faucet. Shiplap. Kylie M Interiors Edesign

Benjamin Moore Super White, best white paint color, powder room small bathroom, shiplap, round mirror, black faucet, Kylie M Interiors Edesign - modern farmhouse style

WHITE VS BLACK: black mirror and faucet

PATTERN: shiplap vanity wall (the rest of the walls are plain drywall)

TEXTURE: the striped hand towel, crystal knobs and even the plant add TEXTURE and movement to the space

POINTS TO PONDER RE: CONTRAST IN A BATHROOM

  • if your walls are a darker colour, your toilet will ‘pop’ and be high contrast, however, your sink and tub are likely white as well so it won’t look out of place
  • the little things matter, so make sure your shower curtain rod, towel bars and TP holder are all the same finish
  • matte/flat finish paint in a dark colour on bathroom walls can show more moisture, so if you don’t have great ventilation, make sure you use a HIGHLY wipeable paint or stick to a lighter colour in an eggshell or satin sheen

powder room small bathroom, warm colours, laminate beige countertop, mosaic tile backsplash, dark wood vanity. Kylie M Interiors Edesign

READ MORE

Laminate Countertop Update: High-End Ideas, Low-End Prices

4 Tile & Shiplap Ideas for a Small Bathroom

4 Budget-Friendly Kitchen Update Ideas

4 Subway Tile Ideas for Your Kitchen & Bathroom

Want more ideas for decorating your home? 

Check out my affordable Online Decorating and Color Consulting Services!

edesign, virtual paint colour consulting. Kylie M Interiors Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams color expert. marketing (6)

Thanks for visiting – chat soon!

Kylie M Interiors Edecor and Edesign

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2016, COMPLETELY REMODELLED IN 2021



Comments

  1. Kylie: I’m currently having my master then my guest bath remodeled. I wanted to thank you so much for your post and your photo . We had a mirror larger than the eye-sore, drop in jacuzzi and so happy to have it removed. My idea was to do white beadboard on the back wall then a very dark gray paint. We have 3 large windows above so I wondered daily if I was making a good decision. Your photo brought to life the conception I have in my mind and now I’m beyone excited. Thank you soooooooo much!!!

    1. Post
      Author

      Hi Dee! It’s more about the ideas, rather than the actual photos – and the ideas can work GREAT for SUPER small bathrooms! I only use photos of my OWN client’s bathrooms, not referring to other people’s work, so I do the best I can with what I have! 🙂

  2. I AM stressing instead of painting – been reading & rereading your posts. and rereading. and rereading. The underwear and bra thing, though. I love your humor as much as the info! Makes this challenge of trying to figure out how to paint & stage our home with the ugly amber colored pine trim, low natural light, too many doorways and mismatched furniture bearable. Thanks!!

  3. I really love the touches of the pink. What shade of pink is that or where are those towels from. And I love the flowers to match up top. Does anyone know what type of flower that is ?

  4. So …. you are amazing and I’m so glad I found you (originally on YouTube).

    After all the information and a few peel n sticks later, I decided on SW Taupe of the Morning to contrast a feature wall in SW Tricorn Black. A huge thank you to all your info about LRV and undertones. I’m a hair color expert but this paint life is a whole different world!!!

    I’m positive this is not the right place to contact you about this but you simply must check out this color if you haven’t already. I couldn’t find a review of it anywhere so you could be the first. Wowza. What a gorgeous color.

    Love you Kylie. Keep going!!!!
    Michele

    1. Post
      Author

      Ooo, I’m intrigued, I’ll have to check it out, thank you! And I get it! I can’t do hair for the life of me, everyone has their niche ;).

    2. Post
      Author

      Further intriguing! It must be with the Lowes collection as it isn’t in the main deck, but I LIKE WHAT I SEE!!!

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