The half bath, if you’re lucky enough to have one, is one of the best rooms in a home to decorate, for a number of reasons. Sometimes called a powder room, they’re defined as a bathroom without the “bath” part—they typically only have a toilet and a sink. Usually on the small size, they don’t add a lot of square feet to your home, but they do add a lot of function. Not only are they great for using as a bathroom for guests, you can usually renovate them more affordably (since they are smaller and have fewer fixtures), and there’s less to clean when they’re in use. But most of all, half baths are the best room in the home to decorate because they’re a perfect canvas to experiment with bold decor ideas!
Because the half bathroom is a space not used by everyone or seen every day, it’s ideal for getting creative and trying out wild design ideas you’ve always dreamed of playing with, whether that’s in the form of paint, wallpaper, or something else entirely! Another reason this is a great spot to experiment in is these rooms are usually so small you can splurge on expensive or luxurious materials and elements without actually spending a ton of money. Small spaces = less wall to cover with wallpaper and paint, and you can get away with buying smaller (and sometimes more affordable) versions of things. Petite half baths also means there’s less to cover up if you end up not liking your bold design choices… and you can just switch it up again without spending a lot of money or time!
1. Get wild with wallpaper
This interior designer’s ambitious DIY remodel has fun wallpaper design in a few different rooms, but the half bath’s hot pink oversized flamingo wallpaper steals the show. You can immediately see how a fun, energetic wallpaper pattern in a small space—like a powder room—can be a great way to inject personality into a small space.
2. Upgrade the mirror
Since powder rooms are pretty limited in the amount of elements in the space—there’s likely a toilet, a sink, and maybe a mirror and hand towel rack—any changes you make to any of those elements will offer a huge visual impact. Even small updates, like choosing an elegant, oversized round mirror as seen in this classic-rock inspired home, can completely change the look of your half bath.
3. Add one pop of color in a surprising spot
Remember, a half bath is a small space, so you don’t need a ton of decor elements to make a big impact. If you want to create a bold look with color, consider adding just one delightful hue in a surprising spot. The power room in Leslie Sumner’s St. Louis house has a bright green mirror, for example.
4. Go for gold (or some other pricier finish)
If you crave upgrading the finishes of the fixtures in your half bath, update them to your dream finish! Chances are it’ll be in your budget because you won’t have to replace the finishes in a large room. And because the powder room is really a space apart from the rest of your home, you don’t have to try to “match” the finishes in say, your kitchen. The finishes in this remodeled Charleston home’s half bath all feature a sleek gold vibe.
5. Corner the market on your half bath’s decor
Don’t be discouraged if the amount of square footage you have available in your half bath is on the diminutive side. Limitations breed creativity, and you can get adventurous with your fixture layouts in order to make it all work. In the powder room above, the sink and medicine cabinet are placed in the corner, creating not only a functional space but a unique one, too!
6. Go to the dark side
You may have heard some folks say you should avoid dark colors in small spaces, but that’s just not true in all cases. In this teeny powder room in this UK home, a dark paint color on the walls and the door—as well as in the floor tiles—creates a cozy little hug of a room.
7. Splurge on a modern or high-design faucet
If you’ve ever had your eyes on a really uniquely designed modern faucet, here’s your chance to incorporate one. Even if it is a stretch on your budget, the bold visual statement of one could be the only decor you really need in your half bath to make an impressive room. Let the sleek modern room in this ocean-inspired Maine home be your inspiration.
8. Go graphic
Patterns that might be too busy in larger rooms can fit in just perfectly in a small half bath, like the black and white graphic wallpaper in this Atlanta house. But you don’t have to just get graphic on the walls; consider contrasting patterns on hand towels, art, the counters, and more.
9. Hang art wall-to-wall
Half baths are one of the most fun places to play around with gallery wall ideas because you can create an impressive wall-to-wall look with fewer art pieces than you might imagine. Remember, this is a small room and a small amount of wall space that you have to fill—so play around with different art layout ideas to create a maximalist powder room.
10. Try DIY
Have you had a DIY idea kicking around in your head but you have been too afraid to try? A small half bath is the perfect place to just go for it! Whether it’s a hand-painted wall mural, an art idea, or something as simple as a polka dot wall pattern like in this charming, eclectic farmhouse, use this small room as your canvas.
11. Try tiles or marble
Just like the earlier suggestion of fancy finishes, you should consider splurging on materials that are normally out of budget. Love marble but could never afford marble countertops in your kitchen? See if you can swing it in your power room. Love the look of floor-to-ceiling tiled walls but can’t see yourself plunking down that kind of money for your master bathroom? Try it in the half bath! The powder room in this super organized NYC home can be inspiration.
12. Go wild for wall molding
In case it’s not clear already, the smaller the room, the less work you have to do to incorporate your wild design ideas. So why not add some wall molding to the room? Why not add really interesting wall molding to the room?
13. Buy double-duty furnishings
Many of the suggestions in this post have so far been of the aesthetic variety. But you can focus on function in these tiny spaces, too. I love when you can find furniture pieces that can pull double duty and perform two different functions at once, like the mirror shelf combo in the above half bath. You’ll save space with this smart and stylish idea.
14. Embrace vintage
When the amount of space that you’re working with in your half bath is small, it means the details of the elements can get more attention. This can be particularly charming in rooms with charming Creole cottage displays a great example.
15. Upgrade existing furniture pieces
You don’t have to buy all new things when you’re updating your half bath. In fact, many of the elements like the vanity, mirror, and other furniture pieces can all be painted to add a lot of personality to a small space. In the above before and after, you can see how a tired vanity got a new lease on life.
16. Don’t forget about lighting
In a room as small as a half bath, choosing a dramatic light piece can be one of the only things you need to add pizzaz. The hanging pendant light in this New Orleans house has strong Art Deco vibes, setting the tone for the rest of the space. But you don’t have to focus on just hanging pendant lights, consider wall sconces or a vanity light upgrade above the mirror.
17. Get a little quirky with a theme
While I often suggest that you try to embrace a similar design style in most of your rooms to bring a sense of cohesiveness to your home, rules go right out of the window when it comes to a half bath. So conceive of a quirky theme (like say, vintage tennis racquets as seen in the Australia house above) and really go for it.
18. Don’t be afraid of going oversized
While it makes sense to put small sized things in a small room, you don’t always have to stick to that rule. From oversized patterns in wallpaper to oversized fixtures, like the larger-than-it-needs-to-be sink in the renovated New Orleans house above, going intentionally large with a decor element can be a way to add drama to a small room.
19. Keep it simple and chic
Lest you think you HAVE to go wild with wallpaper, color, or bold elements in your small powder room, this lovely little half bath in a cute New England house shows that you can create just as beautiful of a guest bathroom experience by keeping it simple with color, pattern, and decor.
