If you are lucky enough to have 2 or more bathrooms, the little downstairs loo almost always gets overlooked or becomes an afterthought when renovating/decorating the house. As this will be the toilet most of your guests use when visiting, it’s nice to have this space reflecting the rest of your home or it is the perfect opportunity to make a statement. You can get really creative with small hidden spaces so this is a great DIY weekend task. We have put together our favourite downstairs bathroom ideas and how you can achieve this.
1. Wallpaper
Adding a unique feature wall with bold wallpaper can make the space feel complete. As this space is often quite small, it’s a great area to test a pattern or design you love but are not brave enough to apply to a larger room. However, don’t get carried away and put it over every wall surface as this can give a cramped feeling. Breaking the pattern up with panelling or a half-painted wall with a sample colour can give the illusion of taller walls whilst still having the impact of a unique design. If you want to create a cosy feeling in your space, opt for a darker-coloured design. On the other hand, if you would like to create the illusion of a brighter bigger space, choose a light-coloured design.
2. Shelves
Shelves can be a great addition to your small bathroom, they provide beneficial storage and a place to put ornaments or accessories to complete your interior design plan, you can even get stylised toilet paper to display if you want to go the extra mile. The most effective place to put your shelves in your tiny bathroom is above your toilet. Placing your shelves above the toilet is the perfect place for storage and decorations, especially if you don’t have enough ground space for small drawers or a sink unit with storage.
3. Sink Splashbacks
Your downstairs loo will most likely be a high-traffic area, so choosing materials that are easy to clean and maintain is key. Placing a splashback behind your sink is a great way to keep your walls protected, and you can say goodbye to grungy grouting around the basin too! Our splashbacks arrive ready to simply stick on the wall, simply choose the design and finish you like, send us the dimensions of your splashback area and we do the rest.
4. Panelling
If you are looking to create a traditional finish, adding panelling is the perfect solution. There are many different styles of panelling from tong and groove to shaker style. Panelling is easy to install especially when you use Cut Plastic Sheeting to provide the custom cut-to-size mdf sheets. Here are some of our favourite mdf panel designs to use in small downstairs bathrooms or loos.
5. Artwork
Artwork is the perfect finishing touch to add to your space. If you don’t have a window, consider placing a larger painting as a replacement for a focal point. If you don’t have shelves above your toilet this space is perfect for an artwork feature wall. For a unique finish, thrift your picture frames to have a combination of different designs.
6. Hooks
If your space is used as a joint coat storage room, there are many stylish options you can choose that optimise on space yet keep in style with the aesthetic. The one thing you want to avoid is getting a huge mound of coats that you have to squash past on your way to the loo. The best way to avoid this is to only place currently used coats in this area, for example, place your winter coats in a storage box whilst you are not using them in the summer, this helps the space feel less cluttered.
7. Colour Schemes
It’s popular to go one of two ways when deciding to redecorate your downstairs loo, dark or light. For an intimate classical feel deep shades such as deep ducky blues, greens, or purples suit best. To create a clean, crisp finish use a bright colour pallet such as light pastel blues, greens and greys. See some of our favourite colour combinations below.
8. Plants
Adding a plant to any room gives it a feeling of completion. However not many downstairs loos have windows. If this is the case you have two options: opt for a synthetic plant or choose a plant that likes dark places. We have listed a variety of plants below that will thrive in a room with no windows.
- Snake Plants
- ZZ Plant
- Dumb Cane
- Peace Lilly
- Pothos – Trailing
9. Flooring
When it comes to flooring the best solutions for bathrooms are tiles or laminate slats. If you have chosen an elaborate wallpaper design, choose a simple tile pattern that complements the colour of your walls. If you have simple painted walls, this is the opportunity to make a statement with colourful patterned tiles.
10. Mirrors
Adding a mirror to your bathroom can give the illusion of having a bigger space, it can also create a great focal point. There are many different styles of mirrors you can choose to achieve different aesthetics, for a modern finish, go all out and add a whole mirror wall. To achieve a soft contemporary style place a soft rounded shaped mirror, and finally, to achieve a classical style, place an arched or frame-shaped ornate mirror above the sink as a finishing touch.
Thanks for reading our Top 10 Ways To Upgrade Your Downstairs Bathroom. We would love to see your home DIY projects so please tag us on social media with @customsplashbacks.
This blog contains:
- Top ideas for upgrading your understairs bathroom
- DIY stair bathroom ideas
- How to upgrade your downstairs loo
- Downstairs loo ideas
