The moment you step into an overly-cluttered bathroom can feel like the darkest timeline of interior design meeting your unwilling eyes. You know the one: stacks of towels where towels shouldn’t be, too many bottles competing for precious edge space on your basin, tiny coffee tables shoved next to the toilet and an assortment of toiletries that resemble less a bathroom and more a Dementia Awareness gift shop. I learnt that LESS IS MORE when it came to bathroom interiors years ago… well, kind of.
Truthfully, it took me a forced deep clean coupled with packing up my whole bathroom before moving house three years ago to realise how unnecessary most of my bathroom accessories actually were. After boxing up every last soap dish and heat-radiating candle, I somehow found myself moving into a home before my removal van had even arrived. Cue two weeks of living in my un-designed bathroom: consisting only of one towel hung over the shower rail, one candle for lighting (hello Spotify showers), toilet roll, and toiletries, alongside a little pot plant my sister begged me to get because it would ‘brighten up the space’.
Guess what? Two weeks passed and I didn’t realise I ‘missed’ any of my other bathroom accessories at all.
In fact, it felt bigger, lighter and more luxurious than ever before.
All it took was clearing everything out. Not everyone wants to wake up to an empty shell of a bathroom each morning. But choosing carefully what you include in your bathroom and where you store it can make all the difference when you’re working with a smaller space.
As I always say, less is more, but only if you have considered every piece that remains. Here’s how you can achieve it without sacrificing style… PRE-PURCHASE EDITING When I first started decorating, I had drawers full of cute soap dispensers that didn’t match my basin, little decorative bowls I never used and a ridiculous amount of scented reed diffusers that served no purpose. Stop buying random bathroom bits before you put them in your bathroom!
Ask yourself this simple question before you include it in your bathroom; does it: solve a specific problem? Make you happy when you look at it? Can you clean it without wanting to chuck it in the bin?
STORAGE STORAGE STORAGE Invest in smart storage that doesn’t take up too much room. I traded in my bulky bathroom cabinet for this wall mounted vanity with built-in drawers which meant I now had the exact same storage space, without it looking so chunky. Having items float on the wall can make your floor space seem bigger – creating the illusion of a bigger room.
It cost me around £300 instead of the £150 cabinet I could’ve bought, but hey – if you want that ‘Gram-worthy bathroom, you’ve got to spend some bucks. TOWEL TENSIONI used to hang around four towels in my bathroom because it’s simply what you do with four towels. Now, I take said cute (and thick) bathroom towel and place it on my heated towel rail.
As for the other three? They live in a cupboard at the top of the hallway. That one towel I choose to display does more for the room than those scratchy sad-looking towels I used to keep did.
Opt for one luxe towel you love looking at instead of five that could do with a wash. COLOUR PALETTE You have less decor squeezed into a smaller space, so you need a statement wall colour to tie everything together. I painted mine Farrow & Ball’s “Borrowed Light” – it’s a pale blue-grey with hints of green that change depending on the natural light.
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It’s subtle enough not to distract from the quaint room but has personality when you really look at it. Be prepared to pay a little more for this step as bathroom paint is notorious for being extortionate (mine cost almost £100!). You don’t need too much paint when covering a small wall though, so it kind of balances out.
PLANT OBSERVATION Farms aren’t for bathrooms. Don’t get me wrong, I love house plants just as much as the next plant dad… but too many cute plants hidden in every corner of your bathroom will end up looking more ‘well-stocked farm’ than zen retreat. I only allow two plants to live in my bathroom: A trailing pothos plant hung high up on a shelf (they love humidity and will look super full without you having to try) and a little snake plant on the windowsill.
Bonus living things survive my sporadic watering skills and actually add that pop of life you’re looking for. Resist the urge to add that third plant; trust me. LIGHTING Layers of lighting can make or break a small room.
Instead of one overpowering ceiling light, opt for two wall lights on either side of your bathroom mirror. Not only is this way more flattering for your skin (bye-bye scary shadows), it creates the illusion of having spent more time styling and decorating than you actually did. You can also control the vibe; lower for chill baths and maximised for morning feels.
MIRROR MAGIC Please learn from my mistakes. When I first decorated my bathroom I hung this huge ornate mirror above my sink because I thought it made the room feel grander. Uh, nope.
Not only did it take over the room, it made my basin look tiny and insignificant. Go for something small and simple – a round mirror with a thin brass frame does wonders for bouncing light around the room without screaming ‘look at me’. Trust me, sometimes the most interior-design-y thing you can do is… nothing at all.
DECLUTTER YOUR COUNTERTOPS Now is not the time to bring out all your knick-knacks. I only allow myself three things on my bathroom countertop: Hand soap (I love these simple glass dispensers), a small plant, and tray to corral my everyday essentials i.e. toothbrush, face moisturiser, lip balm.
Want guests to compliment how “clean” and “organised” your bathroom is?
Only leave enough room for the necessities. Hint: you don’t have room for much else. TEXTURE EVERYTHING This is where you can add some personality.
A small plush bath mat is perfect for adding texture to your space. Stay away from anything too bulky/fluffy and make sure any textiles you add double up in functionality and style. Pick wooden decor over plastic, wicker baskets over woven shelves and try to embrace natural fabrics and materials where you can.
BATHROOMS ARE NOT CUPBOARDS Try not to treat your bathroom like a cupboard with glue everywhere. Stop filling it with unnecessary stuff that you don’t need. Pretend you’re building a jewellery box and place each piece with care.
Once you let go of the clutter and focus on having less but better things, your bathroom will feel bigger than it is. Trust.
