Half Bathroom Decor Ideas For Small Spaces

half bathroom is for your guests. Every homeowner needs half bathroom décor ideas for small spaces. A half bath has a sink and toilet, but not a shower or bathtub. 

Half Bathroom decor Ideas

If you have guests, add a full bathroom to your guest bedroom. Your guests will feel welcomed.

Ingenious Half Bathroom Decor Ideas

Go For A Powder Room Decor

Go For A Powder Room Decor
Nathan Taylor For Obelisk Home

Calling a half bathroom a powder room can alter the way you use it. Although a powder room is a half bath, the name invokes something different. 

Related: 40 Powder Room Ideas To Jazz Up Your Half Bath

What Is A Water Closet?

There isn’t much of a difference between a half bathroom and a water closet. By design is simple and industrial. In Europe, a bathroom signs have “WC” written on them, which stands for water closet. 

Contract builders refer to a room that has a toilet and sink as a water closet. 

Water Closet Toilet Styles

Although the name isn’t common in the US, that doesn’t mean water closets aren’t popular. The most popular water closet toilet on the market today is the double cyclone flush toilet. 

One main distinction of a water closet is the toilet. The toilet’s tank isn’t visible as it’s built into the wall.  

A WC toilet saves almost a foot of space. The toilet tank is built into the bathroom wall. And the toilet’s basin is adjustable from 15 to 19 inches off the floor. 

Add Wallpaper For Half Bathroom Decor

Add Wallpaper for Bathroom Decor
Heizer Designs

Funky wallpaper can change the appearance of a half bathroom. Wallpaper is versatile and fits on walls or the wall behind a sink and toilet. 

If you want to hang wallpaper in your half-bath, a relaxing hue like periwinkle blue would work. Colors like red may have the opposite effect but the effects are so slight that you won’t notice the difference. 

Get A Funky Mirror

Get A Funky Mirror
Mowery Marsh Architects

This is your chance to make that mirror shine. Mirrors are unnoticed in large spaces. When you have a small half bath, you can get something odd to make a fancy half bathroom.

Related: The Best Bathroom Mirrors With Built-in LED Lights

There are ways to use funky mirrors. You can get a unique shaped mirror, like a star. Or you can get a unique frame, like one with a rainbow or carved frame.

Bathroom Full-Length Mirror

Bathroom Full-Length Mirror
Image from millermillerrealestate

If you want a special mirror but want it to be classy, not funky, then get a full-length mirror. You can get a 40 or 70-inch and it’s a full-length mirror. 

The best part about a full-length mirror is that guests can have a place to freshen up or even change clothes. It’s nice when you walk into someone’s guest bathroom and they have a full-length mirror. 

Tile All The Way

Tile All The Way
Archetype Design Studio, LLC

Tile can make a room look so much nicer, a bathroom. The problem is tile is expensive. But when you’re tiling a small space like a half bathroom, you don’t have to buy many tiles.

Because of this, you can tile the floor, the sink surrounding, or even the walls. And because it’s a guest bathroom, you can buy cheaper tile. Your guests won’t mind.

Shiplap Walls

Shiplap Walls
Wrigh Design

Shiplap is becoming popular. It is used in living rooms and kitchens but can be used in any room in the house. When you use it in the bathroom, it may be best to paint the shiplap white.

Bright shiplap or rustic shiplap may be warm, but it can also be off-putting if textures. It can make a room feel more enclosed, so painting a pale, light color is best for small spaces. 

Use Metallics

Use Metallics
Design Shop Interiors

Metallics make a room look fancy. Gold decals or shiny copper hardware can make a bathroom look like it’s much more expensive than it is. You can get homey metallics instead of extravagant ones. 

When done in a larger room, it can be overwhelming if you add too many metallics. But in a small space, it can add that extra glimmer that’s needed to make it feel like you chose to have a small bathroom instead of being forced into one. 

Pop Of Color

Large marble sink in half bathroom
Hardin Builders Inc.

Don’t overdo the colors in a half bathroom. You can add a decent amount, but it shouldn’t use over 20 to 30 percent of the area. You can choose a color or two but don’t overdo it.

However, don’t be afraid to add that color. It can make guests feel more welcome as they feel your personality when they enter your home. No one likes public restrooms, so the color isn’t a bad thing.

Invest In A Bidet

Large marble sink in half bathroom
J.THOM Residential Design & Materials

Bidets are popular in many foreign countries but haven’t caught on yet in the US. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t available. Adding one to your half bathroom can do wonders for the feel of the room. 

When you install a bidet, make sure you offer toilet paper too. Some people don’t like bidets. But in the end, it’s a great addition that can make people feel like they are being pampered. If you don’t want to install a full bidet, you could go with a bidet converter kit. 

Fancy Lighting

Large marble sink in half bathroom
Tim Stuart, Builder. Inc.

You may not notice a lighting source when you walk into a room, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t important. In a small space, as you will notice every detail.

You can get a chandelier for a fancier look or nice recessed lights that cover a wide range for a simplistic look. If you do add color, getting colored light covers can be a unique way to express it.

Utilize Your Space

Large marble sink in half bathroom
Roomscapes Cabinetry and Design Center

Whether it be a corner sink or a cabinet over the toilet, utilizing your space is the best way to make your bathroom appear bigger. You have a small space to work with, but it doesn’t mean it has to be cramped.

Floor space is important, so keep it open. A pedestal sink with a cabinet somewhere else can free up space that can make people feel like they can breathe. 

Have A Supply Cabinet 

Large marble sink in half bathroom
41 West

Speaking of cabinets, having one is a good idea. People want to have supplies ready even if they are at someone else’s house. So have one for toilet paper, feminine products, and other things someone might need.

You can even add a first aid kit that is properly labeled. This can make people feel more comfortable as most people like applying first aid themselves, if they don’t know you very well. 

Install A High Window

Large marble sink in half bathroom
Barley|Pfeiffer Architecture

Most half bathrooms don’t even have a window, but adding one can make a bathroom feel welcoming. It can also give people the option to let fresh air in or stale air out, making them more comfortable using the restroom.

If you do add a window, make sure it’s high so that there can’t be any peepers, accidental or not. Since there isn’t a shower in the bathroom, it makes it easier to add a window. Even then, you should make blinds available. 

Hang Wall Art

Hang Wall Art
Black Knight Group

You don’t see many bathrooms with wall art, but there’s not a reason for it. Wall art is good for bathrooms, but more so in half bathrooms, because there is no steam from a shower to ruin it.

Try to add personable art. Something distracting isn’t ideal, and neither is something too pragmatic. That can make one feel like they are at a medical office, which is not relaxing.

Vintage Feature Piece

Large marble sink in half bathroom
Allen Construction

You don’t art hanging in many bathrooms, but there’s not a reason for that. Wall art in bathrooms isn’t safe, but with half bathrooms makes great decor. Half bathrooms do not have showers, so steam or moisture won’t ruin the art. 

Try to include art that matches your personality. You don’t want something too distracting, or too simple. Drab or boring art work can one feel like they’re at a dental office.

Add Square Footage

Add Square Footage to the half bathroom
Cambridge Construction

Vintage Feature Piece

While most half baths are mild and basic, you include a special piece. This can be a nice statue in the corner or a fancy curtain on the window. 

Most people prefer to shop at a flea market or somewhere similar. This way, it is unique and not something found anywhere else. There are plenty of online furniture thrift stores for buying whatever you need. 

Add Square Footage

Because most half bathrooms are small, it doesn’t mean all half bathrooms have to be small. If you have extra space in your house, try adding it to your half bathroom. You don’t need to add a tub.

You can add a seat for private phone calls or a nook for children whose parents use the room. Even if it’s extra floor space, it’s worth it if people can use your half bathroom with joy. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)FAQ

What Type Of Rug Goes With Half Bathroom Decor?

It’s best if you didn’t put a rug in your half bathroom. For easy maintenance and low-key appeal, a machine washable bath mat would work well. Rugs are germ magnets. A half bath, because of its tiny size, are not good locations for rugs. 

What Type Of Sink Is Best For Half Bathroom Decor, A Pedestal Sink Or Vanity?

Pedestal sinks are the go-to sinks for half baths. If want to use your half bath as an extra storage space, then a vanity is your best bet. One reason why pedestal sinks are popular is due to their material, which either glass or vitreous china. 

How much does it cost to redo a half bathroom?

A half bath remodel will run between $2,500 to $5,000. For luxurious homes, half bath remodel jobs start at  $15,000.  high

Keep in mind their average size is 18 to 30 square feet. A powder room project will include installing a new toilet, vanity, and light fixtures. 

What Are Some Common Problems People Have With Half Bathrooms?

The biggest problem with a half bath is figuring out if it’s worth it. Do you want to spend money creating something that you don’t need? Readjusting plumbing lines and electrical wires isn’t cheap. 

If you can, work with your existing layout instead of building on top of it. Most half baths are three to five feet by six to eight feet. 

Half baths offer little room for storage or even a vanity mirror. Because of their size, a half bath is functional at best.

Half Bathroom Decor Ideas For Small Spaces Conclusion

Like any major design job, you should take your time to figure out what you want and how much it will cost. After you know what you want and you have a budget, try to stay within your price range.

Although small, do not underestimate the impact a half bath can have on your guests and property value. As a rule of thumb with decor and design, choose what fits your personality first and foremost. Follow your instincts, and you’ll make the right choice.