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Because why should your washroom be all business? sanitary and fittings
Unlike their more glamorous counterparts like bedrooms and living rooms, bathrooms tend to be one of the most overlooked spaces in the house. If you are a homeowner, it’s easy to become inured to the dated cabinetry and dingy grout lines. And if you’re a renter, you simply must make do with what you’ve got. But before you throw in the towel (come to think of it, that might need replacing too!), it’s important to consider the importance of your washroom. In addition to daily rituals like bathing and brushing, these spaces offer the opportunity for self-care, renewal, and that all-too-fleeting “me time.” In fact, as we’ve reported, bathrooms are becoming more elaborate than ever, complete with sofas, steam showers, and even champagne bars. “The bathroom is no longer just a place to brush your teeth and get ready for the day,” Daniele Busca, the U.S. creative director of Scavolini, told us. “It’s more like your sanctuary. Especially after Covid, the meaning of the bathroom has completely changed.”
The bathroom is also a plum design opportunity, whether you simply repaint your cabinets or go as far as a floor-to-ceiling remodel. For inspiration, we’ve turned to the ELLE DECOR archive. Every home we feature brings us bathrooms we never thought we would see, whether it's a graciously sized bathroom in a Renaissance castle or an exuberant powder room in a single family home. Whatever your whimsy, you’re sure to find your bliss in one of these 102 beautiful bathroom design ideas. Go ahead—soak it all in!
A while back, we investigated the viral "unexpected red" trend that was blowing up our social feeds. The jury may still be out on whether or not a dash of red makes every space look better, but it certainly adds plenty of charm to this rustic alpine bathroom designed by Milanese architect Natalia Bianchi. The tomato-red English tub pops perfectly against the reclaimed timber walls.
ELLE DECOR A-List designer Hannes Peer is a master of materials and we're soaking up all the inspo in this handsome bathroom of his design. It's inspired by Jean-Michel Frank’s own loo, designed in 1925, and features book-matched Calacatta Paonazzo marble walls and a custom mirror.
Not all bathroom storage is created equal—and this idea from ELLE DECOR A-Lister Alfredo Paredes proves why. Instead of humdrum under-sink cabinetry, he designed a custom vintage-looking vanity. If you don't have the budget for custom, try upcycling a narrow vintage table or console.
Mirrors aren't just for doing your makeup. Here, in a stylish Miami pad, Studio Roda also covered the cabinetry in disco-chic reflective surfaces.
Marble in the bathroom isn't necessarily a design decision known for making waves...unless its as eye-catching as this! In a recent Montecito, California project, design power couple Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent wrapped the bathroom in a dynamic Calacatta Viola Rose marble slabs.
Talk about dopamine dressing! This petite bathroom, in the Milan home of hospitality designer Eric Egan, is as stylish as our favorite Missoni scarf. Here, he wrapped the walls in a custom Fromental print.
Sometimes, simply swapping out your plain mirror can make a world of a difference in your bathroom. Here, designer Poonam Khanna selected a towering curved mirror that softens the vanity's crisp lines and adds even more height to the room.
How pretty is this delicate avian-themed wallpaper? In this case, the design is Eugen by Scalamandré and utterly transforms this small bathroom in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Even if you rent, you can get the look with a similar peel-and-stick design.
Soak this idea in: A classic clawfoot tub can get an unexpected update with the right coat of paint. In the case of this Cambridge, Massachusetts house, designer Frances Merrill of Reath Design coated the bath in a sunny yellow (Babouche by Farrow & Ball). A green checkerboard floor adds even more whimsy.
If your bathroom has quirky geometries, embrace them with an enveloping pattern! By keeping the tub, floors, and trim light and bright, designer Ramsey Lyons allowed the wild botanical print to feel whimsical, not overpowering.
With its Eiffel Tower view, this Paris apartment, designed by ELLE DECOR A-Lister Pierre Yovanovitch, has its residents taking photos like tourists. Neutral finishes and materials plus classic fixtures ensure that the vistas are this bathing beauty's biggest design flex.
There's something gloriously romantic about a deep, copper tub. ELLE DECOR A-Lister Sheila Bridges upped the ante in this sophisticated mountain house with classic checkerboard floors and the prettiest Vermont view.
Can't decide between zellige tile and bold marble? Use both! ELLE DECOR A-Lister Rayman Boozer shows you don't have to choose between bathroom design's "it" materials in this New York bathroom. A squiggly window shade adds to the fun.
This bathroom in a historic Connecticut colonial revival has plenty of quirks, so designer Clive Lonstein embraced them with an equally quirky color. Here, he selected Benjamin Moore's happy Potpourri Green.
This bathroom has us seeing red in the best of ways! The homeowner of this Montana home was skeptical at first (she calls it “one specific place where I had to trust”) but the design firm Commune worked its magic via the cherry Heath Ceramic tiles and handsome walnut vanity.
You'd never guess that this once-derelict Paris apartment used to feature squat toilets. That was until designer Sarah Dray arrived on the scene. Here in the primary bath, she contrasted the travertine walls and tubs with a delicious pink onyx floor and sink.
Instead of traditional tile, think small, as ELLE DECOR A-List design duo Hendricks Churchill did in this sky-high Manhattan abode. Instead of traditional rectangles and squares, they covered the walls and floor in a neutral-hued mosaic tile, a move that's sure to feel glorious underfoot.
Tucked away though they often are, a bathroom still needs a vibe. In the powder room of this David Lucido–designed Los Angeles home, brown textured plaster walls provide the perfect base for rich, seductive textures elsewhere.
Powder rooms are the perfect opportunity for the kind of busy, all-over print that would overwhelm a larger room. In this bathroom, design firm Alton Bechara used wallpaper by Aux Abris with repeating lips and stars. The sink is by Devon & Devon, and the mirror is vintage.
To keep things fun and still simple, Bryan Young opted for a straightforward sink and mirror, while covering the walls of this powder room in Flavor Paper’s Camellias wallpaper. “It’s a bit like Alice in Wonderland,” he says.
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