Your half bath doesn’t have to be neutral like the rest of the house.
It’s often an overlooked space in your home, but the half bath is an opportunity to make a bold and fun statement.
Designer Liz Powell shares ways to spruce up that small space and make your half bath a place you’ll want to show off.
The Half Bath: A Space for Creativity
The half bath is a safe, small, and inexpensive place to do something fun – it’s where you can express your personality. The rest of your home is likely neutral, timeless spaces, so the half bath is a great place to really let your style shine.
“You want to keep your home so it feels like everything works together, but you can still have way more fun in that house,” Liz said.
She is an advocate for creating a theme around an item. Take that blue rug from your living room and turn it into a deep, moody bathroom theme!
Liz always starts with function in mind, but for a small space like the half bath, there’s not a ton of real estate to work with. Unless someone is using it to get ready daily, or if you have special needs to consider, you can focus on the design and how the room feels.
“You don’t have to have all the storage space, so you can just focus on the design and how the room feels,” Liz explained.
Lighting: The Key to a Great Half Bath
Since there’s not a lot of natural light to work with in a room like this, Liz recommends a bulb that’s a 3000 Kelvin.
“It’s a nice natural light that is not too blue or too yellow,” she explained. It will give you a nice bright look, and then, if dark is your style, you can do that moody design and still have really beautiful light.
“A dark room can feel nice and bright if it’s got the right light bulb,” Liz said.
Wallpaper: A Comeback Story
Wallpaper has made a comeback, and a lot of people are reaching for it in these smaller spaces, like the half bath.
“The wonderful thing about wallpaper is that you can do anything,” Liz exclaimed.
You can do a grass cloth if you’re want to go neutral and safe, or you can go bold and do something crazy like flamingos. But, Liz does tend to lean towards lighter colors on the wall if you’re looking for texture.
“Wallpaper can be used in a moody way, or, it can be light and bright and still make a fun impact,” she said.
Adding Texture: Tile, Woodwork, and Art
Liz loves to add texture. One way to do that is with wallpaper, another is with tile.
“A lot of times, we’ll tile that vanity wall with a subway with white grout, so it’s really minimal. Sometimes we use some really fun tile to bring in that texture, ” Liz said.
Some other ways she likes to bring in that pop is woodwork and art.
“We can do wainscoting, wallpaper, a beautiful light fixture or even a killer mirror. You can bring in that texture in less permanent ways with a nice rug and even artwork,” Liz explained.
Unique Fixtures: The Final Touch
Liz said to consider unique fixtures. You don’t have to go for a regular spout-and-handles faucet… there are some really fun ones out there!
“We had one a couple years ago in our half bath that had a kind of waterfall,” Liz said. “I could get my kids to brush their teeth in there because they thought that was so cool!”
There are all sorts of unique things like faucets and lighting out there, so reach for something novel and fun to make a statement.
Next time you look at your half bath, remember it’s not just a forgotten space. It’s an opportunity to express your creativity and make a statement. You might just end up with a half bath that you can’t wait to show off.
Find more design inspiration from Liz on Instagram, @lizpowelldesign, or at lizpowelldesign.com.
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